This isn’t the best Merle Haggard take I’ve ever seen… but it is the worst Merle Haggard take I’ve ever seen. When conversations arise of the most important figures in country music history, Merle Haggard’s name has got to be in there. The country icon was a pioneer for the genre, and is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential artists to ever take the stage. And if your favorite artist is a good songwriter, there’s a good chance they consider Merle a huge inspiration. So when someone on Reddit started saying he’s only good to listen to when you are drinking, country music fans rushed to the defense of the late, great artist. Reddit is a wonderful place to share opinions. It’s really just an online soundboard (often referred to as the “Front Page of the Internet”) where you can get unbiased and often helpful information. That being said, I don’t know if I’d consider this take on the r/CountryMusicStuff page helpful. Someone took to Reddit and implied that Merle Haggard is only a country artist that you cue up when you are drinking (or drunk). They asked this question, and then backed it up with some of their personal experiences listening to the Hag: “Does anyone actually listen to Merle Haggard while sober? ‘C.C. Waterback,’ ‘Going Where The Lonely Go,’ and ‘I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink’ are arguably three of the best juke joint songs ever written, but I have also almost never heard them out of that context. The only time I hear Merle played is either at a bar, or at a party where the drinks have long been opened.” What’s wrong with Merle Haggard playing at a bar or at a party? We country fans should be honored when The Hag comes on at any establishment, regardless of if drinks are flowing or not. Granted, Merle does have plenty of drinking songs, and those types of tunes are often fun to throw brewskis back to. But to basically come out and say Haggard is a one dimensional artist trapped by the confines of drinking anthems? That’s as absurd of a take as they come, and that’s why Redditors got busy disagreeing with the idea: “I listen to my vinyl (including Merle) while working from home, so I had better not be drunk while listening.” “33 years straightedge and a big Merle fan.” “Sounds like you need to dive deeper into his music man, respectfully.” “I listen on my way to my office job where I have to act professional lol. I’m good at it, but it takes its toll. I’m an outlaw at heart.” “Bro, his tributes to Bob Wills and Jimmie Rodgers are epic.” “He’s got lots of other great songs that don’t have to do with drinking, such as ‘Mama’s Hungry Eyes.'” “I listen to him all the time and I’ve never drank.” “What’s stopping you? I’ll kick back to a Merle record anytime, with a beer, a funky cigarette, both, or neither. Doesn’t matter, he’s a man for all moods. I’m gonna have a good time regardless and you can too.” A man for all moods indeed. Those are obviously some great defenses from the Merle Haggard fans out there. But my favorite response? That’d be from someone who decided to attack the drinking songs the initial Redditor referenced rather than bother to entertain the idea that Merle only does drinking songs well: “Those aren’t even his 3 best drinking songs. You’re missing ‘Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down,’ ‘Swinging Doors,’ and ‘Drink Up and Be Somebody.'” Damn straight. The post Country Fan Gets Roasted On Reddit For Saying Merle Haggard Is Only Good For Drunk Listening first appeared on Whiskey Riff.