Okie from Muskogee

This article is about the album. For the song of the same name, see Okie from Muskogee (song).

Okie from Muskogee
Live album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers
Released	December 29, 1969
Recorded	1969, The Civic Center, Muskogee, OK
Genre	Country
Length	44:20
Label	Capitol
Producer	Fuzzy Owen
Merle Haggard and the Strangers chronology
A Portrait of Merle Haggard (1969) Okie from Muskogee (1969) The Fightin' Side of Me (1969)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	(B)[2]

Okie from Muskogee is an album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers, released in 1969.^[3] The album won the Academy of Country Music award for Album of the Year in 1969. Haggard also won Single of the Year for "Okie from Muskogee" as well as Top Male Vocalist.

Haggard has stated that the title song on this album is somewhat of a satire.^[4] This album was recorded live in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Originally released in 1969 it was re-released in 1992, 1996, 1997, 2005, and 2006 on other labels.

In the song, Haggard states that Muskogee is a place "where even squares can have a ball."

The song was later parodied by The Youngbloods as "Hippie From Olema", and by Chinga Chavin as "Asshole from El Paso". Kinky Friedman later covered "Asshole from El Paso", while the Melvins covered "Okie", on their album The Crybaby, with Hank Williams III providing vocals.

In 2010, the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce gave the song new life with a posted on YouTube in celebration of the song's 40th Anniversary. [1]

Track listing

All songs by Merle Haggard unless otherwise noted.

1. "Introduction by Carlton Haney" –  :35
2. "Mama Tried" – 2:25
3. "No Hard Times" (Jimmie Rodgers) – 2:20
4. "Silver Wings" – 2:39
5. "Merle Receives Key to Muskogee" – 1:20
6. "Merle's Introduction to Medley" – :23
7. "Swinging Doors" – 1:16
8. "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive" (Liz Anderson, Casey Anderson) – 1:37
9. "Sing Me Back Home" – 1:24
10. "Branded Man" – 2:18
11. "In the Arms of Love" (Buck Owens, Gene Price) – 2:08
12. "Workin' Man Blues" – 2:35
13. "Merle's Introduction to "Hobo Bill"" – 1:07
14. "Hobo Bill's Last Ride" (Waldo Lafayette O'Neal) – 2:38
15. "Billy Overcame His Size" – 3:05
16. "If I Had Left It Up to You" – 2:36
17. "White Line Fever" – 3:03
18. "Blue Rock" (Norman Hamlet, Roy Nichols) – 1:09
19. "Introduction to Okie from Muskogee" – 1:47
20. "Okie from Muskogee" (Merle Haggard, Eddie Burris) – 4:05

Personnel

• Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar
• Roy Nichols – lead guitar
• Norman Hamlet – pedal steel guitar, dobro
• Gene Price – bass, background vocals
• Eddie Burris – drums
• Bonnie Owens – background vocals

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1970	Billboard Country albums	1
1970	Billboard Pop albums	46

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Robert Christgau review
3. ^ Allmusic entry for Okie from Muskogee. Retrieved December 2009.
4. ^ Wolff, Kurt, "Country Music: The Rough Guide," Rough Guides Ltd., London; Penguin Putnam, New York, distributor. p. 424 (ISBN 1-85828-534-8)