Comments on: Forgotten Misses: Merle Haggard, “In My Next Life”

By: insan

insan — Thu, 06 May 2010 03:06:42 +0000

this post is dedicated to everyone , that anything but forgotten.

the lyrics and the story is inspiring.

i salute to ur father, and the farmer in that lyric. great attitude of men

By: J.R. Journey

J.R. Journey — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:09:39 +0000

Just … great.

By: Tara Seetharam

Tara Seetharam — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:25:05 +0000

Kevin, this is a lovely write-up.

By: Razor X

Razor X — Sun, 02 May 2010 20:59:54 +0000

Definitely an underrated gem.

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 02 May 2010 14:14:50 +0000

Wow. Never heard the song before but I can see how it moved you. I know some people who almost never listen to music. Don’t know how they get by without it.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:05:51 +0000

I agree with Paul that, while this single isn’t among my favorites of Haggard’s, that’s only because his catalogue is so rich. I didn’t discover this one until several years after its release, but it’s one of its eras biggest missed opportunities.

(Great idea for a new feature, by the way).

Something I’ve always railed against is the idea that criticism is supposed to be “objective,” and I think this exceptional piece of writing bears this out: The finest music writing is informed by the way a writer’s personal experiences and perceptions interact with a piece of music. And this is truly a fine piece of writing, Kevin.

By: CMW

CMW — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:20:04 +0000

I've always liked this song, so it's cool to see it highlighted in this way... kinda surprising that Haggard didn't have a hand in writing it, since it's such an exact match for his 'poet of the working man' image. 1994 and 1996 were two of the first Hag albums I picked up, so they've got a special place in my memory. As others have said, a very touching write-up, Kevin.

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:50:12 +0000

Good freaking call on this single. Thank you for reminding me of it. This was my first exposure to Merle Haggard when I got into country music in my early teens. A very touching write up, Kevin and a nice way to kick of a Saturday morning, indeed!

By: Paul Dennis

Paul Dennis — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:27:15 +0000

You are so right Kevin – this is a lost classic. It is a damning indictment of country radio (or of the tastes of modern listeners) that this was not a major hit. This isn’t one of my top ten favorite Hag songs, but then it’s impossible to stuff 50 immortal classics into a top ten !

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:37:26 +0000

Beautiful post.