Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December

In this episode, we're featuring a very eclectic Merle Haggard album: "If We Make It Through December" (1974). Featuring only three songs written by The Hag himself - a statistic which set apart this release from most other Haggard albums - it did not lack for quality songwriting. Hank Cochran, Dave Kirby, Whitey Shafer and Lefty Frizzell all lent their talents to this album and perhaps that explains the range of styles present here: Dixieland jazz, pop string instrumentation, western swing and straight-ahead country make for a sonically diverse (though unmistakably country) listening experience. The title track was the big winner here, becoming Merle's biggest pop hit (#28), but the story song "Uncle Lem", the heartbreaking "Love And Honor (Never Crossed Your Mind)" and the gospel "There's Just One Way" contribute to one of the 70s strongest Haggard albums.