“The Roots of My Raising” is a song written by Tommy Collins, and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in January 1976 as the first single and title track from the album The Roots of My Raising. The song was Merle Haggard and The Strangers twenty-third number one on the country chart. The single spent one week at number one and a total of ten weeks on the country chart.
The song, sung in first-person, sees a young man who visits his childhood home for the first time in several years. As he approaches home, he reflects on the gravel road and the one-room schoolhouse he attended as a child. Once at home, he sees his father sleeping, comfortably and clutching a photo of his wife (the singer’s mother) in his hands. At this point, he speaks of his now-deceased mother and recalls times where people could take out a bank loan simply on a verbal promise of repayment.
From the album The Roots of My Raising
B-side “The Way It Was In ’51”
Released January 12, 1976
Recorded 1975
Genre Country
Length 2:45
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s) Tommy Collins
Producer(s) Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen
Merle Haggard – The Roots Of My Raising Lyrics
I left the four lane highway took a blacktop seven miles
Down by the old country school I went to as a child
Two miles down a gravel road I could see the proud old home
A tribute to a way of life that’s almost come and gone.
The roots of my raising run deep
I come back for the strength that I need
And hope comes no matter how far down
I sink the roots of my raising run deep.
I pulled into the driveway Lord it sure was good to be there
And through the open door I could see that dad was asleep in his favorite chair
In his hand was a picture of mom and I remembered how close they were
So I just turned away I didn’t want to wake him spoil his dreams of her.
A christian Mom who had the strength for life the way she did
Then to pull that apron off and do the Charleston for us kids
Dad a quiet man who’s gentle voice was seldom heard
Who could borrow money at the bank simply on his word.
The roots of my raisin’ run deep
I come back for the strength that I need
And hope comes no matter how far down
I sink the roots of my raising run deep.
The roots of my raisin’ run deep…
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://whentcowboysings.com/merle-haggard-the-roots-of-my-raising/&media=https://whentcowboysings.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/JustCountryMusic1-YouTube-Channel.jpg&description="The Roots of My Raising" is a song written by Tommy Collins, and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in January 1976 as the first single and title track from the album The Roots of My Raising. The song was Merle Haggard and The Strangers twenty-third number one on the country chart. The single spent one week at number one and a total of ten weeks on the country chart.The song, sung in first-person, sees a young man who visits his childhood home for the first time in several years. As he approaches home, he reflects on the gravel road and the one-room schoolhouse he attended as a child. Once at home, he sees his father sleeping, comfortably and clutching a photo of his wife (the singer's mother) in his hands. At this point, he speaks of his now-deceased mother and recalls times where people could take out a bank loan simply on a verbal promise of repayment.From the album The Roots of My RaisingB-side "The Way It Was In '51"Released January 12, 1976Recorded 1975Genre CountryLength 2:45Label CapitolSongwriter(s) Tommy CollinsProducer(s) Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen){kind=link}