I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am
Dean Martin
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Things I learned in a hobo jungle Were things they never taught me in a class room Like where to find a handout While thumbing through Chicago in the afternoon Hey I'm not bragging or complaining I'm just talking to myself man to man This old lentil fat I'm chewing Didn't take a lot of doing But I take a lot of pride in what I am I guess I grew up a loner Don't remember ever having any folks around But I keep thumbing through the phone books And looking for my Daddy's name in every town And I meet lots of people But I always end up leaving on the lam Hey where I've been, where I'm going I didn't take a lot of knowing But I take a lot of pride in what I am I never travel in a hurry 'Cause I got nobody waiting for me anywhere Home is anywhere I'm living If it's sleeping on some vacant beach or city square Or if I'm working on some road gang Or just living off the fat of our great land I never been nobody's idol but at least I have a title And I take a lot of pride in what I am This old lentil fat I'm chewing Didn't take a lot of doing I take a lot of pride in what I am
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
11 fans
Written by: MERLE HAGGARD
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
About the Song Creation"I Take a Lot of Pride In What I Am" is a song co-written by country singer Merle Haggard. He co-wrote this song with Red Simpson, a fellow Bakersfield sound pioneer.
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Release InformationThe song was originally released in the year 1968 as part of Merle Haggard's album "Mama Tried."
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Chart SuccessThe song quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles, where it stayed for four weeks.
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Dean Martin VersionDean Martin, a popular American singer and actor, covered the song in 1973 for his album called "Dean 'Tex' Martin: Country Style."
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Personal SignificanceThe song follows a common theme in Haggard's work – highlighting the pride and dignity of being a working-class citizen. Haggard, himself from a poor background, often reflected similar sentiments in his lyrics.
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Live Performances"I Take a Lot of Pride In What I Am" was a staple in Merle Haggard's live shows, regularly included in his setlists.
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Subsequent CoversThe song hasn't just been covered by Dean Martin. Over the years, artists like Doobie Brothers and Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia have included the song in their performances.
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Cultural Impact"I Take a Lot of Pride In What I Am" is considered a classic in the country music genre, frequently cited as an example of the "Bakersfield sound" that Haggard helped popularize.
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Album SuccessBoth Haggard's original and Martin's cover were key parts of successful albums. Haggard's "Mama Tried" reached number 4 on the Billboard country albums list, while Martin's version helped "Dean 'Tex' Martin: Country Style" reach number 42 on the country album charts.
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LegacyDespite being over 50 years old, "I Take a Lot of Pride In What I Am" is still played frequently on country radio stations and has over 1 million plays on Spotify.
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Citation
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"I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2193085/Dean+Martin/I+Take+a+Lot+of+Pride+in+What+I+Am>.
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