Kern River

Merle Haggard

About Kern River

"Kern River" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in July 1985 as the only single and title track from his album Kern River. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.


Year:
1996
3:21
127 
#2

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I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there that I met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again

I grew up in an oil town
But my gusher never came in
And the river was a boundary
Where my darlin' and I use to swim
One night in the moonlight
The swiftness swept her live away
And now I live on Lake Shasta and
Lake Shasta is where I will stay
There's the South San Joaquin
Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found
And there's a place called Mount Whitney
From where the mighty Kern River comes down 
Well, it's not deep nor wide
But it's a mean piece of water my friend
And I may cross on the highway
But I'll never swim Kern River again
I'll never swim Kern River again

It was there I first met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may drown in still water
But I'll never swim Kern River again

I'll never swim Kern River again
It was there I first met her
It was there that I lost my best friend
And now I live in the mountains
I drifted up here with the wind
And I may cross on the highway
But I'll never swim Kern River again

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Merle Haggard

Merle Ronald Haggard (born April 6, 1937) is an American country music song writer, singer, guitarist, fiddler and instrumentalist. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound, new vocal harmony styles in which the words are minimal, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville Sound recordings of the same era. more »

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Written by: MERLE HAGGARD

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Background Information
"Kern River" is a song from American country music artist Merle Haggard. The song is a single from his fifty-fourth studio album of the same name.
Song Release
The song "Kern River" was first released in July of 1985. It was released under the Epic Record Label.
Song Inspiration
Merle Haggard wrote "Kern River" about his real-life experience almost drowning in the Kern River near his home in California.
Popularity
The “Kern River” song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and it was Haggard's twenty-eighth top-10 single on that chart.
Composition
"Kern River" is a three-minute melancholic ballad featuring Merle Haggard's signature gritty vocals backed by his band, The Strangers.
Lyrics Meaning
The lyrics of "Kern River" express Haggard's nostalgia and longing for a lost love who drowned in the Kern River, forming an emotional connection with his audience.
Racism Controversy
A line in the song, where Haggard sings about not swimming in the river anymore because it's "clouded with old memories," was interpreted by some as a racial remark. However, Haggard denied this interpretation and stated it referenced past events of people drowning.
Music Video
The music video for "Kern River" was directed by Merle Haggard himself, making it unique for a country music video in the mid-80s.
Cover versions
The song "Kern River" has been covered by a number of artists including Emmylou Harris on her 2008 album “All I Intended to Be”.
Legacy
In 2016, after Haggard's death, the song was performed by Miranda Lambert and George Strait during the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards as a tribute.

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