I take a lot of pride in what I am

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 braggin' or complainin'
I'm just talkin' to myself man to man
This ol' mental fat I'm chewin'
didn't take a lotta doin'
But I take a lot of pride in what I am

I guess I grew up a loner
I don't remember ever havin' folks around
But I keep thumbin' through the phone books
And lookin' for my daddy's name in every town
And I meet lots of friendly people
but I'll always wind up leavin' on the lam
Hey where I've been or where I'm goin'
didn't take a lotta knowin'
But I take a lot of pride in what I am

I never travel in a hurry
cause I've got nobody waitin' for me anywhere
Home is anywhere I'm livin'
if it's sleepin' 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've never been nobody's idol
but at least I've got a title
And I take a lot of pride in what I am

I've never been nobody's idol
but at least I've got a title
And I take a lot of pride in what I am
I take a lot of pride in what I am
I take a lot of pride in what I am



Merle Haggard - The Fightin' Side of Me (1970)