1.

(# 36 country hit)

Amber Waves Of Grain

Merle Haggard - Freddy Powers

© Tree Pub, BMI

If the amber waves of grain should disappear
And there were no wheat or barley anywhere
Would we buy our bread and butter from the Toyota man
Would an Idaho spud be stamped made in Japan
The farm just won't get tended if the farmer isn't here
The amber waves of grain may disappear

There's a railroad train that's on it's way to nowhere
Never to return again this way
Will the future farmer board this train to nowhere
Is there nothin' we can do to help him stay
Can we get rid of that foreign aid to the farmer over here
Or the amber waves of grain may disappear

The amber waves of grain could disappear
And there were no wheat or barley anywhere
Would we buy our bread and butter from the Toyota man
Would an Idaho spud be stamped made in Japan
Can we sink a bit of some foreign aid to the farmer over here
Or the amber waves of grain may disappear

**********

2.

Tulare Dust / Mama Tried

Merle Haggard

© Blue Book Music, BMI

Tulare dust in a farm boy's nose
Wonderin' where the freight train goes
Standin' in a field by the railroad track
Cussin' the strap on my cotton sack

I can see mom and dad with shoulders low
Both of 'em pickin' on a double row
They do it for a livin' because they must
That's life like it is in the Tulare dust

First thing I remember knowin' was a lonesome whistle blowin'
And the youngest 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
Spite of all my Sunday learnin' toward the bad I kept on turnin'
Till mama couldn't hold me anymore

I turned twenty one in prison doing life without parole
No one could steer me right but mama tried mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied
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
Working 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 doing life without parole...

**********

3.

The Farmer's Daughter

Merle Haggard

© Blue Book Music, BMI

Tonight there'll be candlelight and roses
In this little country chapel that's almost fallen down
There'll be tears in this old farmer's eyes this evening
When I give my one possession to that city boy from town

His hair it's a little longer than we're used to
But I guess I should find something good to say
About this man who's won the farmer's daughter
And will soon become my son in law today

Mama left eight years ago December
And it was hard to be a dad and mama too
But somehow we made a home of this old farmhouse
And love was all my baby ever knew

And he could be the richest man in seven counties
And not be good enough to take her hand
But he swears he really loves the farmer's daughter
And I know the farmer's daughter loves the man

**********

4.

Okie From Muskogee's Comin' Home / Okie From Muskogee

Merle Haggard

© Blue Book Music, BMI

There's been twenty years of travelin'
Twenty years of livin' out on the road
Learnin' these chords and learnin' these songs
And payin' up all these dues they said I owe
And I may always be a rambler never lose the urge to roam
But if I can find me a flight this morning
Man the Okie from Muskogee's comin' home

We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee
We don't take our trips on LSD
And we don't burn no draft cards down on Main Street
We like living right and being free

We don't make a party out of loving
But we like holding hands and pitching woo
And we don't let our hair grow long and shaggy
Hey like the hippies out in San Francisco do and still do

And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee
A place where even squares can have a ball
We still wave Ol' Glory down at the courthouse
And white lightning's still the biggest thrill of all

Hey leather boots are still in style for manly footwear
Beads and Roman sandals won't be seen
Football is still the roughest thing on campus
And the kids there still respects the college dean

And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee...
We still wave Ol' Glory down at the courthouse
In Muskogee Oklahoma USA

**********

5.

Gone With The Wind

Herbert Magidson - Allie Wrubel - Max Steiner

© Bourne Co, ASCAP

Hey just like in the movies a long time ago
The story was told at the big picture show
There was cheatin' and lyin' and livin' in sin
They called the movie Gone With The Wind

You were Miss Scarlett the belle of the ball
I was Rhett Butler babe we had it all
I wish we could go back and live it again
But honey our love is gone with the wind

And I'm not a hero I am what I am
Frankly my dear I still give a damn
But our civil war is ragin' again
And just like Clark Gable honey I'm gone with the wind

Hey I'm not a hero I am what I am...
Yes just like Clark Gable I'm gone with the wind

**********

6.

I Wish Things Were Simple Again

Merle Haggard - Tommy Collins - Pate Russell

© Tree Pub, BMI

I wish things were simple like they used to be
When cowboys rode horses and were heroes to me
My mother was a lady and my dad was a man
And I wish things were simple again

I wish things were simple like when I was a kid
A man just got paid for the work that he did
And a song could be played for a nickel back then
And I wish things were simple again

But even the blue skies roar with thunder
Men fly above us like birds
Nothing is simple not even a love song
When the story gets lost in the words

But there's no way to rewind it's gone with the wind
And I wish things were simple again

But even the blue skies roar with thunder...

But there's no way to rewind it's gone with the wind
And I wish things were simple again
Oh I wish things were simple again

**********

7.

Workin' Man Blues / AlwaysLate (With Your Kisses)

Merle Haggard - Lefty Frizzell - Blackie Crafford

© Tree Pub, BMI

It's a big job gettin' by with nine kids and a wife
Yeah but I've been a workin' man dang near all my life
And I'll keep on workin' long as my two hands are fit to use
Drink a little beer that evening man
Sing a little bit of these workin' man blues

Well I keep my nose on the grindstone work hard everyday
Might get a little tired on the weekend after I draw my pay
But I go back workin' come Monday morning I'm right back with the crew
I drink a little beer that evening
Sing a little bit of these workin' man blues

Well sometimes I think about leavin' do a little bummin' around
Throw my bills out the window and catch me a train to another town
But I go back workin' I got to buy my kids a brand new pair of shoes
Drink a little beer that evenin'
Sing a little bit of these workin' man blues

Always late with your kisses
Won't you come to my arms sweet darlin' and stay
Always late with your kisses
Why oh why do you want to do me this way

How long do you think I can wait
When you know you're always late
Always late with your kisses
Why oh why do you want to do me this way

How long do you think I can wait...
Why why why do you want to do me this way a way

**********

8.

American Waltz

Troy Seals - John Greenebaum - EdiieSetser

© Warner-Tamerlane Pub, BMI

The sweat of the oxen the crack of the whip
The wheels turn slow in the dust
And with a heart full of hope
With desire we wrote California or bust

And we danced the American waltz
It couldn't have happened anywhere else
We used our muscle and we used our minds
Building a nation a dream at a time

A horse made of iron that could outrun the wind
Rode into the next century
And as the tracks turned to roads
And the crude oil flowed through the veins of the great Model T

We danced the American waltz...

We had the courage and we made the machines
O'er like an eagle we flew
And not long ago God reached out his hand
To the man who walked on the moon

And we danced the American waltz...

A dream at a time
And the dreams roll on
Through the mothers and fathers and children
Born on the wings of freedom
Pass it on pass it on

**********