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Pancho and Lefty (with Willie Nelson) - Merle Haggard



     
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Pancho and Lefty (with Willie Nelson) Lyrics


Living on the road my friend,
Was gonna keep you free and clean
And now you wear your skin like iron,
And your breath as hard as keroseneYou weren't your mama's only boy,
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye,
And sank into your dreamsPancho was a bandit boy,
His horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feelPancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico,
Nobody heard his dying words,
Ah but that's the way it goesAll the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I supposeLefty, he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south

Ended up in Lefty's mouthThe day they laid poor Pancho low,
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go,
There ain't nobody knowsAll the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I supposeThe poets tell how Pancho fell,
And Lefty's living in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold,
And so the story ends we're toldPancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do,
And now he's growing oldAll the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I supposeA few gray Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I suppose
Songwriters
KRISTOFFER KRISTOFFERSONPublished by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Merle Ronald Haggard, born April 6, 1937 in Bakersfield, California is an American country music singer and songwriter. He has become one of the true giants of country music, and along with Buck Owens helped create the Bakersfield Sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Telecaster guitars, harmonies, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville recordings of the time. After spending his early life drifting in and out of jail Merle attended three of Johnny Cash's concerts at San Quentin Prison. Seeing Cash perform inspired Haggard to straighten up and pursue his singing career.

Perhaps Merle came to prominence to many in 1966 with 'Swinging Doors' and 'The Bottle Let Me Down'. Although not his first hits, they were among three hits he had that year in the Top Ten. Later hits followed, including 'Branded Man', 'I Threw Away the Rose', 'Mama Tried', 'Today I Started Loving You Again', 'Working Man Blues', 'The Fightin' Side of Me', 'Okie from Muskogee' and 'If We Make It Through December'. The last two songs seem also to have had a major impact in America. The former song spoke particularly to political conservatives and to military folk. It perhaps also spoke to majority anti-hippy feelings at the time. The latter song's effect in 1975 is described below.

Merle Haggard was pardoned in 1972 by California Governer Reagan for his past crimes. "If We Make It Through December" was a classic song that really touched the depth of the poverty of some in recession times. In 2005 he released "Chicago Wind" which included an anti Iraq war song.

"Okie From Muskogee" showed his affinity with ordinary rural America. Throughout his career, he seems to have had an affinity with working people and has indeed been described as the (American) working class poet.
In many Interviews Merle said that the Song "Okie From Muskogee" was meant ironically.

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Merle Haggard