Political Statement Marketing for Artists

Through semi-autobiographical songs, Merle Haggard is an ideal symbol of patriotism and the working class. Through songs like “Okie from Muskogee” and “The Fightin’ Side of Me”, Haggard bonds with his audience by use of his own struggles and established love for tradition and family. His struggles began in his youth, as a fire seized Haggard’s family farm and home forcing his family to live in an old railroad car; eventually Haggard found himself living in the heart of country music rebellion against Nashville commercialism, Bakersfield, California (LaChapelle, 2007). Musical elements such as thin texture, chicken picking melodies, duple meter, and crunchy timbre lend themselves as a tool in favor of American patriotism and working class.

            Haggard uses texture in a unique way in both songs. First, the homophonic texture in “Okie From Muskogee” gives rise to the Bakersfield Country genre in being thin and stripped down. Throughout most of the recording, the texture avoids getting thicker to give an almost at home feeling. With just some guitars and a steady back beat, the production and accompaniment are kept at a minimum to provide a more intimate feeling as if he was right there with you. Although there was some production that went into making the actual recording, the simplicity goes against the commercialism that most working-class people during this time were trying to rebel against. In other words, this thin texture supports Haggard’s “authenticity” which warrants him approval from the working class. The group sing-a-long that slightly thickens the texture during the choruses of “Okie From Muskogee” symbolizes working class support. This same technique is also used under the choruses in “The Fightin’ Side of Me”, however, instead of symbolizing the working class, the voices represent the patriotic members of society. The texture of this song is increasingly thicker throughout the course of the recording. A thinner texture is utilized when Haggard is accounting for the current state of the U.S. within the verses of the song. As he once told Time Magazine, Haggard wrote to create “journalism in music” (LaChapelle, 2007) which is exemplified here. The thinner texture emphasizes the occurrences recounted in the song, which in turn get on ‘the fightin’ side’ of Haggard and the audience. The feelings of the audience intensify as more accounts are told which is demonstrated in the song with thicker texture each time the chorus restarts; not only does this work up the crowd but demonstrates the growing tensions in a divided country. At the very end of the recording, the simple guitar characteristic of Bakersfield Country is gone as a bigger sound erupts.

            The presence of a chicken picking melody in each song roots both songs back to country music’s creation. An electric guitar technique that utilizes a combination of both conjunct and disjunct melodies to intensify the tradition Haggard is striving to maintain. Chicken picking is defined by LaChapelle as, “Ear-splitting pitch, the guitarists played a single-string style that often featured sharp, staccato phrases known as ‘chicken picking’… a crisp, sparkling, electronic sound with an infectious beat.” (2007) One might argue that this melody moves both songs textures into being polyphonic; however, the chicken picking is not equally as important as the melody Haggard sings himself. In “Okie From Muskogee”, chicken picking is prominent in the opening of the song, and acts as an almost call-and-response technique in-between each line sung. By using chicken picking, Haggard is not only stating how things “still are” for Okies, but he is physically demonstrating tradition. “The Fightin’ Side of Me” uses chicken picking to support the underlying meter of the song as well as an introductory transition into new verses. Music production and guitar playing has evolved through time but Haggard ignores those developments to create a traditional record with basic professional recording and a traditional style of guitar playing; a parallel exists between Haggard and the conservative party as they are both opposing the demanded change from their counterpart. The political side involves the conflict between conservatives rooted in tradition and liberals who want government change; the Haggard side is the clash between his stripped down, chicken picking music and the “rhinestone cowboy” types of Nashville.

            Strength in Haggard’s message is conveyed by use of duple meter and a slow tempo. “Okie From Muskogee” uses these techniques throughout the entirety of the recording to give a conversational effect. A common theme for authentic country music artists (and their authentic listeners) is a slow, drawn out speaking voice which Haggard mimics in his vocal style. “Okie From Muskogee” is translated into a conversation of what it means to be an Okie, the pride that goes along with that title and a certain strength that unites individuals of a common background that find value in tradition. The almost stomping beat encourages the strength of the working class, the migrants of Bakersfield, as they take a stand against the anti-war activists who do drugs and have long hair. The duple meter is a signal to the Okie’s to root themselves in tradition and be proud of where they came from, which is its own form of patriotism. “The Fightin’ Side of Me” uses the same duple meter to influence a different kind of patriotism. The song is a response to the on-goings of the anti-war rock scene where the beat enforces strength as he reprimands those who disrespect the country we live in. The prominence of the beat intensifies as the recording continues that makes it seem as if the audience increasingly rallies to take up arms to fight for the freedom and respect of this country. With growing anger and frustration over the protests of the war, Haggard’s voice is swifter in this song to represent his feelings toward the reoccurring events. The tempo represents an intense feeling (stemming from forced change), as opposed to “Okie From Muskogee” which is more relaxed. Unmetered music erupts at the end to represent chaos in what would be a clash between the conservatives and liberals. It is a prediction of what is to come if the state of the country continues down the path that it has led itself down.

            The timbre in both songs is an essential element in conveying the authenticity of Haggard to his key audience. The timbre is filled with twang, grit and crunch to fulfill the illusion of a tired, hard working man. Thinking of a stereotype of the Bakersfield farmer, you can imagine a man who works hard to support his family, probably has had more than a few financial struggles along the way, and never has time to himself; whose voice is strained from heaving breathing, dehydration, and exhaustion. If someone with a sweet or smooth voice sang the same song, this same audience would question their authenticity of having been through their same struggles. Just as a picture can tell a thousand words, when it comes to music, the tone of Haggard himself provides insight to his life. Both “Okie From Muskogee” and “The Fightin’ Side of Me” reveal the grittiness of the western-Nashville.

            Merle Haggard once stated that “Okie From Muskogee” had around 18 different messages in its short length of twenty-four lines (LaChapelle, 2007). With so much meaning packed into a small space, this supports the notion that the musical qualities of these two songs are just as important as the lyrics in conveying meaning. Deep rooted country traditions lie in chicken picking licks combined with the twangy grit of a hard-working American. These elements combine to become the anthem of middle class conservative traditionalists who award merit of authenticity to those like Merle Haggard.