In some sense, these simple lyrics have hit a little too close to home since the pandemic began. Any lyric that mentions making it through is definitely reason enough to take a closer look into its true intention. Merle Haggard wrote and performed the song “If we make it through December.” It is rumored that the song was a way for him to express his view on unemployment and hard times, as well as various other issues.
Merle Ronald Haggard was not birthed on Oklahoma soil, but his parents where. The “Hag” was born in a make-shift box car home in Bakersfield California on April 6, 1937. His parents, Jim ,and Flossie Haggard, were full-blooded Oklahomans from Checotah, Okla.
Merle may not have been born on Oklahoma soil, but he often claimed the stories and influence of his parents was all Oklahoma. Haggard began singing about his love for Oklahoma. On October 10, 1969, Haggard began his show on the road. More importantly, it was when he first performed his worldfamous song “Okie from Muskogee” at the all-new Muskogee civic center.
Before his performance, Haggard said, “I wasn’t actually born here in Muskogee, but my family on my mother’s side lived here for many years and I think most of all my dad’s folks were born between here and Checotah somewhere.”
According to McAlester News Capital, Haggard continued to explain how his parent’s love for Oklahoma stirred up his curiosity.
“I have heard my parents talk so much about it that, when I finally began to tour on the road, we made a trip out there to come and see where they used to live”
Haggard’s parents were not able to birth the singer in their beloved stated because of a natural disaster. After their barn burned in 1935, they packed up what was left and tied, wired, nailed and any other means they could to an old truck and headed for Bakersfield, Calif.
Jim rented an old boxcar that he fixed up as a house and that is where Merle was born. The couple found work at a local dairy barn as milkers. A little later, Jim started working for the Sante Fe Railroad, but this didn’t last long because he passed away in 1946. This left a heavy load for Flossie, mother of three. Needless to say, this impacted Merle greatly and the experiences are reflected in his music from hard times to jail time.
One of Merles most Oklahoma related songs is “Take me back to Tulsa.” This was one of his most dynamic hit songs. Haggard didn’t write the song; however, its origin is even seedier. Bob Wills performed the song before Haggard and Tommy Duncan added a few lines to it.
Merle mentioned the origins of the song at multiple performances. It is an early nineteenth century song of enslaved African Americans as read in the novel, “My Southern Home,”by William Bells Brown. In a few older versions of Haggard’s, the song includes the line, “Would I like to go to Tulsa? Boy I sure would, Well let me off at Archer, and I’ll walk down to Greenwood.” Many critics believe this is a nod to the African American town of Greenwood. It seemed to certainly have its influence on Haggard and the song.
Another hard-hitting song of Haggards is “Okie from Muskogee.” An internet search on the origin of this song revealed that it was a “patriotic song when Patriotism wasn’t popular.” Upon further listening to the lyrics, it seems to spotlight many issues that American, and Oklahomans are dealing with today.
Many people know who Merle Haggard is and that he is one of the most influential country music writer and performers of his time. His legend lives on to this day.
Many audience members of his shows assume he is from Oklahoma, given all his songs about the state. Although he was not born here, the fact that his parents where and the strong mention of Oklahoma penetrates his songs is reason enough to say Ole Merle Haggard is as Oklahoman as anybody could possibly get.
To cement the fact that Merle is a legend and honorary Oklahoman, Oklahoma Governor Stitt declared October 10, 2019, to officially be “Okie from Muskogee Day.” Even though we are not there yet, we are following Merle’s words, and will “make it through December”