CR005 - Breaking Down Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee"

CR005 - Breaking Down Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee"

Author: Tyler Mahan Coe November 21, 2017 Duration: 1:05:32
The song was just what so many Americans needed at the time, in 1969. Conservatives needed someone to stand up and defend small town, traditional values. Politicians needed someone to justify America's continuing involvement in the Vietnam War. Oklahomans needed someone to redeem the meaning of the word "okie," a hateful slur that arose from The Great Depression. The only thing is, Merle Haggard wasn't doing any of those things when he wrote the song. Then what the exact hell was he doing, you ask? Maybe things will become a little bit more clear once you know what Merle Haggard knew about Herbert Hoover, The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl, okies and satire. Maybe. This episode is also recommended if you like: Gram Parsons, Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Revisionist History podcast. You can find information on songs and video clips excerpted or referenced in this video, as well as links to all books and articles used as a source, here: https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/merle-haggard-okie-from-muskogee

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There's a story behind every song, and often it's wilder than anything you could make up. Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music digs into those stories, pulling back the sequined curtain on the genre's most fascinating and frequently misunderstood characters. Created and narrated by Tyler Mahan Coe, this podcast operates like a deep-cut research project brought to life, where myth and verified history collide. You'll hear about the schemes, the scandals, the brilliant artistry, and the sheer chaos that shaped the sound of American music. Each episode is built on a foundation of meticulous investigation, challenging the well-worn anecdotes you think you know. The result feels less like a lecture and more like you're being let in on a series of incredible secrets, told with a clear-eyed and compelling voice. This isn't a surface-level celebration; it's a raw, chronological excavation of the business, the personal demons, and the cultural shifts that left a permanent mark. For anyone curious about where the music really came from, this series connects the dots between the honky-tonk floor and the penthouse suite, revealing how country music's legacy was forged in equal parts genius and desperation. Settle in and let the stories unfold.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 35

Cocaine & Rhinestones: The History of Country Music
Podcast Episodes
CR032/PH18 - Glenn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:05
The end of one story is just the beginning of another.
CR031/PH17 - Choices: George Jones' Last Run [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44:41
At least this whole story has a happy ending, right? Of course, whether or not that's true depends a lot on your personal definitions of both "happy ending" and "whole story" but, either way, today we reach the final cha…
CR029/PH15 - Hell Stays Open All Night Long: George Jones, Phase III [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:56
Oh, you're back to hear more things that will chill you to the bone? Then we can talk about what George Jones' life was like in the period leading up to and through the biggest hit of his career. If you've ever wondered…
CR027/PH13 - Billy Sherrill's Nashville Sound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:47:19
What if the first serious opinions that millions of rock music fans formed about country music were based on a few massive errors which then got passed down to future generations? How long do you think it would take for…
CR026/PH12 - Loved It Away: Tammy Wynette, On Her Own [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:56
Following her breakup with George Jones, many people had many questions for Tammy Wynette. Well, they had questions for George, too, but he was a little harder to get in touch with, trying to drink himself onto a separat…
CR025/PH11 - Being Together: The George Jones & Tammy Wynette Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:24
Though they were married to each other for little more than five years, the legacies of George Jones and Tammy Wynette are forever inseparable. This is partly due to their unprecedented success with creating music "based…