Added: 3 years ago
From: bakersfieldsoundca
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  • A friend of mine who was in the latter part of Vietnam said this song was about the dust-offs... he was the door gunner on said dust-off.

  • @SSAufklaerer Oh my goodness... Song has an entirely different meaning for me - with something that happened in my life... And that memory pales in comparison to what you've just related.

  • @SSAufklaerer

    They didn't use DOOR GUNNERs on dust off aircraft. But, some dust off mission was done by UH1's called slicks, when a dust off UH1 ( with the big red cross's on the sides) where not aviable or the slicks where already working for the units with the wounded.

  • Music at its greatest This is one of the many legends. I want "rap crap" and the "junk

    ' to show any feelings the true,..loving ...

  • Todays " no talent" music scares me! I wonder how far we have devolved from talent to what can be made to sound good!

  • Was the most requested song in Olongapo city, Phillipines in 1982!!!!! Loved it then as I do NOW...Tom

  • I grew up with Merle Haggard. I love him so much. And this is coming from a 13 year old girl. Screw rap, dubstep, and Green Day stuff. My life is complete with Merle Haggard.

  • My grandpa died yesterday and playing this song on the guitar with him is my best memory.

    Your missed papa. I LOVE YOU!!

  • @lee325ang ...So sorry to hear of your loss. I lost mine 42 years ago and miss him every day!

  • This song always tugs at my heart - we had been living in Germany for 3 yrs (husband in the army) just before we left Nueremberg at our Hail & Farwell the live band sang this song for us - it was quite a tear jerker for us although we were happy to get back to the states we were certainly going to miss all of the wonderful friends we had made whiile living in Nueremberg - so hearing this song always brings back some great memories & of that fabulous band that we had heard so many times.

  • @Victorianlady13 We were stationed in Hanau, Germany ... I think of all those good times and friends we made when I hear this song too!

  • For Carol, From Mom

  • For my sister Carol from MOM.

  • get a rapper, hip-hop boy to sing like this,,....not gonna happen.

  • Now there is six that are tone deaf!

  • I still love listening to Merle Haggard's music! I was raised on country music and will always love it, especially the Classic Country!

  • The chorus to this song is so stunningly beautiful as to surpass understanding...refined, classy, the sound of a wide open nation, the sound of a generation.

  • I remember growing up listening to Merle Haggard songs songs on the radio. They sure bring back a lot of memories. No one writes music like this anymore except maybe for the Avett brothers.

  • When COUNTRY was "COOL"...

  • Grew up listening to this on the jukebox in my Dad's Bar...Jim Collins. Sounds as beautiful now as it did then...back when Country was Country

  • the bottle let me down too merle.

  • THANK YOU FOR THE SHARE OF THE WONDERFUL SONG.. GOD BLESS AND FAMILY. WARM REGARDS FROM VARBERG SWEDEN

  • @packrat09 I know right?

  • Awesome song! He sang it very well...it reminds me my friend who died two weeks ago being trampled by a young horse.

  • @Cowgurlzrodeodust that sucks. wow :(

  • LOVE Jimmy Buffett's version of this, no disrespect to merle!!

  • This was my grandfathers favorite song, they played it at his funeral which was recently, its such a wonderful song, but i can't help but cry when I hear it cuz it brings all those wonderful memories back and that one last one of me saying goodbye.

  • My friend Blake West just died a few mins ago and i was playin this song when i herd about it i just started cryin R.I.P Blake West

  • My husband died from cancer and when he was first diagnosed I remember crying those same words don't leave me. When he died this song was in my mind night and day as I realized he had gotten his silver wings.

  • This was my uncles's favorite song. I think they played it at his funeral.

  • My father used to play this for me until he died in 1981 one of my faves and I used to play drums at their jam sessions on Sundays

  • Back in the 70s while sitting on a GI bunk in Korea. When this song came on the radio you could certainly remember those silver wings fading out of site as you left your loved ones behind for a long 13 months.

  • @dudeinala My story is similar to yours. I listen this song in Iraq and it makes me feel better. I sang it at the karaoke night at the MWR. People enjoyed hearing the song

  • What a legend. I was never into country music until I heard Merle Haggard, then it all made sense.

  • @SlightlyDazed7 hahaha! You have summed up well! keep it country........

  • @SlightlyDazed7 ...I was the same way. One song..as if it were written for me and sung to me.

  • Such a good song

  • My favorite Merle song of all time

  • I hope everybody knows this song is about his girl leaving on a jet plane not about going to heaven

  • @BarebackRider01 That's what it's about to the artist...however music is much like any other art form in that it is up for interpretation.

  • @ErikRooneyMusic Well I mean interpret it how you please but Merle Haggard didn't mean someone was going to heaven. That's like saying the Mona Lisa was smiling because she got 50% cash back on her Capitol One card.

  • @BarebackRider01 What's in your wallet?

  • @ErikRooneyMusic Would you like 50% more cash?? NO!!

  • @BarebackRider: You aren't the appointed arbiter of interpretation. If the song has a meaning involving going to heaven (or whatever), step off and let them share. If you disagree, keep your feelings to yourself. Throwing cold water on something so very tender to other listeners is asinine.

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  • This is a beautiful song and Merle Haggard does a great job on it. Thank you for sharing it. God Bless You, Gwen Weaver

  • Libby loves you eternally.

  • i remember riding in my mama's 1967 Electra 225 and listening to the 8 track of Merle. She was young , beautiful, and wild. Now, 44 years later, i still love Merle.

  • This brings back memories for me!!!! I am 32 and my daughter 14 and we love this song and sing it together often!!!! When my uncle passed of lung cancer last year this song was a reminder of him as he loved it so much. My grandmother had passed just a yr before of lung cancer as well and she loves merle and this song as well. Thank YOU!!!!

  • what year did this come out?

  • Three idiots didn't like this. They need their jaws busted.

  • @brettjohns99 hell yea man

  • An old song that has taken on a new meaning in my life.. Thanks Hag.

  • this song should also be played for all the families of our service men and women.

    can't make me believe, they don't go through the same emotional distress.

  • silver swan, saw sawan ng bayan

  • Love this. Reminds me of my dad. Big fan.

  • texasnee1970, We had Merles' "Natural High" played at our wedding. I am not sure what I am trying to say other than your husband and you were perfect. I will cry for you. It is amazing how Merle's music can touch someone at the begining and the end of their lives.

  • One of the ALL TIME GREATS of country music. A great great voice, a great songwriter and a good picker. Also one of the most underrated. He is as good as anyone. Too bad he has not received more acclaim.

  • This was one of my husbands favorites We danced to it so many times. This was played at his funeral on May 9, 2011,

  • @texasnee1970 Hello so sorry to just read this,my best wishes go too you.x

  • @texasnee1970 not only his favorite everyone else's my condolences

  • i love it to grew up pn music like this.lol.....im 26 now.i feel old....lol

    

  • my dads favorite song i love and miss you daddy so much and i know you will be at heavens gate welcoming me when its my time love sugaboog <3 <3 <3

  • For my mum, god bless her soul... they don't make 'em like that anymore

  • For all my Paratrooper friends and family God Loves ya! we did ours. you did yours.

    All American all the way.

  • I love this song, it's amazing! Although I think I like the way Garrett Hedlund sings it better, his voice has that huskiness that this song needs.

  • this song was done at our son-in-law's funeral(Darryl Carruthers) in May of 2010 by Darryl's Uncle Barry Carruthers accompanied by Marie Bottrell and Doug Walters. Not a dry eye in the church in recognition of such talent and what a tribute to our Dear Darryl.

  • Dedicate this one to Charlie Company Pathfinders/ 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment...wearers of those Silver Wings!

  • Somebody had the Okie From Muskogee tape in Vietnam back in 1970......I don't know how many times I listened to this, or how many Jim Beam and Cokes were swilled at the time.......

  • Any time you hear this, you have to think of the ones who left before you.

  • I miss you dad :(

  • Their is no better song to dance to

  • This song invokes some very strong memories and emotions. Reading the comments is bringing tears to my eyes. It was my favorite "buckle-shiner" dance song back in my rodeo days. I still do the two-step around my livingroom when I hear it on satellite at home. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing it with us!

  • Simply the best!

    

  • I love this song.

  • my dad died in a plane crash when i was 3 , this song makes me cry everytime

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  • I always loved this song and even now hearing it makes me feel like I'm leaving home for the first time to go overseas.Merle Haggard makes me proud to be a Bakersfield boy!

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  • Sing it Hag !!!

  • To the person who voted this down; You are a dumbdumb

  • Great!

  • Even if he had nerver written another song, this song would've gotten Merle into the Songwriter's HOF. 2:40 of perfection. 6 star song.

  • love love love this one the best dance song ever....

  • this one is for Darrell Sanovia love you dad RIP

  • This is what reminds me of when my daughter moved to her mother's. It may not be much in the scheme of things, but it crushed me.

  • I was 11 or 12 when my mom and dad took me to an older dance hall, we live in the country so thats what we had, my dad taught me how to dance to this song and that is a memory that has stayed with me for over 30 years i also had him dance to this song with my daughter for her first dance with her pawpaw, i just lost my daddy to cancer and i made sure that we got one last dance in. I love you to the stars and back

  • @DGOEHRINGZ thats really cool and beautiful :)

  • This song still means so much to me...years hast past by but you never will forget the moment when you are standing at the airport and have to say goodby to a person that you once loved. Looking at the sky and see the silver wings of the airplain faid away hurts like hell.

  • I cry every time I hear this song My Husband and I use to dance to this song and now that we are divorced after 23yrs....But still great memories 

  • @crissy2pnc1 Really sad for you! Don't know your circumstances, but I do know there is nothing sadder than an ended love! Perhaps you can find some songs that are happier? But then, again some happy songs bring tears from old memories!

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  • @Leftlegged1 Well If you have ever loved someone that you spent 23 yrs together then you would understand...His Mother died right after we were married, it destroyed him and later us...I have such great memories, and the ones that we spent together can never be undone...But to me this song has Great Memories about us no matter what the out come...Marriage, Death, Children Born, Families and

    so much more....

  • my cousin played this for my uncle at his funeral

  • my favorite song 

  • this is my favorite song and my nephew played it for me

  • I don't think my late husband and I ever missed slowing to this song.

  • This is the original I was looking for !! It NEVER gets old.

  • Love this song, and I too get misty eyed or cry hard everytime I hear it. It was played at my mom's funeral at the request of my father a crop duster pilot. She, as a new bride had a hard time adjusting to his work! She was so afraid everytime he went up, and down to five feet off the ground! She never did get completely used to it I think. She is gone near 12 years now and he still lives on, and yes, still flies in the sunlight.

  • My son's father, one of the kindest and most wonderful men I ever dated, was a 2ond Lt. in the Army National Guards and in 1988 he invited me to attend a Military Ball for Veterans Day that his unit was hosting. We had to start the dance and we danced to this song. Several months later, two days after my 27th birthday he killed himself. Six months after that our son was born. I will always remember this song so fondly and with tears in my heart for him!!! Love this song!!!

  • fab song!

  • When my father was on hospice care, I asked him to let me know when he got to heaven, so I would know he was ok. Moments after his passing, this song came on the radio. I believe he was letting me know he got his "silver wings". Very emotional song for me.

  • @engineergrl My daddy died in hospice too. When he was there i took his portable cd player and played him Merle Haggard quietly in his room. This was one of his favorite songs by him.

  • @engineergrl This is the best Youtube comment I've ever read, made me get cold chills!

  • @engineergrl I can bet it was!! Wwhen my Dad passed away the first song i heard after having to view him prior to cremation was 'Street of Dreams' by Whitesnake and when my Mom passed the same song came on again believe it or not. Thats my 'Emotional Song"

  • aww this reminds me of my pa i cant wait to see him again in heaven<3 i miss u pa!

  • funny how a song about losing a love who is leaving on a plane flight has touched so many people...this song has obviously taken on a life of its own

  • When I was a kid, my grandma would take me with her to visit relatives down in Tennessee and we would listen to Merle Haggard the whole way. I still can't hear this song without hearing her singing it.

  • im in tears!=( my grandma loves this song and when she passed away this summer, we played it for her at her funeral..=( iLove and Miss you Gram!=) iCant wait you See you and feel you touch and hear you voice..

  • quite possible my favorite Merle song of all time!

  • My Dad used to play this on his guitar and sing while I'd sit and watch. My father has since taken the silver bird up to heaven and is singing this song and I cannot wait to hear it once again. I love and miss you Dad.

  • @JDH1162 - Your post was very beautiful. 

  • Wunderschönes Lied. Danke

  • we were hunting sagegrouse and this song came on it was pretty funny cuz we had just shot one lol

  • This was my dads favorite song. We wanted to play it at his funeral but the church was legalistic and it was prohibited because it wasn't a Christian song. UNBELIEVABLE. GOD I WISH HE WAS HERE!

  • This song was played at my father in laws funeral. He passed away a few years before me and my husband met. Somehow though this song still makes me sad. I can look in my husbands eyes when he listens to this and see the pain. They don't make good music like this anymore.

  • This was a first song we danced to!....hes a hard rocker and im a good ol country girl.....but we match!

  • To James Edward Copeland we miss our favorite uncle. Rest in peace.

  • My father was Captain Craig Lenell Sr. who worked for Continental Airlines for 32 years and died on flight 61 coming home from Brussels on June 18, 2009. We played this song at his funeral too. I thought this was the MOST appropriate song for a captain who died doing what he loved the most in life. I am so proud of my father and miss him terribly still to this day. It's still no easier more than a year later that he has gone.

  • for my daddy i will miss him

  • heres to you judith anne...I will never forget you!

  • rip William L. Victor awsome song

  • Thinking about you, Mom and Dad.

  • love this song~~~

    brings back good memories of when I was a kid~~~

    thanks for sharing~~~

  • TO BRENTEN LEE MILLER 9/29/1976 TO 6/30/2007 YOUR MAMMA LOVES AND MISSES YOU EVERYDAY. I BET YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL SILVER WINGS. YOUR MOM

    ALWAYS

  • my grandma likes this song

  • *~:.go0d.song.:~*

  • It was played at my grandfathers awake. It makes me cry each time I hear it.

  • can anyone tell me when merle will be back in glasgow as am a big fan of his and love all his songs

  • my dad passed away 3 weeks ago in my arms when he was leaving us my mom cried dont leave me i found out they used to request this song eveytime they went out when i was a child it was played at his funeral now i cry everytime i hear it what a beautiful song

  • This was the first song I danced with my first love, Dale Sutherland . This song brings me happiness at my most important time in my life. It takes me back!

  • This song was played at my brothers funeral...I can not listen to it now without crying..it is a beautiful song.

  • My cousin David sounds a lot like Merle when he sings. He preformed this song at my mothers funeral. I feel the same as you do. God Bless You.

  • @justmep2b1 reminds me of my dad, listened to Merle in his pickup everytime we went riding

  • @justmep2b1

    mine too. Thought I was going to have to beat down an uppity funeral director who informed me that we COULDNT play this song. Said they didnt have it on their playlist. No prob Mortimer...I have the CD and a little CD player. Now shut up before you go before your time too. jerk.

    Todays my brothers birthday, and I'm crying now.

  • @justmep2b1 Bless your heart, please accept my deepest sympathy. I can't imagine losing my brother.....so know that there are many who care. Take care of yourself and take it to the Lord in prayer.....he'll be there to walk you thru it.

  • @justmep2b1

    From Canada, may God bless your brother's soul!

  • @justmep2b1 It was also played by my brother at my oldest brother funeral. He died at the age of 27.

  • hey keefers1972. I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, but thank god you have a song such as this to remind you of him. We used to sing this song when I was younger & doing c.m.. I'm now retired and was touched to see somebody remembers. I,m sure Merle would be so proud to know that one of his songs again has touched someones heart such as yours.. Take care. Willie D

  • I lost my Uncle Derwin tonight and this was his favorite song to play and sing. Thank you for posting it. I will always love you Uncle Derwin and I will miss you for the rest of my life!!

  • My mom and daddy's song Aww

  • This is one of best songs, but check out "Huntsville" on youtube too!

  • I think this is still my favorite country/western song of all time.

  • My husband is a Vietnam vet and this has been "our" song for 36 years now. Thanks for the post.

  • My Daddy wasin Vietnam in 65 RIP x

  • could a more beautiful song of loss be written or produced? roy nichols solo and the drum..... jesus, just rips your heart out.

  • good song

  • this song stirs up memories

  • Such a sad song. But one of the greats for sure. It makes my heart heavy every time I listen to it.

  • i love this song!

  • @nelson1755 I remember this song well. It was 1986. I was getting divorced; wishing I was on silver wings taking me away from all of it.

  • awesome song

  • Dont leave me I cry! Simply beautiful.

    Thank you for posting this awesome song.

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