About the song
“Mama’s Hungry Eyes” is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Merle Haggard. It was released in December 1968 as the first single from the album A Portrait of Merle Haggard. The song was one of the most famous of his career and reached number one on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart.
Haggard wrote the song as a tribute to his mother, Flossie Mae Haggard, and the sacrifices she made for her family as a single mother. Haggard’s father, James F. Haggard, died when Merle was nine years old, leaving Flossie to raise Merle and his two siblings on her own. She worked long hours as a waitress and did whatever else she could to make ends meet.
The song’s lyrics tell the story of a young boy who sees the hardships his mother faces and vows to one day make her life better. The song is full of vivid imagery and emotional power, and it has become a classic of country music.
“Mama’s Hungry Eyes” is a powerful ballad that captures the strength and resilience of the human spirit. It is a song about love, loss, and the power of hope. Haggard’s performance is heartfelt and moving, and the song’s lyrics are sure to resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to make ends meet.
Merle Haggard was one of the most influential and popular country music singers of all time. He was born in Oildale, California, in 1937, and he began his music career in the early 1960s. Haggard was known for his distinctive voice and his outlaw image, and he was one of the pioneers of the Bakersfield sound, a subgenre of country music that was characterized by its hard-driving rhythms and its focus on working-class themes.
Haggard released dozens of albums and singles throughout his career, and he won numerous awards, including the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1970. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, and he received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2010. Haggard died in 2016 at the age of 79.
“Mama’s Hungry Eyes” is one of Merle Haggard’s signature songs, and it is a testament to his songwriting skills and his ability to connect with his audience. The song is a moving tribute to Haggard’s mother, and it is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit.
Video
Lyrics
“Mama’s Hungry Eyes”
(with Alison Krauss)
A canvas covered cabin in a crowded labor camp
Stands out in this memory I revile
My daddy raised a family there with two hard working hands
And tried to feed my mamas hungry eyesHe dreamed of something better and my mama’s faith was stong
Us kids were just too young to realize
That another class of people put us somewhere just below
One more reason for my mama’s hungry eyesMama never had the luxury she wanted
But it wasn’t ’cause my daddy didn’t try
She only wanted things she really needed
One more reason for my mama’s hungry eyesI remember mama praying for a better way of life
But I don’t recall a change of any size
Just a little loss of courage as their age began to show
And more sadness in my mama’s hungry eyesMama never had the luxury she wanted
But it wasn’t ’cause our daddy didn’t try
She only wanted things she really needed
One more reason for my mama’s hungry eyes
Oh, I still recall my mama’s hungry eyes