Merle Ronald Haggard was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
"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.
"Hungry Eyes" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in February 1969 as the first single from the album A Portrait of Merle Haggard. The song was one of the most famous of his career.
"Workin' Man Blues" is a song written and performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in May 1969 as the second single from the album A Portrait of Merle Haggard. The song was released during his early peak and became one of several signature songs during his career.
"Cherokee Maiden" is a Western swing love song written by Cindy Walker. "Cherokee Maiden" was one of Walker's first hits when it was recorded by Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys in 1941.
"I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in December 1972 as the first single from the album I Love Dixie Blues. The song was Haggard and The Strangers fourteenth number one on the U.S. country singles chart. It was number one for a single week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the chart.
"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. The song 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. "Everybody's Had the Blues" was a minor pop hit, reaching No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1973.
"Someday When Things Are Good' is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released in March 1984 as the first single from his compilation album His Epic Hits: The First 11 . The song was Haggard's thirty-first number one country single as a solo artist. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart. Haggard wrote the song with then-wife Leona Williams.
"Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in July 1984 as the first single from the album It's All in the Game. The song was Haggard's thirty-second number one country single as a solo artist. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the country chart. Haggard wrote the song with Freddy Powers and Sherill Rodgers.
"A Place to Fall Apart" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard as a duet with Janie Fricke and backed by The Strangers. It was released in October 1984 as the second single from the album It's All in the Game. The song was the first single where both Haggard and Fricke worked together. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of fourteen weeks on the country chart. Haggard wrote the song with Willie Nelson and Freddy Powers.
"Making Believe" is a country music song written by Jimmy Work. Kitty Wells recorded a chart-topping version in 1955. The song is on many lists of all-time greatest country music songs and has been covered by scores of artists over the past fifty years, including Thorleifs, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Don Gibson, Roy Acuff, Lefty Frizzell, Wanda Jackson, Connie Francis, Ray Charles, Anita Carter, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb, Social Distortion, Skeeter Davis, The Haden Triplets and Volbeat. The song is occasionally called "Makin' Believe".
"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. The song 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.
"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. The song 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 song peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It reached number twelve on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.
"Here Comes the Freedom Train" is a 1976 song written by Stephen H. Lemberg, best known for being performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in May 1976 as the first single from the album My Love Affair with Trains. "Here Comes the Freedom Train" peaked at number ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It reached number-one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks in July 1976.
"Leonard" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released in February 1981 as the third single from the album Back to the Barrooms. The song reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"I Had a Beautiful Time" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in January 1986 as the first single from the album A Friend in California. The song reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"A Friend in California" is a song written by Freddy Powers, and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in May 1986 as the second single and title track from the album A Friend in California. The song reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"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.
