About The Song
Background
- Written by: Sonny Throckmorton
- Released: 1980
- Album: The Way I Am
- Chart Success: Reached number #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.
Themes
The song’s central theme is acceptance and living life on your own terms. Here’s a deeper look at some of the key points:
- Defiance of expectations: Haggard sings about not fitting societal molds or changing his ways to please others.
- A solitary path: He suggests that his independent nature and lifestyle might alienate some people.
- Dreaming vs. reality: He dreams of a different life but ultimately accepts life as it is, continuing “bein’ the way I am.”
- Self-acceptance: The song concludes with Haggard finding peace in his individuality.
Interpretation
Merle Haggard’s rough-and-tumble past and outlaw country image make this song biographical to a degree. It can be heard as a statement of his desire to continue authentically being himself, even if it clashes with expectations.
Legacy
“The Way I Am” has become an anthem for those with an independent spirit who don’t always fit in with the mainstream. Its message of self-acceptance and staying true to yourself carries a timeless resonance.
Video
Lyric
🎶Let’s sing along with the lyrics!🎤
Wish I was down on some blue bayou
With a bamboo cane stuck in the sand
But the road I’m on, don’t seem to go there
So I just dream, keep on bein’ the way I am
Wish I enjoyed what makes my living
Did what I do with a willin’ hand
Some would run, but that ain’t like me
So I just dream and keep on bein’ the way I am
The way I am, don’t fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin’
But I just dream, keep on bein’ the way I am
The way I am, don’t fit my shackles
The way I am, reality
I can almost see that bobber dancin’
But I just dream, keep on bein’ the way I am
I just dream, keep on bein’ the way I am