The Crate
Merle Haggard
Songwriter
Songwriter is a 1986 MCA Records compilation (MCA-5698) that foregrounds Merle Haggard’s own songwriting, assembling ten tracks drawn from several MCA-era albums. It serves as a compact cross-section of his craft as a tunesmith across the late 1970s and early 1980s. ([audiophileusa.com](https://www.audiophileusa.com/product/songwriter-p173952.html))
2) Recording History
- Footlights (Serving 190 Proof, 1979): produced by Jimmy Bowen and Fuzzy Owen. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serving_190_Proof))
- It’s Been a Great Afternoon (I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall, 1978): recorded at Fireside, Nashville, TN; produced by Fuzzy Owen. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Always_on_a_Mountain_When_I_Fall))
- My Own Kind of Hat (Serving 190 Proof, 1979): produced by Bowen and Owen. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serving_190_Proof))
- Life’s Just Not the Way It Used to Be (The Way I Am, 1980): produced by Fuzzy Owen, Don Gant, Porter Wagoner. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_I_Am_%28Merle_Haggard_album%29))
- From Graceland to the Promised Land (My Farewell to Elvis, 1977): produced by Fuzzy Owen. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Farewell_to_Elvis))
- Ramblin’ Fever (Ramblin’ Fever, 1977): MCA era track in Haggard’s catalog. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramblin%27_Fever?utm_source=openai))
- Make-Up and Faded Blue Jeans (Back to the Barrooms, 1980): produced by Jimmy Bowen (with 1 track by Snuff Garrett); engineering noted on the label. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Barrooms?utm_source=openai))
- Red Bandana (Serving 190 Proof, 1979): from the same MCA session group as Footlights. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serving_190_Proof))
- From Graceland to the Promised Land (already noted above) and Rainbow Stew (Rainbow Stew: Live at Anaheim Stadium, 1981): Rainbow Stew is a live-era track included in Songwriter. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Stew))
- I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink (Back to the Barrooms, 1980): also part of the Barrooms sessions. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Barrooms?utm_source=openai))
3) Chart Performance & Recognition
There is no widely documented chart or certification specific to the Songwriter compilation; it appears as a niche market release. Its existence is noted in 1986 industry listings (MCA catalog number 5698) and later discography references, but no major chart positions are recorded. ([worldradiohistory.com](https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-04-05.pdf?utm_source=openai))
4) Cultural Impact & Legacy
The set underscores Haggard’s stature as a prolific songwriter; critics note songs like Footlights as emblematic of his introspective writing on tours and fame. Footlights is frequently highlighted in discussions of his catalog, including tributes where artists cover Haggard’s songs (e.g., Chris Janson and Jake Owen performing Footlights). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serving_190_Proof)) Elvis-era material like From Graceland to the Promised Land likewise anchors his Elvis tribute work in the late 1970s. Rainbow Stew’s inclusion points to his live-writing vitality. Today, Songwriter is viewed as a valuable, if concise, window into Haggard’s self-penned output and a collectible for fans. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Farewell_to_Elvis))