It's actually one of their chief exports today.
2007-05-02 13:26:19 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
The song refers to the fact that Muskogee was the only place left where people could sit back and enjoy a simpler time with few worries.
If I'm not mistaken Merle Haggard had decided at the time that he was an incurable alcoholic and pot head and he dreamed of a place where the things he knew were destroying him would'nt be shoved at him constantly.Or maybe he'd just gotten out of rehab Don't remember.
2007-05-02 13:47:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are asking about the Merle Haggard song "Okie From Muskogee" right? Well my best guess would be that Haggard relates smoking Marijuana to being a hippie like the song says. Haggard writes "We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy, Like the hippies out in San Francisco do." Thus, the people of Muskogee mainly only grow and sell marijuana (I don't live even close to there, so I'm only postulating).
Looking at the lyrics from the song, and my interpretation of Middle America, Oklahoma is a rather rural and farming community where the "traditional values" still are practiced; meaning people are religious, men and women have roles, and maybe even people are bigoted towards people of color (there is much more to this idea of "traditional values" that probably couldn't be discussed here in it's entirety). In essence, it is more of a "Republican" way of life there, and Merle is expressing his geographic area and way of life. For instance he writes:
" Leather boots are still in style for manly footwear;Beads and Roman sandals won't be seen. Football's still the roughest thing on campus,
And the kids here still respect the college dean.
And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee
A place where even squares can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory, down at the courthouse,
In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. "
He is making a distinction between smoking marijuana and more of a "Liberal" lifestyle and his own "Conservative" values.
Not to make this answer too long, I want to end by saying that Marijuana is the largest illegal cash crop that is grown by farmers I think, and hemp is a popular commodity.
2007-05-02 20:55:12 · answer #2 · answered by recockolous 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Merle Haggard wrote that song and sang it. Very popular and did well as a cross over tune. My guess it was about the time of the Viet Nam war and the lyrics were just added as a protest to that war.
2007-05-02 20:32:31 · answer #3 · answered by poppawick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Merle Haggard
2007-05-02 20:31:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Merle Haggard thought the world would be a better place if everyone was like him (but he would occasionally not show up for concerts if he was on a drunk).
2007-05-02 20:30:39 · answer #5 · answered by oatie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it supported the following line/lines and was a money maker. You don't have to sell dope to make a profit, just convince others you did and sell the book rights.
2007-05-02 20:30:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Back in those long ago days, it probably had a different name. That song is old!
2007-05-02 20:30:22 · answer #7 · answered by Pancake 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its just part of the song, supposedly denoting that they are "good old boys".
2007-05-02 20:29:49 · answer #8 · answered by Beau R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh.
The joy of the internet.
You know that you can do your own research, ?
2007-05-02 20:30:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's art, get a life.
2007-05-02 21:07:11 · answer #10 · answered by Walt 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋