Burning Memories - Merle Haggard

For thirty some odd years he faced a grinder in the city

Hustlin' day in day out just tryin' to survive

He bought his wife the finer things

And sent his kids to collage

That always took what little bit he tried to put aside

But thru it all he had one thing

That seemed to keep him going

A dream that someday he could leave this city life behind

I watched his hair turn thin and gray

But his dream never faded

He told me all about it at least a thousand times

He always wanted, a place out in the country

Where the birds sing, in the morning

And the grass is emerald green

A place where, he could feel the mornin' sunshine

And sit out in the evenin'

Where the air is, fresh and clean

It took lots of overtime to keep his wife up with the jonses

And more to get his son out of his run-ins with the law

The more it took the more he gave, never once complaining

I don’t know how he ever stood the pressure of it all

I never thought he’d make it, but he finally left the city

And now he’s got that special little place to call his own

Today I took a ride out in the country just to see him

It wasn’t hard to find because his name was on the stone

He always wanted, a place out in the country

Where the birds sing, in the morning

And the grass is emerald green

A place where, he could feel the mornin' sunshine

And sit out in the evenin'

Where the air is, fresh and clean

He always wanted, a place out in the country

Where the birds sing, in the morning

And the grass is…