Merle Haggard – Always Wanting You

Introduction:

Always Wanting You is a timeless country ballad performed by the legendary Merle Haggard and his band, The Strangers. Released in 1975 as the second single from the album Keep Movin’ On, the song quickly ascended the charts, solidifying Haggard’s status as a country music titan.

A master storyteller and songwriter, Merle Haggard possessed a unique ability to craft songs that resonated deeply with audiences. His gritty vocals and heartfelt delivery, combined with the soulful instrumentation of The Strangers, created a signature sound that defined an era in country music. Haggard’s lyrics often explored themes of heartache, loss, and redemption, and “Always Wanting You” is no exception. The song delves into the complexities of love and longing, capturing the emotional turmoil experienced by a man torn between his desires and the realities of life.

Produced by Ken Nelson and Charles “Fuzzy” Owen, “Always Wanting You” showcases Haggard’s songwriting prowess and the band’s impeccable musicianship. The song’s melodic beauty, combined with its poignant lyrics, has earned it a place in the country music canon. Reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and becoming Haggard’s sixth consecutive chart-topper, “Always Wanting You” solidified his position as one of the genre’s most beloved and respected artists.

Video:

Lyrics:

“Always Wanting You”

Always wanting you, but never having you
Makes it hard to face tomorrow ’cause I
Know I’ll be wanting you again
Always loving you but never touching you
Sometimes hurts me almost more than I can standI’d been better off if I’d turned away and never
Looked at you the second time
‘Cause I really had my life all together
Till your eyes met mine

And there I saw a yearning and a feeling ‘cross
The room that you felt for me
Wish I’d had a way of knowing that the things we had in
Mind could never be

Always wanting you, but never having you
Makes it hard to face tomorrow ’cause I
Know I’ll wake up wanting you again
Always loving you but never touching you
Sometimes hurts me almost more than I can stand

Always wanting you, but never having you
Sometimes hurts me almost more than I can stand