Set My Chickens Free question (Haggard?)

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 5 Jul 2001 6:49 am

On Merle Haggard's album "1994", there is a song called Set My Chickens Free, credited to Haggard/Smith.
The song is virtually identical (with a few clucks added or taken away) to a song called... "Set My Chickens Free"

... written and recorded in the 1970s by none other than David Carradine (yup, the "Kung Fu" one), on his album "Grasshopper".
I am intrigued... is this a "traditional" song, that everyone puts their name to? or did Haggard hear it and forget where it came from? or...? Anyone know? (I've been wondering this for years, and just realized this is - as always

- the obvious place to find an answer.
Thanks
Nick

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 5 Jul 2001 7:43 am

Gosh, I don't know. Perhaps another bus story from Norm Hamlet can shed some light on this.

My first and lasting impression of that tune was that it was simply a nice place for Joe Manual (sp?) to stick some fine lead guitar riffs. Also, I thought the reference to "Chickens driving Caddilac's in Washington DC" might be referring to Clinton's Tyson connections. Sounds like the song may predate that glorious time.

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HagFan