I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WHAT I AM
(Merle Haggard)

Merle Haggard - 1969
Dean Martin - 1969
The Stonemans - 1970
Henson Cargill - 1972
Clint Black - 1994

Also recorded by: 
Charlie Cushman; Chris Fyfe; Dale Watson; Jack Greene.




Things I learned in the hobo jungle 
Were things they never taught me in a class room
Like where to find a hand out 
While bummin' through Chicago in the afternoon

Hey, I'm not braggin' or complainin' 
I'm just talkin' to myself man to man
This old mental fat I'm chewin' didn't take a lot o' doin'
But I take a lot of pride in what I am

I guess I grew up a loner 
Don't remember ever havin' any folks around
But I keep thumbin' through the phone books
And lookin' for my Daddy's name in ev'ry town

And I meet lots of people 
But I always wind up leavin' on the lam
Hey, where I've been or where I'm going didn't take a lot o' knowin'
But I take a lot 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 working 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

This old mental fat I'm chewin' didn't take a lot o' doin'
And I take a lot of pride in what I am
Oh, where I've been or where I'm going didn't take a lot o' knowin'
But I take a lot of pride in what I am











(Contributed by Mel - February 2010)