Does it get any better than one legend honoring another? Merle Haggard honored The King of Rock and Roll with a tear-inducing cover of Elvis Presley’s “In the Ghetto.”
Off his tribute album to the music icon, My Farewell to Elvis, Haggard gave a country makeover to the rockabilly classic. The country singer’s vocals melded beautifully with Presley’s emotional lyrics, making for an overall masterful cover of the iconic song.
“In the Ghetto” was a No.1 hit song in the United Kingdom that tells the story of a young boy born to extreme poverty in in the ghettos of Chicago. The story shows the chronological narrative of the boy’s life riddled with thievery before his inevitable murder just as his own child is born.
Haggard’s tribute album was already in the works prior to Presley’s death in August 1977. After news of his death broke, the country singer quickly wrapped the album and released it in October later that year.
You can listen to Haggard’s cover of “In the Ghetto” below.
