The Fightin ' Side of Me - wikipedia The Fightin ' Side of Me `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' Single by Merle Haggard from the album The Fightin ' Side of Me B - side `` Every Fool Has a Rainbow '' Released January 26, 1970 Format 7 '' Recorded December 23, 1969 ( studio version ) Genre Country Length 2 : 52 ( studio version ) 3 : 11 ( live version ) Label Capitol 2719 Songwriter ( s ) Merle Haggard Producer ( s ) Ken Nelson Merle Haggard singles chronology `` Okie from Muskogee '' ( 1969 ) `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' ( 1970 ) `` Street Singer '' ( 1970 ) `` Okie from Muskogee '' ( 1969 ) `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' ( 1970 ) `` Street Singer '' ( 1970 ) `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' is a song written and performed by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released in December 1969 as the first single and title track from the album The Fightin ' Side of Me. The song became one of the most famous of his career. In reference to his own 2002 patriot song, `` Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue ( The Angry American ), '' Toby Keith once called this song `` the original Angry American song. '' Contents 1 Song background 2 Chart performance and popularity 3 Awards 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links Song background Like `` Okie from Muskogee, '' `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' catered to the conservative working - man 's values and politics ; Bill Janovitz of Allmusic called the song `` patriotic ( if not outrightly jingoistic ). '' Here, the singer fills the role of a man frustrated with people deriding the country, particularly those who are `` harpin ' on the wars we fight '' and `` runnin ' down my countrymen, '' a reference to the then - ongoing Vietnam War. People who do this, claims the singer, are `` walkin ' on the fightin ' side of me '' and warns them that `` if you do n't love it, leave it. '' Session personnel included Roy Nichols and Tommy Collins on guitar, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Sam Goldstein. Chart performance and popularity Like its predecessor `` Okie from Muskogee, '' `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' immediately broke in popularity when released in January 1970. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart, where it remained for three weeks. It also charted in the lower regions of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In addition to the studio version of the song, a live version of `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' was issued as part of Haggard 's live album of the same name. Chart ( 1970 ) Peak position US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) US Billboard Hot 100 92 Canadian RPM Country Tracks Awards In 1970, `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' was nominated for Song of the Year and Single of the Year by the Country Music Association. The song did not win either award, with it losing the Single award to `` Okie from Muskogee. '' References Jump up ^ Janovitz, Bill, `` Okie from Muskogee '' at Allmusic Jump up ^ Ace Collins, Songs Sung Red, White and Blue, New York : Harper Collins, 2003, pp. 75 - 79. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits : 1944 - 2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 146. Jump up ^ `` Merle Haggard Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) '' Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Merle Haggard Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' Billboard. Jump up ^ Merle Haggard - Country Music Association Awards Database Further reading Collins, Ace. Songs Sung, Red, White, and Blue : The Stories Behind America 's Best - Loved Patriotic Songs. HarperResource, 2003. ISBN 0060513047 External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` It 's Just a Matter of Time '' by Sonny James Billboard Hot Country Singles number - one single March 14 -- March 28, 1970 Succeeded by `` Tennessee Bird Walk '' by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan Preceded by `` Wayward Woman of the World '' by Gary Buck RPM Country Tracks number - one single April 4, 1970 Merle Haggard The Strangers Roy Nichols Norman Hamlet Biff Adam Dennis Hromek Bobby Wayne Marcia Nichols Eddie Burris George French Jerry Ward Studio albums Strangers Swinging Doors I 'm a Lonesome Fugitive Branded Man Sing Me Back Home The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde Mama Tried Pride in What I Am Same Train, A Different Time A Portrait of Merle Haggard A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World ( or, My Salute to Bob Wills ) Hag Someday We 'll Look Back Let Me Tell You About a Song It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) If We Make It Through December Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album Keep Movin ' On It 's All in the Movies My Love Affair with Trains The Roots of My Raising Ramblin ' Fever A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today My Farewell to Elvis I 'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall Serving 190 Proof The Way I Am Back to the Barrooms Big City Going Where the Lonely Go That 's the Way Love Goes It 's All in the Game Kern River Out Among the Stars A Friend In California Chill Factor 5 : 01 Blues Blue Jungle If I Could Only Fly Roots, Volume 1 The Peer Sessions Haggard Like Never Before Unforgettable Chicago Wind The Bluegrass Sessions I Am What I Am Working in Tennessee Live albums Okie from Muskogee The Fightin ' Side of Me I Love Dixie Blues Rainbow Stew Live at Anaheim Stadium The Epic Collection ( Recorded Live ) Amber Waves of Grain Motorcycle Cowboy : Live at Billy Bob 's Texas Ol ' Country Singer Live from Austin, TX Live from Austin, TX ' 78 Gospel albums The Land of Many Churches Songs for the Mama That Tried Cabin in the Hills Two Old Friends ( with Albert E. Brumley, Jr. ) Holiday albums Merle Haggard 's Christmas Present Goin ' Home for Christmas Pancho, Lefty and Rudolph ( with Willie Nelson ) I Wish I Was Santa Claus The Strangers albums Instrumental Sounds of Merle Haggard 's Strangers Introducing My Friends The Strangers Getting to Know Merle Haggard 's Strangers Honky Tonkin ' Totally Instrumental ( With One Exception... ) Singles 1960s `` Sing a Sad Song '' `` Sam Hill '' `` ( My Friends Are Gonna Be ) Strangers '' `` I 'm Gonna Break Every Heart I Can '' `` Swinging Doors '' `` The Bottle Let Me Down '' `` The Fugitive '' `` I Threw Away the Rose '' `` Branded Man '' `` Sing Me Back Home '' `` The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde '' `` Mama Tried '' `` I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am '' `` Hungry Eyes '' `` Workin ' Man Blues '' `` Okie from Muskogee '' 1970s `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' `` Street Singer '' `` Jesus, Take a Hold '' `` I Ca n't Be Myself '' `` Soldier 's Last Letter '' `` Someday We 'll Look Back '' `` Daddy Frank ( The Guitar Man ) '' `` Carolyn '' `` Grandma Harp '' `` It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) '' `` I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me '' `` The Emptiest Arms in the World '' `` Everybody 's Had the Blues '' `` If We Make It Through December '' `` Things Are n't Funny Anymore '' `` Old Man from the Mountain '' `` Kentucky Gambler '' `` Always Wanting You '' `` Movin ' On '' `` It 's All in the Movies '' `` The Roots of My Raising '' `` Here Comes the Freedom Train '' `` Cherokee Maiden '' `` If We 're Not Back in Love by Monday '' `` Ramblin ' Fever '' `` A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today '' `` From Graceland to the Promised Land '' `` Running Kind '' `` I 'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall '' `` It 's Been a Great Afternoon '' `` The Way It Was in ' 51 '' `` Red Bandana '' `` My Own Kind of Hat '' 1980s -- 1990s `` The Way I Am '' `` Misery and Gin '' `` I Think I 'll Just Stay Here and Drink '' `` Leonard '' `` Rainbow Stew '' `` My Favorite Memory '' `` Big City '' `` Dealing with the Devil '' `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' `` Going Where the Lonely Go '' `` You Take Me for Granted '' `` What Am I Gonna Do ( With the Rest of My Life ) '' `` It 's All in the Game '' `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' `` Someday When Things Are Good '' `` Let 's Chase Each Other Around the Room '' `` A Place to Fall Apart '' `` Make - Up and Faded Blue Jeans '' `` Kern River '' `` Amber Waves of Grain '' `` American Waltz '' `` I Had a Beautiful Time '' `` A Friend in California '' `` Out Among the Stars '' `` Almost Persuaded '' `` Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star '' `` Chill Factor '' `` We Never Touch at All '' `` You Babe '' `` 5 : 01 Blues '' `` A Better Love Next Time '' `` If You Want to Be My Woman '' `` Broken Friend '' `` When It Rains It Pours '' `` In My Next Life '' Collaborations Albums Just Between the Two of Us ( with Bonnie Owens ) A Taste of Yesterday 's Wine ( with George Jones ) Pancho & Lefty ( with Willie Nelson ) Heart to Heart ( with Leona Williams ) Walking the Line ( with George Jones and Willie Nelson ) Seashores of Old Mexico ( with Willie Nelson ) Kickin ' Out the Footlights... Again ( with George Jones ) Last of the Breed ( with Willie Nelson and Ray Price ) Django & Jimmie ( with Willie Nelson ) Singles `` Just Between the Two of Us '' ( with Bonnie Owens ) `` The Bull and the Beaver '' with Leona Williams `` Bar Room Buddies '' ( with Clint Eastwood ) `` Yesterday 's Wine '' ( with George Jones ) `` C.C. Waterback '' ( with George Jones ) `` Reasons to Quit '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` Pancho and Lefty '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` We 're Strangers Again '' ( with Leona Williams ) `` If I Could Only Fly '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' with ( Jewel ) `` Wreck on the Highway '' ( with Chester Smith ) Guest appearances `` Street Singer '' ( by The Strangers ) `` Willie '' ( by Hank Cochran ) `` Walking the Floor Over You '' ( by Ernest Tubb ) `` I Ca n't Hold Myself in Line '' ( by Johnny Paycheck ) `` Lefty '' ( by David Frizzell ) `` Same Old Train '' ( from Tribute to Tradition ) `` Politically Uncorrect '' ( by Gretchen Wilson ) `` I Think I 'll Just Stay Here and Drink '' ( by Hank Williams, Jr. ) Compilations The Best of Merle Haggard Close - Up The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard Songs I 'll Always Sing Eleven Winners The Way It Was in ' 51 Merle Haggard 's Greatest Hits His Epic Hits : The First 11 ( To Be Continued... ) His Best His Greatest and His Best The Lonesome Fugitive Untamed Hawk Vintage Collections Down Every Road 1962 -- 1994 Yesterday 's Wine 1981 - 1988 A&E Biography 16 Biggest Hits For the Record : 43 Legendary Hits Merle Haggard 's Train Whistle Blues 20 Greatest Hits David Allan Coe Presents 40 # 1 Hits The Essential Merle Haggard : The Epic Years Hag : The Best of Merle Haggard Related articles Discography Capitol Records MCA Records Epic Records Marty Haggard Noel Haggard Bonnie Owens Leona Williams Mama 's Hungry Eyes : A Tribute to Merle Haggard `` Untanglin ' My Mind '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Fightin%27_Side_of_Me&oldid=788479635 '' Categories : 1970 singles 1970 songs Merle Haggard songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Songs of the Vietnam War Songs written by Merle Haggard Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson ( United States record producer ) Capitol Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 1 July 2017, at 17 : 11. 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Question: when was the fightin side of me written
Answer: December 1969