Merle Haggard - Big City

Country day is back, which for some reason is hardly ever a Monday. Subliminally, there must be some reason for that - but I have no clue what it could be. As I think most of you know - I'm running low on ideas for new country artists. Thanks to Jen, I think I've hit a ton of the modern stuff, and I've sprinkled in some of the old too. janis! suggested I ran with a little Merle Haggard, so that's today! Now, I've never heard any Haggard before, I just remember my father for some reason having a t-shirt of his when I was a kid. My dad didn't listen to country music, so I'm guessing it was a bar promotion shirt with some whiskey brand. Just a guess. Haggard had a tough upbringing, he was born in Oklahoma and his family moved to California during the Great Depression. Bakersfield back then was a city for midwesterners to go to and seek employment and shelter with others of their ilk. His father died at age nine and from then on, he was in trouble. Tossed in juvie multiple times - fled to Texas only to be brought back by police. His music - is well, the exact country I don't like. Only to be described I guess by the world twang, it's just not for me. I'm sure my grandma loves this - but for me, it's too slow moving and the lyrics are something I might want to listen to if I was planning to off myself. Okay, that's a little over the top - but you get the point. Speak up if you enjoy some Haggard, otherwise, I say skip this yee haw day.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Big City
2. My Favorite Memory
3. Good Old American Guest
4. I Think I'm Gonna Live Forever
5. This Song Is Mine
6. Stop the World and Let Me Off
7. Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)
8. Texas Fiddle Song
9. You Don't Have Very Far To Go
10. I Always Get Lucky With You
11. Call Me (Bonus Track)
12. I Won't Give up My Train (Bonus Track)

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. My Favorite Memory
2. Are The Good Times Really Over
3. Big City

FINAL RATING:
2.25 out of 5 stars