1.

(# 1 country hit)

Big City

Merle Haggard - Dean Holloway

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

I'm tired of this dirty old city
And tired of too much work and never enough play
And I'm tired of these dirty old sidewalks
Think I'll walk off my steady job today

Turn me loose set me free somewhere in the middle of Montana
And give me all I've got coming to me
And keep your retirement and your so called Social Security
Big city turn me loose and set me free
[ instrumental ]
Been working everyday since I was twenty
Haven't got a thing to show for anything I've done
There's folks who never work and they've got plenty
Think it's time some guys like me had some fun

So turn me loose set me free...
Yeah big city turn me loose and set me free

**********

2.

(# 1 country hit)

My Favorite Memory

Merle Haggard

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

The first time we met is a favorite mem'ry of mine
They say time changes all it pertains to but your mem'ry is stronger than time
I guess everything does change except what you choose to recall
There's a million good day dreams to dream on
But baby you are my favorite mem'ry of all

Like the night we made love in the hallway and slept all night long on the floor
Like the winter we spent on Lake Shasta alone and closer than ever before
And I remember that London vacation it was you made the whole thing of all
There's a million good times I could dwell on
But baby you are my favorite mem'ry of all

The first time we met is a favorite mem'ry of mine...

**********

3.

Good Old American Guest

Merle Haggard

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

Well I'm longing to ride on a freight train
Pull a slouch hat down low on my ears
I'm yearning to leave this old town on the fly
And lose all my troubles and cares
In this day of airplanes and highways
Hey the slow way is sometimes the best
I'm longing to ride on a freight train
And be a good old American guest

Yes I wanna live on the land that I've loved and I've labored for
And spend a few days headed west
I'm longing to ride on a freight train
And be a good old American guest
[ instrumental ]
Well the pressures of life they got to me
And they got down and deep in my soul
I'm tired of the rat race wanna go back to the slow pace
And hear a fast freight rattle and roll
I wanna live out my days like a hobo
And take myself that long needed rest
Hey hey I'm longing to ride on a freight train
And be a good old American guest

Yeah I wanna live off the land...

Oh yes I'm longing to ride on a freight train
And be a good old American guest

**********

4.

I Think I'm Gonna Live Forever

Merle Haggard - Dennis Hromek - Benny Binion

© Tree Pub, BMI

When you first left me baby I thought I would surely lose my mind
Everyday of life was just another day gone by
Well you really had me down in a deep depression
I wanted real bad just to crawl off and die

But now I think I'm gonna live forever
Hey dyin' ain't on my list of things to do
I think I'm gonna live forever
Hey it feels so good just to be out of love with you
[ instrumental ]
Yeah babe you left me hanging just tryin' to aggravate me all the way
And you got it done just the way you always do
But all you really did was aggravate me
Cause I got my health and I got over you

And now I think I'm gonna live forever...

**********

5.

This Song Is Mine

Merle Haggard

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

Sometimes songs are done by singers that don't mean them
And at times I've done the same and couldn't sing 'em
At times I've written songs about some things I didn't do
But these are my words and mine alone these words are true

I've written words in many ways to make 'em rhyme
And at times I've stolen notes that wadn't mine
Sometimes I changed my style all around to make it new
These are my words and this is my way and it's for you

Cause I love you with all of my heart my soul and my mind
These are my words these notes are mine this song is mine

Cause I love you honey with all of my heart my soul and my mind
These words are mine these notes are mine this song is mine

**********

6.

Stop The World (And Let Me Off)

Carl Belew - W.S. Stevenson

© Four Star Music, BMI

Hey stop the world and let me off
I'm tired of going round and round
I've played the game of love and lost
Hey stop the world and let me off

My dreams are shattered don't you see
Cause you no longer care for me
I miss the wonder of your kiss
Why did you leave me here like this

Hey stop the world and let me off...

My dream world tumbled to the ground
The one I love has let me down
Can't stop burnin' deep inside
I know your love for me has died
[ instrumental ]
My dreams are shattered can't you see
Cause you no longer care for me
I miss the wonder of your kiss
How come you left me here like this

Hey stop the world and let me off...
[ instrumental ]


**********

7.

(# 2 country hit)

Are The Good Times Really Over

Merle Haggard

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

I wish a buck was still silver it was back when the country was strong
Back before Elvis and before the Vietnam war came along
Before the Beatles and Yesterday when a man could still work and still would
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good

Are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell
With no kinda chance for the flag or the Liberty Bell
I wish a Ford and a Chevy would still last ten years like they should
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good

I wish coke was still cola and a joint was a bad place to be
And it was back before Nixon lied to us all on TV
Before microwave ovens when a girl could still cook and still would
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good

Are we rolling downhill like a snowball...

Stop rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell
Stand up for the flag and let's all ring the Liberty Bell
Let's make a Ford and a Chevy that'll still last ten years like they should
Cause the best of the free life is still yet to come
And the good times ain't over for good

**********

8.

Texas Fiddle Song

Leona Williams - Ron Williams

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

I get this going fever every time I hear a tune
That talks about South Texas where the cactus is in bloom
I feel I oughta be there every evening after dark
To hear the fiddlers fiddlin' around a tune called Old Joe Clark
[ instrumental ]
Well we played that show in Tulsa then it was Ft Worth bound
We headed down south 35 to this South Texas town
It's a different world and a lot of fun if you like this country sound
You can find yourself a partner when they boil this cabbage down
[ instrumental ]
Well if you're ever down in Texas and feeling all alone
There's a lot of kicker places just south of San Antone
Ain't nothin' fancy mind ya just a place where good folks go
You can hear the boot heels start to click when they hit that Cotton Eyed Joe
[ instrumental ]


**********

9.

You Don't Have Very Far To Go

Merle Haggard - Red Simpson

© Owen Publications, BMI

You always find a way to hurt my pride
If I'm not crying then you're not satisfied
And I don't know why you wanna hurt me so
If you're tryin' to break my heart you don't have very far to go

You don't have very far to go before the heartache begins
I already feel the sadness of a heartbreak settin' in
I don't know why you wanna hurt me so
If you're tryin' to break my heart you don't have very far to go
[ instrumental ]
You don't have very far to go before the heartache begins
I already feel the sadness of a heartbreak settin' in
You're turnin' down the flame of love too low
And if you're tryin' to break my heart you don't have very far to go

**********

10.

I Always Get Lucky With You

Merle Haggard - Freddy Powers - Gary Church

© Shade Tree Music, BMI

I've had good luck and bad luck and no luck it's true
But I always get lucky with you
I've been turned on and turned down when the bars close at two
But I always get lucky with you

I keep two strikes against me most all of the time
And when it's down to a phone call I'm minus a dime
There's been good days and bad days but when the day is all through
Hey I'll always get lucky with you

I keep two strikes against me...

**********