Merle Haggard, the legendary outlaw of country music, possessed a rare gift for capturing the complexities of love, loss, and longing in his songs. Among his many masterpieces, “Today I Started Loving You Again” stands out as a timeless anthem of heartache and redemption. Written by Haggard himself along with Bonnie Owens, the song first graced the airwaves in 1968, becoming an instant classic and solidifying Haggard’s status as one of the genre’s greatest storytellers.
From the opening chords of the guitar, listeners are drawn into a world where love is both a source of joy and pain. Haggard’s distinctive voice, filled with a raw emotion that only comes from lived experience, breathes life into the lyrics, making them resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost.
The opening lines, “Today I started loving you again / And I’m right back where I’ve really always been,” set the tone for the bittersweet journey that follows. It’s a confession of vulnerability, a testament to the enduring power of love to heal even the deepest wounds. As the song unfolds, Haggard paints a vivid picture of a heart that has been bruised but not broken, a soul that still yearns for connection despite the pain of past betrayals.
One of the most striking aspects of “Today I Started Loving You Again” is its honesty. Haggard doesn’t shy away from the messy, complicated nature of love. Instead, he embraces it fully, weaving a tale of heartache and redemption that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Whether you’re nursing a broken heart or reveling in the joy of newfound love, Haggard’s lyrics have a way of cutting straight to the core of human emotion.
But amidst the melancholy, there’s also a sense of hope and resilience. In the chorus, Haggard sings, “And today I started loving you again / I’m right back where I’ve really always been.” It’s a reminder that no matter how many times love may let us down, it also has the power to lift us up again, to remind us of the beauty and joy that life has to offer.
As the song reaches its climax, Haggard’s voice soars with a sense of defiance, a declaration of triumph over heartache. And in that moment, listeners are reminded that love is not just about the pain of loss, but also the exhilaration of new beginnings.
In the end, “Today I Started Loving You Again” is more than just a country classic – it’s a timeless ode to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love to heal even the deepest wounds. And as long as there are hearts that ache and voices that long to be heard, Merle Haggard’s words will continue to echo in the hearts of listeners, offering comfort and companionship on the journey through love and loss.
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Lyrics
Today I started loving you again
And I’m right back where I’ve really always been
I got all over you just long enough to let my heartache mend
And then today I started loving you again
What a fool I was to think I could get by
With only these few million tears I’ve cried
I should have known the worst was yet to come
And that cryin’ time for me had just begun
Today I started loving you again
And I’m right back where I’ve really always been
I got all over you just long enough to let my heartache mend
And then today I started loving you again
Today I started loving you again
And I’m right back where I’ve really always been
I got all over you just long enough to let my heartache mend
And then today I started loving you again