The debate rages on over the sincerity of Haggard’s lyrics in this 1969 chart-topper. Haggard is on record as stating that the song was written as a patriotic stance during a time when the Vietnam War was occurring and young people were protesting the war. While the references to marijuana may seem silly compared to Haggard’s later views, many of the references in the song are what you wouldn’t see in Middle-American life. Haggard has stated that the song was inspired after thinking about his father and how he would react to the way the youth were reacting to the Vietnam War. The song is a reflection of things you won’t find in the Heartland of America, a place where values are more conservative and less easily swayed. “Okie from Muskogee” topped the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Single Chart and stayed at number one for 4 weeks. It also hit 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.