I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am

(Merle Haggard)



Things I learned in hobo jungle were things they never taught me in a class room

Like where to find a hand out while bummin' through Chicago in the afternoon

Hey I'm not bragging or complaining I'm just talking to myself man to man

This old mental fat I'm chewing didn't take a lotta doing

But I take a lot of pride in what I am.



I guess I grew up a loner I don't remember ever having any folks around

But I keep thumbin' through the phone books

And looking for my daddy's name in every town

And I meet lots of people but I'll always end up leavin' on the lam

Hey where I've been or where I'm going didn't take a lotta knowing

But I take a lot of pride in what I am.



I never travel in a hurry cause I got nobody waitin' for me anywhere

Home is anywhere I'm living if it's sleeping on some vacant bench in City Square

Or if I'm working on some road gang or just living off the fat of our great land

I never been nobody's idol but at least I got a title

And I take a lot of pride in what I am.



This old mental fat I'm chewing didn't take a lotta doing

But I take a lot of pride in what I am

Oh where I've been or where I'm going didn't take a lotta knowing

But I take a lot of pride in what I am...