The Fighting Side of Me
1971 · CM CM 006 · Australia
- Artist
- 'Doc' Riley
- Title
- The Fighting Side of Me
- Release
- The Fighting Side of Me / Big Brother
- Year
- 1971
- Label
- CM # CM 006
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Australia
- Songwriter
- Merle Haggard
- Genre
- Country · Country
- Primary theme
- US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs
The country song "The Fighting Side of Me" (CM # CM 006), a cover, composed and performed by the well-known US country artist Merle Haggard, who released it as a single in 1970: "The Fighting Side of Me". The lyrics contained the patriotic slogan "if you don't love it, leave it", similar to the slogan "it's American, love it or leave", often seen on placards or spoken by those on the pro-war/pro-government side of the debate.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs
The country song "The Fighting Side of Me" (CM # CM 006), a cover, composed and performed by the well-known US country artist Merle Haggard, who released it as a single in 1970: "The Fighting Side of Me". The lyrics contained the patriotic slogan "if you don't love it, leave it", similar to the slogan "it's American, love it or leave", often seen on placards or spoken by those on the pro-war/pro-government side of the debate..
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: "I hear people talkin' bad about the way we have to live here in this country / Harpin' on the wars we fight an' gripin' 'bout the way things oughta be / An' I don't mind 'em switchin' sides an' standin' up for things they believe in / When they're runnin' down my country, man, they're walkin' on the fightin' side of me / Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me, runnin' down the way of life / Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep / If you don't love it, leave it, let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'... / I read about some squirrely guy who claims he just don't believe in fightin' / An' I wonder just how long the rest of us can count on bein' free / They love our milk an' honey, but they preach about some other way of livin'"
Notes
Cover of Merle Haggard's 1970 single.
About the artist
'Doc' Riley - Australian country singer.
Themes
In collections
Australian & New Zealand Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]