Haggard was born in Oildale, California, during the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled after the death of his father, and he was incarcerated several times in his youth. After being released from San Quentin State Prison in 1960, he managed to turn his life around and launch a successful country music career. He gained popularity with his songs about the working class that occasionally contained themes contrary to the prevailing anti-Vietnam War sentiment of much popular music of the time. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, he had 38 number-one hits on the US country charts, several of which also made the Billboard all-genre singles chart. Haggard continued to release successful albums into the 2000s.
He received many honors and awards for his music, including a Kennedy Center Honor (2010), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), a BMI Icon Award (2006), and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), Country Music Hall of Fame (1994) and Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (1997). He died on April 6, 2016 — his 79th birthday — at his ranch in Shasta County, California, having recently suffered from double pneumonia.
Haggard's last recording, a song called "Kern River Blues", described his departure from Bakersfield in the late 1970s and his displeasure with politicians. The song was recorded February 9, 2016, and features his son Ben on guitar. This record was released on May 12, 2016.
Haggard endorsed Fender guitars and had a Custom Artist signature model Telecaster. The guitar is a modified Telecaster Thinline with laminated top of figured maple, set neck with deep carved heel, birdseye maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, ivoroid pickguard and binding, gold hardware, abalone Tuff Dog Tele peghead inlay, 2-Colour Sunburst finish, and a pair of Fender Texas Special Tele single-coil pickups with custom-wired 4-way pickup switching. He also played six-string acoustic models. In 2001, C. F. Martin & Company introduced a limited edition Merle Haggard Signature Edition 000-28SMH acoustic guitar available with or without factory-installed electronics.
Stop The World And Let Me Off
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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I'm tired of going round and round
I've played the game of love and lost
Hey, stop the world and let me off
My dreams are shattered, don't you see?
'Cause you no longer care for me
I miss the wonder of your kiss
Hey, stop the world and let me off
I'm tired of going round and round
I've played the game of love and lost
Hey, stop the world and let me off
My dream world tumbled to the ground
The one I love has let me down
Can't stop burnin' deep inside
I know your love for me has died
Stop the world and let me off
I'm tired of going round and round
I've played the game of love and lost
Hey, stop the world and let me off
My dreams are shattered, can't you see?
'Cause you no longer care for me
I miss the wonder of your kiss
How come you left me here like this
Hey, stop the world and let me off
I'm tired of going round and round
I've played the game of love and lost
Hey, stop the world and let me off
The song “Stop the World and Let Me Off” by Merle Haggard talks about a heartbroken person who just wants the world to stop turning so that they can get off and get away from their pain. The opening line “Hey, stop the world and let me off” sets the tone for the entire song as it expresses the need for a break from the chaos of life. The singer is tired of going round and round in circles, played the game of love but has lost.
The second verse of the song reveals the reason behind the heartache. The person the singer loved no longer cares for them, and they miss the wonder of their kiss. The chorus repeats the sentiment from the first verse, emphasizing the feeling of being stuck in a never-ending cycle of pain. In the final verse, the singer's dream world has tumbled down; the one they love has let them down. The love they once had has died.
Overall, the song is about the feeling of being trapped in a situation that seems never-ending, specifically when it comes to heartbreak. The singer wants to stop the world, get off the ride, and escape the pain of losing someone that they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, stop the world and let me off
I need a break from this never-ending cycle I'm stuck in
I'm tired of going round and round
I'm exhausted from the same old routine and getting nowhere
I've played the game of love and lost
I've been burned before and don't want to go through it again
My dreams are shattered, don't you see?
All my hopes and aspirations are crushed because of your actions
'Cause you no longer care for me
You've stopped loving me and moved on
I miss the wonder of your kiss
I long for the passion and affection we used to share
Why did you leave me here like this?
I don't understand why you abandoned me and broke my heart
My dream world tumbled to the ground
The perfect life I imagined with you has crumbled away
The one I love has let me down
The person I trusted and cared for has disappointed me
Can't stop burnin' deep inside
I can't shake the pain and hurt I feel
I know your love for me has died
I've come to the realization that your feelings for me are gone
I'm tired of going round and round
Still feeling the same as before
I've played the game of love and lost
Despite knowing the risks, I fell for you and ended up hurt
My dreams are shattered, can't you see?
I feel hopeless because all my plans for the future depended on us being together
'Cause you no longer care for me
Your indifference towards me makes me feel worthless and unimportant
How come you left me here like this
I'm struggling to accept that you've abandoned me and left me to pick up the pieces alone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL ROBERT BELEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jimmy Ray
on Carryin' Fire
I'm a co-writer on this song and the lyrics are not quite right here. Instead of the word high it should be higher. The last verse is A moth slowly circles the flickering candle, the fire is all it can see...