First Time Hearing | Merle Haggard - Okie from Muskogee Reaction

[@wearinganapron]

Pitching woo means cuddling, flirting, love talk, murmuring endearments, etc.

[@ronscott5698]

When this song came out I was in high school in small town Oklahoma and didn't know what Marijuana was. Not until I served in the army before I went to Vietnam. As a Vietnam Veteran, Hippies weren't kind to us when we returned to USA. Merle is a pearl of country. RIP Hag.

[@RinniePere]

Merle is a part of the Outlaw Country contingent, and he has written some amazing songs. This one is actually a bit tongue-in-cheek, not that he agrees with the stuff. More like a wink-wink, nudge-nudge kinda thing.

[@Gutslinger]

I read that Merle first debuted this song live in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Before performing it, he talked about many of his family members that lived around the area. Merle's parents lived in the area before moving to California during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era, and supposedly Californians referred to migrants from Oklahoma during that time as "Okies". Merle was born in California shortly after his parents moved there. Merle is quoted in an interview, believing that his mom was pregnant with him before they left Oklahoma, thus he believes that made him an Oklahoma at heart. But the article pointed out that it wasn't possible that his mother was pregnant with him at the time they left Oklahoma. They left a year or so before he was conceived.

[@rodwestonable]

Spent two weeks in Muskogee about 20 years ago. I was singing this song to myself the whole week. Loved the weather (September), the food and the wonderfully friendly people

[@joshuamason9084]

There's a story about how Willie's house caught on fire once, and he ran back in to grab 2 things....that guitar and a ounce of reefer

[@katrinaprescott5911]

Pitching woo = courting/flirting. When I first heard this in the 70s I had to ask my parents what it meant. Very old term.

[@paulwhite5840]

This is the song that propelled him to stardom. This is not the original cut. When he wrote this song, Muskogee was straight-laced. I lived in Arkansas, about 4 hours from there at the time.

[@Gutslinger]

I live about an hour from there. He actually debuted this song in Muskogee.

[@paulwhite5840]

I remember. We were staying in Booneville, Arkansas, Mom and Dad's hometown, while Dad was overseas or at the NCO academy for the Air Force. I guess that would have put us 2 hours away from Muskogee.

[@Gutslinger]

I live fairly close to Muskogee. The first time I heard this song was in Junior High, around 2004. It was the 6th grade in a tiny rural school, and my friend and I had got caught smoking in the playground treehouse, smoking what he falsely claimed was marijuana. Later on he made up a parody of this song in which it started off as, "We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee.. But we smoke marijuana in treehouses at Moseley."

[@donnaneville192]

Willie's guitar Trigger is a 1969 Martin N-20 classical acoustic guitar that Willie purchased after his old guitar was destroyed by a drunk stepping on it. There is actually a couple of documentaries about Trigger and how he has it repaired, but never restored.

[@Head-ck4hu]

This song was released in 1969. Merle is from Bakersfield California. Still relative today. Look at San Francisco today.

[@shawnmazyn7090]

Merle is awesome.. his song Silver Wings is one of my favorites.

[@debbers]

Muskogee, Oklahoma USA! Pitching woo, is flirting!

[@Haziesmom2023]

Thanks! One of my Old Favs!!! :)

[@janiemariemitchell9966]

I live in muskogee oklahoma!!

[@paulwhite5840]

Check out Merle and Willie's "Everything's Going to Pot."

[@RowdyPhillips-ob3yp]

It’s all goin to pot**

[@bradleyrogers8073]

An old Okie here. Pitching Woo, is like courting,, making out. Having spent many a summer in and around Muskogee, while this song is fun, it isn't true. Especially today.

[@childofodin1069]

I love Merle Haggard my favorite artist of all time and I can 200% guarantee you they are burning the devils lettuce in Muskogee now I live an hr away in Keota Oklahoma and I work on a pot farm and the only thing within 20 miles of me is other farms

[@wandachamberlin5168]

Pitchers woo is, making out, necking, I don’t know what it’s called now but you should get the idea

[@sherry6825]

Merle is a country legend right up there with Willie. Back in the day when this song was written every word was true. Smaller town values still applied (still do in some places) and you didn't see the things you do today. While we have certainly progressed as a country in some very important ways there seems to be regression also. So yes they are probably doing things in Muskogee today that this song was proud of NOT doing back in the day. Sad... Another country legend you might look into I imagine you haven't heard of is Marty Robbins. Ironically Merle could imitate Marty and Johnny Cash spot on. There is a video of it on youtube. He performed one such imitation in front of Merle. Marty had many hits. I believe you would be very impressed with Mr. Robbins.

[@williamjones6031]

My dad listened to this song when I was a child. 1969 Nebraska.

[@stevemorse108]

This song was written as a spoof but when it became very popular with red necks the author let it roll.

[@chrisgruidel3740]

Bob Dylan said Okie was one of the greatest satires ever.

[@randybryson8161]

Please do The fighting side of me by Merle

[@jewellfamilyfarm9652]

Willie Nelson has great Song called "Have you ever seen the rain."

[@carolynussery8189]

Love your reactions! Please react to Merle Haggard and Gretchen Wilson " Politically Uncorrect ". It's a great song!!

[@nedludd7622]

My friends and I were California long and shaggy hippies in 1969 and we loved this song. We would sing it often. There is a funny parody of it by Chinga Chavin called "Asshole from El Paso". Maybe not in YT standards. For a real Okie, listen to Woody Guthrie.

[@beckyd.236]

This is from a few years ago lol, and it is in Oklahoma

[@wtrs261]

Hey Mr Boyd. I watched your vid about changing your content a week or so ago. Sorry to see you go. Must do what you must, but I'll miss you. I enjoy hearing from others what they think about the music I enjoy. Good luck and take care.

[@kens97sto171]

Merle and Willie both be smoking some devils lettuce. Check out the song.. " It's all Going to Pot" LOLZ.. make sure its the video with them recording it..

[@ltodd79]

This is a Viet Nam era song. Nonetheless. I love Merle Haggard. He has that magic ability to pull you right into the universe of his song.

[@Mosfer_aldoseri]

His family moved from Muskogee to Bakersfield, California where they called them okies as an insult

[@texascreekcowboy1587]

yoooo! Merle! This is old man Merle. Please listen to his younger days when his voice was still smooth as silk

[@sandramurdico1781]

Merle Haggard was in San Quentin prison. California Governor Ronald Reagan granted Merle a full pardon due to his lack of representation and excessive prison 😮. You could chose any son Merle sings and wroote they tell wonderful stories.

[@alexhaas9653]

Merle Haggard. Great artist and a cool chap. And this is a great song, one of his most famous of course. The song also appeared in the movie "Convoy". A favourite of mine. Great soundtrack, awesome cast.

[@tonyfro23]

My most underrated movie of all time. So underrated I had to buy copies and get them shipped to me in East TN from Britain ....thank God someone still grasps greatness when they watch it

[@GaryTaylor-vy1lh]

Pitching woo it's saying I want to sweet-talk my girl pitching woo

[@redrum482]

It's OK to smoke weed in a Country Willie Nelson space. Its a classic and also an inside joke as you noticed. You have to explore Merle's music...

[@SuperDeadend13]

Highly recommend his autobiography "Sing Me Back Home" , it's a hard book to put down once you start.

[@BunnyRabbit-b8c]

Yep…I live near Muskogee OK & the lettuce is legal here, now 💨

[@SweDennis]

As for Merle and Willie and smoking ... check out "It's All Going to Pot" ... 😀

[@curtismarsh4051]

Pitching woo is a 1800's common phrase to court a woman. Chivalry.

[@GaughanGirl77]

Omg props for actually getting the joke (I think)... white lightening was definitely not a reference to any sort of weather event😂 extrapolate from there...

[@vickybrackin7483]

Need to React to Merle's That's The Way Love Goes and Silver Wings!!

[@astragreen]

Check out Phil Ochs Sing Okie if you think this is funny (1970) Live from Carnegie Hall!

[@bubblesculptor]

Ironic that Willie is singing this - he's about the only person on the planet who could outsmoke Snoop!

[@marksanders8028]

Pitching Woo is the same a courting.

[@mikemaricle9941]

Merle was high AF when he wrote this.

[@jasepyle1221]

Would love to hear you react to “Stay” by Ronnie Dunn

[@brookehornback1896]

HEE HEE!Devils lettuce.

[@dellaredwine9473]

Rainbow Stew is a good song by the Hag.

[@benjauron5873]

"We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee." Then I guess Willie Nelson has never been there!

[@timelliott1033]

I always enjoyed this song. There are better vocals on other versions. This, for me, is a time capsule song. 1960's conservative response to the hippies, the unrest, etc.

[@michelleogle339]

Pitching woo is making love

[@757optim]

Willie's guitar - "Trigger" - is almost as famous as Willie. Willie's playing style and the classical strings on Trigger contribute a lot to Willie's distinctive sound.

[@joanyow7952]

Pitching woo is dating, which I think is hanging out

[@hectorappertie.6944]

Bakersfield California grown

[@wearinganapron]

This was a sappy old country song, but it always made my daddy chuckle and tap his foot in time to the music. so it s a sweet memory for me.

[@williamh.2982]

He snoked...

[@Mark-hd5yi]

Can't believe you're an adult male and never heard of " pitching WOO

[@RowdyPhillips-ob3yp]

Okie means an Oklahoman

[@cherylinman5873]

Pitching woo…courting…dating

[@matthewgriffin6851]

Lol they might not have back then but it’s legal there now and dispensaries are everywhere there lol and meth lol

[@lumina1104]

Wille named his guitar 'Trigger' after Roy Roger's famous horse of the same name. One period that he didn't use it was when he was in trouble with the IRS for tax evasion. He had his manager take it out of the country and store it so the IRS couldn't seize it for what he owed.

[@benjauron5873]

"We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee." Nope! Just a hell of a lot of crystal meth!

[@florencemiller-pr6vh]

willie carries triger that his first guitar that what he calls it

[@frndofbear]

Wrong version :(

[@colkidglen8802]

You have the music to far away not loud enough. This is a lousy version of this song.

[@markoehler2752]

Willies guitar is named “Trigger” and there’s no more legendary or distinctive guitar on earth. No other guitar sounds like it. Listen to Willies music- you can pick out trigger from all the other guitars.

[@nathanwallace3337]

I'd argue Eddie Van Halens is more recognizable

[@jasonstagg9238]

the irony of this song, he was probably high as balls when he wrote this.

[@AMPR45]

Incredible that people to this day still think this is a straightforward tribute to Muskogee and not a sly winking satire of small town hypocrisy like Harper Valley PTA.

[@Brandon-sw5ob]

I guarantee you there's dozens and dozens of songs that you know. But never knew Willie Nelson wrote them

[@Brandon-sw5ob]

trigger is almost as famous as Willy triggers got a special individual who's in charge of him and securing him triggers got his own room and the tour bus special little compartment just for trigger