TFT: Merle Haggard

Link: [Merle Haggard]

Not every song that will be featured here will be what is generally considered as being “Christian” in the eyes of this world.  For some will be anguished cries from the pit of despair, and others will be quite obviously ferverent rants of rebellion.  Nonetheless, be assured that they will all be of our Heavenly Father (in one way or another) and I hope that you have been given ears to hear the message.

Link: [On YouTube]

Mama Tried

Merle Haggard

The first thing I remember knowin’

Was a lonesome whistle blowin’

And a young-un’s dream

Of growin’ up to ride

On a freight train leavin’ town

Not knowin’ where I’m bound

No one could change my mind

But mama tried

One and only rebel child

From a family meek and mild

My mama seemed to know

What lay in store

Despite all my Sunday learnin’

Towards the bad I kept on turnin’

‘Til Mama

Couldn’t hold me anymore

And I turned twenty-one in prison

Doin’ life without parole

No one could steer me right

But mama tried

Mama tried

Mama tried to raise me better

But her pleadin’ I denied

That leaves only me to blame

‘Cause mama tried

Dear old daddy rest his soul

Left my mom a heavy load

She tried so very hard

To fill his shoes

Workin’ hours without rest

Wanted me to have the best

She tried to raise me right

But I refused

And I turned twenty-one in prison

Doin’ life without parole

No one could steer me right

But mama tried

Mama tried

Mama tried to raise me better

But her pleadin’ I denied

That leaves only me to blame

‘Cause mama tried

Link: [On YouTube]

Leonard

Merle Haggard

When Leonard finally came to California

He was twenty-one years old as I recall

He loved to write a song and pick the guitar

And he came to hang a gold one on the wall

The town in which he lived is not important

But you’ll know which town I mean

By the time I’m through

He soon became a famous entertainer

But Leonard was a name he never used

He was on his way to havin’ what he wanted

Just about as close as one could be

Hey

Once he even followed Elvis Presley

And he wrote a lot of country songs for me

But he laid it all aside to follow Jesus

For years he chose to let his music go

But preachin’ wasn’t really meant for Leonard

But how in the Hell was Leonard supposed to know

Well life began to twist its way around him

And I wondered how he carried such a load

He came back again to try his luck in music

And lost his wife and family on the road

After that he seemed to bog down even deeper.

And I saw what booze and pills could really do.

And I wondered if I’d ever see him sober.

But I forgot about a Friend that Leonard knew

Well Leonard gave me lots of inspiration

He helped teach me how to write a country song

And he even brought around a bag of groceries

Hey

Back before Muskogee came along

Really

I’m not tryin’ to hide his show-name

Or the town in which this episode began

Somehow I had to write a song for old Tommy

If just to see the smilin’ faces in the band

When Leonard finally came to California

He was twenty-one years old as I recall

And he loved to write a song and pick the guitar

And he came to hang a gold one on the wall

Lyrics From: [Cowboy Lyrics]

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[FishHawk Droppings]

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[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]