Recording information: 1968 - 1969.
Another installment in Capitol's excellent series of Merle Haggard two-for-one discs, MAMA TRIED/PRIDE IN WHAT I AM presents albums recorded during the country legend's remarkably prolific late-1960s stride. Both records feature wistful tinges of folk, with the former focusing on prison life (a familiar subject for the ex-con), even going so far as to include an admirable cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," and the latter offering up tales of wanderlust (the lilting "I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am") and restlessness (the forlorn "I Can't Hold Myself in Line"). These tunes find the Bakersfield singer/songwriter in fine voice and staying true to the no-frills country sound he helped to pioneer, whether launching a honky-tonk number or settling into a bluesy ballad. As with other contemporaneous Hag reissues, the 29-track set includes previously unreleased songs and alternate takes, making it a crucial Haggard collection.