The Hag’s ‘Fightin’ Side of Me’ Hit No. 1 Today in 1970

Today...March 14, 1970 Merle Haggard topped the charts with his ninth No. 1 hit with his single 'The Fightin’ Side of Me,' from his live album of the same name.

Haggard wrote 'The Fightin’ Side of Me' in response to the military action in Vietnam... 'Runnin’ down the way of life Our fightin’ men have fought and died to keep, If you don’t love it, leave it let this song I’m singin’ be a warnin’...If you’re runnin’ down my country, man You’re walkin’ on the fightin’ side of me.'

That song topped the charts for three weeks and was one of Haggard’s biggest songs of his long and very successful career.

In 2012 Haggard said that he was not very hopeful about the future of the country he once sang about so proudly.

In 2016, when asked about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Haggard admitted that the business mogul’s non-political background worried him. He said 'I don’t think he understands the way things work in Washington. I don’t think he realizes he can’t just tell somebody to do something and have it done, you know.' Haggard went on to say...'I think he’s dealing from a strange deck.'

As we celebrate Merle Haggard reaching number one with this song 47 years ago today, take a moment to check out the above video of a young Merle Haggard performing 'The Fightin' Side of Me'!