I Die Ten Thousand Times A Day

Merle Haggard · Hag-The Studio Recordings 1969-1976 [2007]

(Leon Payne)



I come home and I sat down by the door

I just sat and dream my lonely life away

I just can't stand a thought that I won't see you anymore

I guess I die ten thousand times a day.



If that soulful life comes to its end

I ceased to live the night you went away

If you walk through that door then I'll start to live again

I guess I die ten thousand times a day.



--- Instrumental ---



I pick up each thing you used to touch

I call to mine each tender word you say

If I've hurt you it's just because I love you much too much

I guess I die ten thousand times a day...

I Die Ten Thousand Times A Day

Merle Haggard's 'I Die Ten Thousand Times A Day' stands as a poignant example of his ability to convey deep emotional turmoil through straightforward country storytelling. Recorded during a prolific period in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the track captures the artist's signature blend of working-class realism and heartache. Haggard's delivery transforms the song into a meditation on the exhausting nature of enduring love and loss, reflecting themes that permeate much of his celebrated discography. This recording highlights his mastery of the genre, utilizing a restrained musical arrangement to let the weight of the narrative resonate. As part of his extensive body of work, the song remains a testament to his enduring influence on country music and his capacity to articulate universal feelings of vulnerability.