The Fightin' Side Of Me

Annotation

Merle Haggard, born in Bakersfield, California, in 1937, especially known as a guitarist, vocalist, and fiddler, developed into one of the most influential artists in the country music genre.1 In September 1969 he had released the very popular and successful single "Okie From Muskogee" (Capitol Records # 2626) which attacked draft-card burners and the counter-culture, and re-enforced patriotic, conservative views. Shortly after, in January 1970, he followed up with this equally pro-government, flag-waving song "The Fightin' Side of Me" (Capitol # 2719). This single also had a big-impact, reaching # 1 in the Billboard country singles chart on 14 March 1970, where it stayed for three weeks.2 It also reached # 92 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart, on 28 February.3 The 1970 live album, also called The Fightin' Side of Me (Capitol # ST-451), reached # 1 in the country LP charts.4 Haggard also referenced the Vietnam War in the 1972 single "I Wonder If They Ever Think About Me" (a P.O.W. song), the 1982 single "Are the Good Times Really Over" (Epic Records # 14-02894), and the song "Me and Crippled Soldiers" on the 1990 album Blue Jungle. During the Vietnam era, he also released the single "Soldier's Last Letter" (1971: Capitol Records # 3024). The lyrics contained the patriotic slogan "if you don't love it, leave it", similar to the slogan "it's American, love it or leave", often seen on placards or spoken by those on the pro-war/pro-government side of the debate. They argued that whether wrong or right, citizens of the US needed to back the country in a time of war because "fightin' men have fought and died" for the land. Like many other songs in this section, Haggard defined his position in relation to the demonstrators - protesting against the protesters. Haggard took it one step further in this song, warning those "runnin' down my country" that they would land on the "fightin' side" of the narrator. Ernest Tubb would express similar ideas in the 1970 single "It's America (Love It or Leave It)" (Decca # 732632), discussed below."Love It or Leave It" themed songs: Buster Doss - "Looks Like We're Gonna Fight Again" (1962) Jack Walker - "There's a Boat Leaving Everyday" (1969) Ernest Tubb - "It's America (Love It or Leave It)" (1970) Merle Haggard - "The Fightin' Side of Me" (1970) Tommy Cash - "Unpatriotic Itchin' Needs a Patriotic Scratch" (1971) Leon Rausch - "Hanoi Jane" (1973) Don and Earl - "America, Please Love It or Leave It" John Whipp - "The Flagg" Tommy Cox - "What's the Matter" Sources1The Encyclopedia of Country Music (Michael McCall, 2012)↩2Billboard, 14 March 1970↩3Billboard, 14 March 1970↩4Billboard, 14 March 1970↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I hear people talkin' bad about the way we have to live here in this country / Harpin' on the wars we fight an' gripin' 'bout the way things oughta be / An' I don't mind 'em switchin' sides an' standin' up for things they believe in / When they're runnin' down my country, man, they're walkin' on the fightin' side of me / Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me, runnin' down the way of life / Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep / If you don't love it, leave it, let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'... / I read about some squirrely guy who claims he just don't believe in fightin' / An' I wonder just how long the rest of us can count on bein' free / They love our milk an' honey, but they preach about some other way of livin'

Notes

Capitol 2719 (S45-73785), stereo, red-and-orange target label; "The Fightin' Side of Me" (Merle Haggard), Blue Book Music, BMI, intro :09, total 2:57; produced by Ken Nelson; credited to Merle Haggard and The Strangers. The picture sleeve shows a colour portrait of Merle Haggard resting his head on an acoustic guitar, with the titles "The Fightin' Side of Me" and "Every Fool Has a Rainbow". [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Born 6 April 1937, Oildale, California, USA. Country singer-songwriter and pioneer of the Bakersfield Sound (Okie from Muskogee, The Fightin' Side of Me). Died 6 April 2016 at his home in Palo Cedro, California, USA. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Patriotic · Anti-Protest · Love It or Leave It

In collections

Draft Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]