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.
The Way I Am
Merle Haggard Lyrics
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With a bamboo cane stuck in the sand
But the road I'm on, don't seem to go there
So I just dream, keep on being the way I am
Wish I enjoyed what makes my living
Did what I do with a willin' hand
Some would run, ah, but that ain't like me
The way I am, don't fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin'
So I just dream, keep on being the way I am
The way I am, don't fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin',
So I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am
I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am
In Merle Haggard's song "Way I Am," he expresses his desire to escape his current reality and be somewhere else. He wishes he could go to some blue bayou and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle with a bamboo cane stuck in the sand. However, he feels as though the road he's on doesn't lead there, and so he just dreams of being that way. Haggard then expresses his desire to enjoy what it takes to make a living and to do it with a willing hand. While some people would rather run away from their problems or situation, Haggard is not that kind of person. He just dreams of things being different and continues to be himself.
Haggard emphasizes that the way he is, doesn't fit his shackles and that the way he is, is his reality. He then beautifully describes his vision of a bobber dancing, and again emphasizes his very nature to keep dreaming despite the road he's on. The last line of the song perfectly sums up his mindset; "I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am."
Line by Line Meaning
Wish I was down on some blue bayou
I wish I were in a peaceful, serene environment, relaxing with a bamboo cane in my hand.
With a bamboo cane stuck in the sand
I envision myself taking a break from the daily grind, fishing in the calm waters of a blue bayou.
But the road I'm on, don't seem to go there
Unfortunately, my current path in life doesn't seem to lead me towards that ideal destination.
So I just dream, keep on being the way I am
So I continue to dream and imagine this perfect scenario while accepting my current reality and staying true to myself.
Wish I enjoyed what makes my living
I wish I found joy in the work I do to make a living.
Did what I do with a willin' hand
I wish I could approach my work willingly and happily.
Some would run, ah, but that ain't like me
Some people would choose to run away from their unenjoyable work, but that's not the type of person I am.
So I just dream and keep on bein' the way I am
So instead, I choose to continue dreaming while remaining true to my own values and strengths.
The way I am, don't fit my shackles
My natural personality doesn't mesh well with the restrictions and limitations placed on me by society or my current situation.
The way I am, reality
This is just the way I am, and I accept that it's my reality.
I can almost see that bobber dancin'
I can visualize the joy and excitement of fishing that I long for so deeply.
So I just dream, keep on being the way I am
I will continue to hold on to this dream, while staying true to my own personality and values.
The way I am, don't fit my shackles
Once again, my true self doesn't fit well with the restrictions placed upon me.
The way I am, reality
This is who I am, and I must learn to live within the reality of that fact.
I just dream, keep on bein' the way I am
Through it all, I will continue to hold onto my dreams while being true to myself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sonny Throckmorton
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...