23 Merle Haggard Quotes To Tip Your Hat To

Merle Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was a renowned American country music songwriter, singer, guitarist, and even a legendary fiddler. Haggard by no means had an easy upbringing, and he was born right at the end of the Great Depression. He was in and out of jail numerous times throughout his childhood, and thankfully, eventually after a stint in San Quentin State Prison back in 1960 he was able to shift the tides of his troubled life and build the unforgettable country music career that we recognize today. We’ll take a look at some of the wisest words that Merle Haggard left us with.

1. On the purpose of music

“We need to have music that contributes to the well-being of the spirit. Music that cradles people’s lives and makes things a little easier. That’s what I try to do, and what I want to do. You don’t want to close the door on hope.”

2. On freedom

“In 1960, when I came out of prison as an ex-convict, I had more freedom under parolee supervision than there’s available in America right now.”

3. On the perfect melody

“The only thing that I miss lately in all music is somebody that will put out a melody that you can whistle. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything happening like that.”

4. On the different periods of broadcasts

“There’s been periods of broadcasts in the past where you could see all ages of entertainers, ranging from George Burns to Shirley Temple. That’s not the condition now.”

5. On a script for his life

“There’s a rumor that there may be an attempt at organizing a possible script for a series on my life, which, when you look at my police record, you’d have to have more than one hour to tell the story.”

6. On aging and bread

“At my age, I don’t buy but half a loaf of bread, you know?”

7. On foot surgeries

“They shaved a little piece of bone off my small toe. You see, you balance yourself a certain way and this toe had grown under the other ones. So he cut it loose, where I could balance myself and it makes me walk straight.”

8. On truth and music

“It’s easier to force-feed people than it is to give ’em what they want. It makes more money.”

9. On the origins of music about hard times

“When you get to readin’ about where the music and John Steinbeck and all those people like that come from, the further you go the more interesting it becomes.”

10. On getting close to the answers

“By the time you get close to the answers, it’s nearly all over.”

11. On speaking up when it counts

“Lay in the weeds and wait, and when you get your chance to say something, say something good.”

12. On honesty

“I’ll tell you what the public likes more than anything, it’s the most rare commodity in the world – honesty.”

13. On divorce

“Willie Nelson’s the one who told me the reason it costs so much to get divorced is because it’s worth it.”

14. On politics

“Keep your opinions to yourself. I think it’s important that I stay neutral on politics and remain hard to understand. I don’t want to be pigeonholed as conservative, liberal, independent or anything. I back the man for the things the man believes in, not whether it says “R” or “D” down there beside his name.”

15. On loving it or leaving it

“Running down on a way of life our fighting men have fought and died to keep. If you don’t love it, leave it.”

16. On feeling your songs through and through

“To be part of what you’re singing about is somewhat painful. You’ve got to climb inside it all.”

17. On a house vs. a home

“A house without love ain’t a home.”

18. On fun times and money times

“If I had a choice, and there was a “Y” in the road, I would always take the one that was more fun as opposed to the one that might make me more money.”

19. On heartbreak

“Staring at the world through the bottom of a glass, all I see is a man who’s fading fast.”

20. On welfare

“Hey, hey, the working man, the working man like me. I ain’t never been on welfare, that’s one place I won’t be.”

21. On the real stars

“There’s just a few people that call themselves stars can actually sit down with a guitar and sing you a song.”

22. On smelling good

“There’s one thing I never did do, and that was stink.”

23. On losing control

“The turn I made was not the one I planned. And I watched my social standing slip away from me, while I watched the bottle slowly take command.”