Go to YouTube. Look it up.
Then, and only then, resume reading.
The definitive Merle Haggard song, released in 1968, it’s also semiautobiographical.
Many moons ago, Hag really did turn 21 in prison — San Quentin State Prison in California, to be exact, for attempted burglary.
Last week, he turned 75.
On April 22, a sold-out crowd will welcome Haggard to Kuss Auditorium.
Whether or not you were lucky enough to snag tickets, Hag’s music deserves to be heard by all.
Arguably the greatest living legend in country music — he was a 2010 Kennedy Center honoree — Haggard has recorded more than 600 songs.
Of them, 38 went to No. 1.
So, who better to provide some insight into the man’s staggering body of work than a local high school kid?
Wyatt McCubbin, a 17-year-old Southeastern High junior and a promising country singer-songwriter, will open Haggard’s show.
“I’m more nervous to meet him,” Wyatt confessed.
“I have no clue what I’m going to play,” he added. “I just know it’s going to go by real fast.”
Wyatt — who made his national recording debut in February on a Waylon Jennings tribute album alongside the likes of Hank Williams Jr. and Dierks Bentley — sings like a person beyond his years.
Same goes for his taste in music.
Wyatt recently offered up his favorite Hag songs of all time, and the list bears the mark of a true fan.
Just make sure you start with “Mama Tried,” then try these.
Wyatt McCubbin’s favorite Haggard songs
"My Favorite Memory" (off the album "Big City," 1981) — "This has one of the prettiest melodies I have ever heard in a good old country song. It's easily one of my favorite songs to sing live."
"Footlights" (off "Serving 190 Proof," 1979) — "I connect with it because I live it every time I step onto a stage."
"Heaven Was a Drink of Wine" (off "Serving 190 Proof") — " 'When she left me I went to hell, and heaven was a drink of wine.' The hook in a song is the key to every tune, and this has one of the best hooks ever. Such a simple line."
"Ramblin' Fever" (off the album of the same, 1977) — "From the opening lines to the end note, this song is just tough, from the words to the beat to the sweet guitar work."
"Going Where the Lonely Go" (off the album of the same, 1982) — "Merle just knows how to connect with the lonely people sitting in barrooms."
"Swinging Doors" (off "Swinging Doors and The Bottle Let Me Down," 1966) — "If there is one song that captures Merle's true, early sound, this is it.
“Roy Nichols’ lead guitar and the sound of that steel guitar just explode through the speakers along with Haggard’s ringing voice. Classic country.”
"What Am I Gonna Do (With the Rest of My Life)" (off "That's the Way Love Goes," 1983) — "Merle wears his heart on his sleeve on this song for sure. As a songwriter, this is a great model."
"Misery and Gin" (off "Back to the Barrooms," 1980) — "There are songs that I just don't do live because I can't even touch the original. This is one of them. The guitar runs are phenomenal and unlike anything else I've ever heard."
"Wishing All These Old Things Were New" (off "If I Could Only Fly," 2000) — "It tells of the hardships Haggard dealt with in the business and how he has lived through them.
“Why this wasn’t a huge hit, I will never know. I guess it goes to show how modern country music fans’ ears are painted on their heads.”
"I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" (off "Back to the Barrooms") — "Is there a better song to blare over a honky-tonk jukebox than this one? Merle has been known for his sense of humor, and this is a perfect example of just that."
"The Way I Am" (off the album of the same, 1980) — "The first time I heard this song was sitting around a fire with some relatives, pickin' and grinnin'. I haven't been able to shake it since."
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Star" (off "Chill Factor," 1987) — "Merle Haggard's voice just does something for me that a lot of others can't. No matter how bad your day is, you can put this on and just feel the relief."
"Laugh It Off" (off "Working in Tennessee," 2011) — "The album didn't touch the country music charts and didn't really see any acknowledgment. Shame on 'country music' for that. The whole album is great, but man, this song really stands out.
“Merle still has it, and isn’t giving up anytime soon.”
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