Back before Elvis, before Vietnam war came along, Before the Beatles and Yesterday
I’m wrapping up the songs that reference the Beatles today…I thought Merle Haggard and Frank Zappa would be a good stopping point. Hope you enjoyed the posts.
This song has staying power because every generation longs for the culture of the ones before it. One could easily insert 21st-century phrasing into his classic hit, interchanging microwaves with iPhones, etc. Every single generation looks for a Golden Age, a time where they could pinpoint that everything was right in the world.
This song peaked at #2 in the Billboard Hot Country Song Charts and #1 in Canada in 1982.
Merle had 38 number one hits, 71 top ten hits, and 101 songs in the top 100 in the country charts. It’s hard to wrap my head around 38 number one songs on any chart.
Are The Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)
I wish a buck was still silver
It was back when the country was strong
Back before Elvis, before 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?And are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell
With no kinda chance for the flag or the liberty bell?
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
It was back before Nixon lied to us all on T.V
Before microwave ovens when a girl could still cook, and still would
Is the best of the free life behind us now
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
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?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 would 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
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
I like the optimism of the last couple lines – answering his question in the negative and with hope for the future.
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Yes…he left it up to us at the end to make it better.
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I like a lot of Haggard, but this one is too reminiscent of Okie from Muskogee for me. Haggard embraced the rebellion and drugs of the 60s, but he hated long hair and Vietnam protesters. He had hardcore biker sensibilities. He mellowed with age, but was always hard to get along with. He was an unlikely poet and a superb artist. His voice was pure.
I enjoyed this series, Max. It was interesting and I learned some stuff. Thanks.
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Okie from Muskogee… I never knew if he was being a bit sarcastic but he probably wasn’t… He was a lot of things like you said.
Thank you I have enjoyed it…I did some songs I would have never thought of.
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Merle! Merle! Merle!… Enjoyed the series. Got another one in mind?
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Thank you Hans…I did some songs I would never have thought of. I hope to think of something else.
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Off topic Hans… Have you ever seen this before? An intentional balk? Jansen thought Heyward was stealing signs.
https://www.mlb.com/news/kenley-jansen-executes-intentional-balk
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I can honestly say- I have never ever seen that before- or heard of one happening..that’s something I’d never thought of.
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I was watching it last night…I was playing Yahtzee while watching…turned back and saw that…I didn’t know why when it happened…. Yep me also.
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It funny how this game has been played for like 150 years and there is still things that happen that you never have seen before.
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Pretty good song and a great idea for your series ! Looking forward to your next “theme”!
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Yea I posted some songs I would have never thought of without the Beatles connection…
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I remember the chorus of this song. Old country pure gold. There is something very grounding about Merle’s music. It’s real.
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That is a perfect description…old country… is what it is.
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Merle is awesome. And, his impersonations… He was talented.
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I remember you showing me that…it was great.
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We’d never heard this song before, Max, thanks for turning us on to it. It’ll certainly be part of our listening in future/
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