Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck was Still Silver ) - Wikipedia Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck was Still Silver ) `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' Single by Merle Haggard from the album Big City B - side `` I Always Get Lucky with You '' Released May 15, 1982 Genre Country Length 4 : 14 Label Epic Songwriter ( s ) Merle Haggard Producer ( s ) Merle Haggard Merle Haggard singles chronology `` Big City '' ( 1981 ) `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' ( 1982 ) `` Going Where the Lonely Go '' ( 1982 ) `` Big City '' ( 1981 ) `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' ( 1982 ) `` Going Where the Lonely Go '' ( 1982 ) `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers. It was released in May 1982 as the third single from his album Big City. The theme of the song is the desire to return to a simpler time. The song reached # 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and # 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. Chart performance Chart ( 1982 ) Peak position US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Canadian RPM Country Tracks Preceded by `` I Do n't Think She 's in Love Anymore '' by Charley Pride RPM Country Tracks number - one single August 14, 1982 Succeeded by `` Heartbreak Express '' by Dolly Parton References Jump up ^ Merle Haggard Billboard Singles Jump up ^ RPM Country Tracks Jump up ^ `` Merle Haggard Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Merle Haggard The Strangers Norm Hamlet Ralph Mooney Tiny Moore Roy Nichols Gene Price Eldon Shamblin Gordon Terry Biff Adam Jimmy Belken Eddie Burris Gary Church George French Dennis Hromek Don Markham Johnny Meeks Marcia Nichols Ronnie Reno Clint Strong Jim Tittle Jerry Ward Bobby Wayne Mark Yeary Studio albums Strangers Swinging Doors ( with The Strangers ) I 'm a Lonesome Fugitive ( with The Strangers ) Branded Man ( with The Strangers ) Sing Me Back Home ( with The Strangers ) The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde ( with The Strangers ) Mama Tried ( with The Strangers ) Pride in What I Am ( with The Strangers ) Same Train, A Different Time A Portrait of Merle Haggard ( with The Strangers ) A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World ( or, My Salute to Bob Wills ) Hag ( with The Strangers ) Someday We 'll Look Back ( with The Strangers ) Let Me Tell You About a Song ( with The Strangers ) It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) ( with The Strangers ) If We Make It Through December ( with The Strangers ) Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album ( with The Strangers ) Keep Movin ' On ( with The Strangers ) It 's All in the Movies ( with The Strangers ) My Love Affair with Trains ( with The Strangers ) The Roots of My Raising ( with The Strangers ) Ramblin ' Fever A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today ( with The Strangers ) 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 ( with The Strangers ) The Fightin ' Side of Me ( with The Strangers ) I Love Dixie Blues ( with The Strangers ) 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 ( with The Strangers ) 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 The Strangers Introducing My Friends The Strangers Getting to Know Merle Haggard 's The Strangers The Strangers Honky Tonkin ' The Strangers 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 '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Bottle Let Me Down '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Fugitive '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Threw Away the Rose '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Branded Man '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Sing Me Back Home '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Mama Tried '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Hungry Eyes '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Workin ' Man Blues '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Okie from Muskogee '' ( with The Strangers ) 1970s `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Street Singer '' ( released by The Strangers ) `` Jesus, Take a Hold '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Ca n't Be Myself '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Soldier 's Last Letter '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Someday We 'll Look Back '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Daddy Frank ( The Guitar Man ) '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Carolyn '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Grandma Harp '' ( with The Strangers ) `` It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Emptiest Arms in the World '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Everybody 's Had the Blues '' ( with The Strangers ) `` If We Make It Through December ( with The Strangers ) '' `` Things Are n't Funny Anymore '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Old Man from the Mountain '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Kentucky Gambler '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Always Wanting You '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Movin ' On '' ( with The Strangers ) `` It 's All in the Movies '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Roots of My Raising '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Here Comes the Freedom Train '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Cherokee Maiden '' ( with The Strangers ) `` If We 're Not Back in Love by Monday '' `` Ramblin ' Fever '' `` A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today '' ( with The Strangers ) `` From Graceland to the Promised Land '' `` Running Kind '' ( with The Strangers ) `` 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 and The Strangers ) 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 and The Strangers ) `` 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 Marty Haggard Noel Haggard Bonnie Owens Leona Williams The Strangers This 1981 country song - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Are_the_Good_Times_Really_Over_(I_Wish_a_Buck_Was_Still_Silver)&oldid=839525197 '' Categories : 1982 singles 1981 songs Merle Haggard songs RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Songs written by Merle Haggard Epic Records singles 1981 country song stubs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart called without song All stub articles Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 4 May 2018, at 00 : 57. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote the song are the good times really over for good
Answer: American country music artist Merle Haggard