OldiesButGoodies

Country

Merle Haggard – I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am

Introduction:

“I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am” is a poignant country ballad written and recorded by Merle Haggard in 1968. The song, released as the title track of his album “Pride in What I Am,” reached number three on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number one in Canada. It has since become a staple of Haggard’s live performances and a beloved classic in the country music canon.

The song’s narrative voice is that of a homeless drifter who takes pride in his unconventional lifestyle, despite its hardships. He sings of “living off the side of our great land,” learning valuable lessons in a “hobo jungle” that he wouldn’t have acquired in a classroom. He acknowledges the loneliness and rootlessness of his existence, yet he finds solace in his freedom and the camaraderie he shares with other drifters.

“I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am” resonates with listeners due to its unflinching portrayal of the realities faced by those living on the margins of society. Haggard’s lyrics offer a nuanced perspective on homelessness, avoiding easy judgments or romanticizing the lifestyle. Instead, he presents a complex portrait of a man who has chosen a life of independence, however unconventional, and finds a sense of purpose and belonging within that chosen path.

The song’s enduring appeal lies in its honesty, its poetic language, and its universal themes of self-acceptance and finding one’s place in the world. It is a testament to Haggard’s skill as a songwriter and his ability to connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level.

Video:

https://youtu.be/Bo4rdI116XM?si=Yem-9eEGtKtc2ZDa

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Merle Haggard’s childhood was becoming increasingly chaotic when something entered his life that would eventually change everything: a guitar. His older brother Lowell gave him one when Merle was around 12. Merle began teaching himself, absorbing the records and styles of country heroes such as Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. There were no expensive lessons preparing him for Nashville. There was simply a troubled California kid listening closely and learning how another man’s sadness could live inside a melody. Merle would still make plenty of mistakes. Music didn’t instantly rescue him from running away, juvenile detention or eventually prison. But the guitar remained. Years later, millions would recognize Merle’s voice within seconds. Perhaps that’s because he wasn’t merely learning how to sing songs as a boy. He was slowly learning how to tell the truth about his own life.

Merle Haggard rarely needed to invent heartbreak. He had known it since childhood. In 1946, when Merle was only nine years old, his father, James Haggard, died following a stroke. For a boy who deeply needed his father’s presence, the loss became a turning point. His mother, Flossie, worked to support the family. Merle, meanwhile, became increasingly restless. He skipped school, ran away, got into trouble, and began a long journey through juvenile institutions that eventually led somewhere far darker. Looking back at his life, it is difficult not to see that nine-year-old boy behind many of the adult Merle Haggard’s songs. People later called him a rebel, an outlaw and a survivor. But before any of those labels existed, there was simply a grieving boy who had lost his dad—and never seemed to completely outrun that loss.

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