"If We Make It Through December" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in October 1973 as the lead single from the album Merle Haggard's Christmas Present, and was the title track on a non-Christmas album four months later. In the years since its release, "If We Make It Through December" — which, in addition to its Christmas motif, also uses themes of unemployment and loneliness — has become one of the trademark songs of Haggard's career.
"Movin' On" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in May 1975 as the third single and partial title track from the album Keep Movin' On. Originally, it was the theme song to the 1974-1976 NBC-TV series of the same name and references the lead characters of the series, Sonny Pruitt and Will Chandler, by name. A full-length version of the song was released as a single in 1975, and it topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that July.
Big City is the 33rd studio album by Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1981. It was his debut on the Epic label after ending his association with MCA. Big City peaked at number three on the Billboard Country Album charts and number 161 on the Pop Album charts. It was an RIAA-certified Gold album.
If We Make It Through December is the sixteenth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1974. It reached number 4 on the Billboard country album charts. The title track was previously released on Haggard's Christmas release of 1973, A Christmas Present. The single spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in December 1973 and January 1974, and cracked the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. "If We Make It Through December" was the No. 2 song of the year on Billboard's Hot Country Singles 1974 year-end chart.
Keep Movin' On is the eighteenth studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and, The Strangers released in 1975. It reached number one on the Billboard country albums chart. "Movin' On" was a full-length version of a song Haggard recorded as the theme song to the TV series Movin' On.
"Branded Man" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in July 1967 as the second single and title track from the album Branded Man. The song was Haggard and The Strangers second number one on the country charts. The single stayed at number one for a single week and spent 15 weeks on the chart.
A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today is the 26th studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers, released in 1977. Even though Haggard had moved to the MCA label, Capitol created this release from tracks previously recorded in 1975 and 1976.
"Everybody's Had the Blues" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in June 1973 as the third single from the album I Love Dixie Blues. "Everybody's Had the Blues" was a live recording that became Haggard and The Strangers fifteenth number one on the U.S. country singles chart. The single stayed at number one for two weeks and spent a total of fifteen weeks on the chart.
"The Roots of My Raising" is a song written by Tommy Collins, and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in January 1976 as the first single and title track from the album The Roots of My Raising. The song was Merle Haggard and The Strangers twenty-third number one on the country chart. The single spent one week at number one and a total of ten weeks on the country chart.
Songs for the Mama That Tried is the 32nd studio album by American country singer Merle Haggard with backing by The Strangers, released in 1981. A Gospel album, it reached Number 46 on the Billboard country albums chart.
"It's All in the Movies' is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in September 1975 as the first single and title track from the album It's All in the Movies. The song was Merle Haggard and The Strangers twenty-second number one single on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for a single week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart.
"I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am" is a song written and performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in October 1968 as the only single from his album Pride in What I Am. "I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am" peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It reached number-one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks in January 1969. The song was covered by Dean Martin and released as a single in mid-1969. A tape recorder version of this song was played at the funeral of late Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist, Ronnie Van Zant.
"I Threw Away the Rose" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in February 1967 as the first single from the album Branded Man. The song peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles. In 1994 Lorrie Morgan recorded a version of the song which replaced the "I" in the lyrics with "you", changing it from a self-referential song to a song about someone else, for the Merle Haggard tribute album Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute to Merle Haggard.
"Street Singer" is a song written by Roy Nichols, and performed by American country music band The Strangers. It was released in April 1970 as the first single from their album Introducing My Friends The Strangers. The B-side was "Mexican Rose," written by Roy Nichols and Norm Hamlet. The lineup of The Strangers during this time was Roy Nichols on lead guitar, Norm Hamlet on pedal steel guitar, Bobby Wayne on rhythm guitar, Dennis Hromek on bass, and Biff Adam on drums. "Street Singer" peaked at number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and peaked at number twenty four on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. It reached number-one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks in June 1970.
"Jesus, Take a Hold" is a song written and performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in June 1970 as the first single from the album Hag. "Jesus, Take a Hold" peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and peaked at number seven on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. It reached three on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.
"The Emptiest Arms in the World" is a song written and performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in March 1973 as the second single from the album I Love Dixie Blues. "The Emptiest Arms in the World" peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It reached number twelve on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.
"Running Kind" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in January 1978 as the second and final single from the album, A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today. The song peaked at number 12 on the U.S. country singles chart and at number 10 on the Canadian country singles chart. The song was later covered by Radney Foster for the Haggard tribute album Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute to Merle Haggard. Foster's version was released as a single in 1994 and peaked at number 64 on the U.S. country singles chart. Johnny Cash also covered the song with Tom Petty on the Unearthed box set.
"Kern River" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in July 1985 as the only single and title track from his album Kern River. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
"If You Want to Be My Woman" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in December 1989 as the third single from his album 5:01 Blues. The song peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and reached number 15 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.
Chill Factor is the forty-fourth studio album by American country music singer Merle Haggard, with backing by The Strangers, released on the Epic label in 1987.
