Haggard song inspired by love for outlaws
This week in 1968: The Lockheed Galaxy—the world’s largest plane—rolled off the assembly line in Georgia; 48 G.I.’s were killed in an ambush in Saigon; LBJ decided to send 50,000 more combat troops to Vietnam; and a singer from Bakersf ield, Calif., had his 13th hit record.
Merle Haggard said that writing his 1968 No. 1, “The Legend Of Bonnie And Clyde,” came naturally to him because in his words, “There was a time in my life when I idolized the wrong people. I idolized Jesse James, Bonnie and Clyde, those kind of people, because of the movies and the way people like that were dramatized and made out to be heroes.”
Merle added, “There was a time in my life when I got into just about everything I could get into—just for the excitement of it. But I never hurt anybody. Now, I might have inconvenienced some people but I sure wasn’t no Bonnie and Clyde.”
Merle said he was inspired to write the song after seeing the movie six times.
The song was recorded at Capitol Records Hollywood studios and included Glen Campbell on guitar, banjo and back-up vocals.
Haggard’s Capitol Records single “The Legend Of Bonnie and Clyde” entered the country music charts March 9,1968 and was country music’s No. 1 single the week of April 27th.
It was in the top spot for two weeks and was on the charts for 15 weeks.
The single was Haggard’s 13th charted song.