Haggard, Merle - I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am Lyrics






Things I learned in a hobo jungle
Were things they never taught me in a classroom,
Like where to find a handout
While thumbin' through Chicago in the afternoon.
Hey, I'm not braggin' or complainin',
Just talkin' to myself man to man.
This ole' mental fat I'm chewin' didn't take alot of doin'.
But I take alot of pride in what I am.

I guess I grew up a loner,
I don't remember ever havin' any folks around.
But I keep thumbin' through the phone books,
And lookin' for my daddy's name in every town.
And I meet lots of friendly people,
That I always end up leavin' on the lam.
Where I've been or where I'm goin'
Didn't take alot of knowin',
But I take alot of pride in what I am.

I never travel in a hurry,
'Cause I got nobody waitin' for me anywhere.
Home is anywhere I'm livin',
If it's sleepin' on some vacant bench in City Square,
Or if I'm workin' on some road gang,
Or just livin' off the fat of our great land.
I never been nobody's idol, But at least I got a title,
And I take alot of pride in what I am.

I never been nobody's idol, But at least I got a title,
And I take alot of pride in what I am.

I take alot of pride in what I am.

I take alot of pride in what I am...





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Haggard, Merle I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am Comments
  1. M.... B....

    Hag had a lot to be proud of.....RIP.

  2. J.... H....

    This is one of my favorite Merle Haggard songs

  3. P.... H....

    i listened to dean martin's version first, but I like this one a lot more!

  4. S.... C....

    My Dad’s favorite song

  5. J.... T....

    Real man real country. Thanks for teaching me the way of life Grandpa and Dad! Love you so much

  6. T.... S....

    The greatest country music singer songwriter ever hands down

  7. R.... Z....

    Merle haggard you and Buck Owens helped me be the man I am today,thank you and your music for steering me in the right way.

  8. T.... S....

    Ol hag sang the songs of my life RIP HAG

  9. J.... M....

    I guess I'm nothing to brag on. But my kids are grown. They never lacked for anything. I worked hard every damn day for that.

    J.... M....

    And you should be very proud of that. Lot's of men walk away from the responsibility of being a parent. You are an inspiration to others to work hard do it right.

  10. C.... A....

    You’ve been plenty of people’s idol Merle RIP

  11. j.... e....

    This is making me sad right now because their will never ever be this kind of music ever again, without copying it from some singer songwriter of the past, it only comes around once in a lifetime, and I'm missing it a whole lot right now.

  12. j.... e....

    I love this song

  13. j.... e....

    this is one my favorite Haggard song's I was a teenager listening to music like this never changed the station back then country music was good and Merle was at the top haven't listened to the radio in over twenty years

  14. r.... ....

    I grew up in an oil town, but my gusher never came in.

  15. R.... M....

    Gentle on my Mind sounds very similar ----so often you hear one artist mimic others....did Campbell do the same here?

    R.... M....

    Gentle on my mind was released around a year earlier. Atleast the original by John Hartford was. Both amazing songs.

  16. L.... ....

    Mighty Merle Haggard ---- One of a kind. Rest In Peace, Merle .... Job Well Done -----

  17. G.... H....

    Gorgeous masterpiece...this song is like a well that will never dry.

  18. B.... R....

    I haven't heard this tune in many years.

  19. r.... d....

    three songs done at ronnies funeral this one n dac song n one or more family members sang amazing grace pretty country song was the dac song

  20. K.... K....

    The Hag...

  21. K.... K....

    Hobo jungle?

    K.... K....

    see grapes of wrath

  22. R.... G....

    LYRICS

    Things I learned in a hobo jungle; were things they never taught me in a classroom.

    Like where to find a handout; while bummin' through Chicago in the afternoon.

    Hey, I'm not braggin' or complainin,' I'm just takin' to myself man, to man.

    This old mental fat I'm chewin'; didn't take a lot of doin', but I take a lot of pride in what I am.

    I guess I grew up a loner; I don't remember ever havin' any folks around.

    But I keep thumbin' through the phone books; and lookin' for my daddy's name in every town.

    And I meet lots of friendly people; but I always wind up leavin' on the lam.

    Hey, where I've been or where I'm a-goin'; didn't take a lot of knowin', but I take a lot of pride in what I am.

    I never traveled in a hurry; cause I got nobody waitin' for me anywhere.

    Home is anywhere I'm livin'; if it's sleepin' on some vacant bench in city square.

    Or if I'm workin' on some road gang; or just livin' off the fat of our great land.

    I never been nobody's idol; but at least I got a title; and I take a lot of pride in what I am (repeat once more)

    I take a lot of pride in what I am (repeat once more)

    END

  23. m.... h....

    happy birthday merle , its already been a year since you left us.

  24. B.... B....

    Then more true!

  25. a.... ....

    I really love this song...
    No one writes or sings a song like Merle Haggard anymore.
    Not only is the instrumentation great, but his vocal phrasing of the lyrics are quite moving to me.
    I listened to it twice tonight while walking home from work.
    Thanks Merle for a great song.

  26. B.... M....

    Reminds me--a bit---of "Gentle On My Mind"---

    B.... M....

    same here ----so many songs are copied I guess....I think Merle's song came out first......and Clint Black's sound is pretty much recycled Merle, imo.....

  27. a.... ....

    Merle was ronnie van Zant's favorite artist.

    a.... ....

    arubaredsox
    Merle and Ronnie are my favorite artists. I grew up about five miles from where Ronnie grew up. Merle will be missed but Ronnie was taken too soon. Rip Ronnie and Merle fly high.

  28. 1.... ....

    I just read where they played this at Ronnie Van Zants funeral.

    1.... ....

    they did, merle was ronnies favorite

  29. S.... B....

    A lot of people don't know, Merle literally had the most talented band of all time. Roy Nichols, jimmy belkin, tiny Moore, Clint strong, norm hamlet, don markham, and more. They were all masters of their craft.

  30. h.... l....

    LIVIN OFF THE FAT OF OUR GREAT LAND!  Hell yeah , never forget that

  31. d.... c....

    rip merle we miss you so mutch  there will never be a uniqe  singer like you again the old dogs are about gone ol willey  is about the only one left your music will never be forgotten

  32. s.... ....

    Nice video and memories of Merle.Great song I remember from childhood.

  33. F.... M....

    Great video. Thank you very much.

    F.... M....

    +Flash Minica You're welcome, Flash Minica, and thank you for viewing.

  34. L.... o....

    this is his greatest song

  35. b.... ....

    I love it, respect. RIP

  36. D.... C....

    His music has always been a part of my life and always will be. I can't believe he's gone. RIP Merle Haggard.

  37. B.... B....

    He was the greatest! RIP sir.

  38. R.... H....

    Rest in Peace Merle....Crossing over Kern River....Safe Journey sir.

  39. G.... ....

    While I was listening to Barry Manilow incessantly at 13, once in awhile dad would put on one of the very few albums that he owned (mostly Hank Thompson and Merle Haggard) and this was on one of them. Though at the time I didn't put much stock in it, I learned what good music was eventually. Thanks dad.

  40. W.... I....

    Thanks for posting this awesome song. Superb quality of the music.

    W.... I....

    +El Perro Desconocido De Sebastian You're welcome!

  41. H.... ....

    Has to be one of my favorites by Merle Haggard. Recorded for his 1969 album, Pride In What I Am.

  42. R.... ....

    Very few people will know how hard it was to get such a great collection of high quality, historical pictures and also gather up enough to use for the whole video. That takes a lot of work and you did a good job. One of the best montage videos I've ever seen.

    R.... ....

    @Robert165 Thanks for the kind words, Robert165.

    R.... ....

    No brag for a minute...but my best friend to this day from back in the early 70's used to play the wonderful variety of songs in clubs and lounges back then...Good God!..."Okie"..."Silver Wings"...also Glen Campbell, Trini Lopez, Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot...and once...
    we still had singers and musicians...not yellers and noisicians!...
    Tunesmith

  43. l.... f....

    dean martin, . does a really good version of this ...great merle haggard song