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.
Stranger in My Arms
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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Now you treat me cold instead of warm
And you're not just not the same old you that I used to call mine
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
When I hold you close to me you still seem far away
I tried my best to bring you back but something's in the way
And even when I'm kissing you I'm missing all your charms
I don't see the love light in your eyes for me no more
The flame is cold that used to burn so warm
There's a strangeness in your ways I'd never known before
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
When I hold you close to me you still seem far away
I tried my best to bring you back but something's in the way
And even when I'm kissing you I'm missing all your charms
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
The song "Stranger in My Arms" by Merle Haggard is a classic country ballad that depicts the feelings of a man whose relationship with his significant other has taken a turn for the worse. The lyrics suggest that the woman in question has become distant and aloof, and the singer is struggling to understand why she is behaving this way. He notes that she no longer seems to be as affectionate as she once was and that there is a "strangeness" to her behavior that he has never seen before.
Despite his best efforts to reconnect with her, she remains emotionally distant and he feels as though she is a "stranger in [his] arms." This feeling is reinforced in the chorus of the song, where he laments that even when they kiss, he is "missing all [her] charms." In essence, the song is about the pain of loving someone who no longer loves you back, and the feelings of confusion and displacement that come with such a situation.
The lyrics of "Stranger in My Arms" are classic country, exploring themes of love and loss, heartbreak and betrayal, and the struggles that come with trying to hold onto a relationship that has lost its spark. Despite being written and recorded in the 1970s, the song still resonates with listeners today and is considered a classic of the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't thrill you like I used to do, there's something on your mind
You're not as excited about me as you used to be, and you're clearly preoccupied with something.
Now you treat me cold instead of warm
Your behavior toward me has changed from being warm and loving to cold and distant.
And you're not just not the same old you that I used to call mine
You've changed so much that I don't recognize you anymore, and it hurts.
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
You're physically there, but I don't feel the connection we used to have - it's like I'm holding a stranger.
When I hold you close to me you still seem far away
Even when we're physically close, you're emotionally distant and unreachable.
I tried my best to bring you back but something's in the way
I've made an effort to reconnect with you, but there's some obstacle that's keeping us apart.
And even when I'm kissing you I'm missing all your charms
Even our physical intimacy isn't the same - I feel like I'm missing something that used to be there.
I don't see the love light in your eyes for me no more
I don't feel like you love me the way you used to - there's no spark in your eyes.
The flame is cold that used to burn so warm
Our passion has faded - what used to be a bright, warm flame has turned into a cold ember.
There's a strangeness in your ways I'd never known before
You're behaving in a way that's unfamiliar and unsettling to me - it's like I don't know you anymore.
And you feel like a stranger in my arms
Once again, physically we're close, but emotionally you feel like a stranger to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES FUZZY OWENS, WALLY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Glenn Vieregge
There was great respect long after their divorce. True love. The greatest country artist of all time. He had a great way of singing a song. The apple doesn't fall far from a tree. His son's have his talent also. R.i.p. Merle Haggard.
Maria Maria
If there's a friendship after divorce it means that he was rather difficult and she left. Do believe me.
kjun03
Bonnie helped Merle’s sound greatly !!!
That Bakersfield harmony!!!
Thanks!!!
Sheila Hamm
Yes but at times she got carried away and tried to over power his voice
Deborah Snell
Loved them together!! Merle was a looker back in the day!! Never will I forget you Merle! RIP!! A TRUE LEGEND!!❤️
Lena Andersson
Just WHAT I call REAL countrymusic.lovely 🎤🎸💓💓💓
Carolyn Bozeman
I don't think any one could stop loving Merle , he was a special person
Kent Talsma
Didn't he own a BIG ranch where all his ex wives lived in their own houses?
Bev Earle
Carolyn Bozeman merle still loves Bonnie
Nedra Bradley
Carolyn Bozeman my favorite memory