A tender remembrance of lasting love: “My Favorite Memory” by Merle Haggard
When Merle Haggard sang “My Favorite Memory,” he breathed life into the gentle ache of a love that lingers long after the days have passed. Released in September 1981 as the first single from his album Big City, the song became one of Haggard’s most deeply felt hits.
This single climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, giving Haggard his twenty-fifth chart-topping country hit. It also reached No. 3 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks, reflecting its warm reception beyond his home soil. The parent album, Big City, was a pivotal work in his catalog: released in 1981 under Epic Records, it marked his first album with the label and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Country Album charts.
The story behind “My Favorite Memory” is deeply personal — it was written by Merle Haggard himself, carrying the sincerity of an artist reflecting on the most poignant moments of his life. In the song, Haggard speaks as though he’s paging back through a photo album in his mind: the first meeting, a winter by Lake Shasta, a spontaneous night on the floor, and even a London vacation. These are not grandiose declarations but quiet vignettes — everyday moments steeped in tenderness.
In the first verse, he confesses that, “The first time we met / Is a favorite memory of mine.” He reflects on how “time changes all it pertains to,” yet for him, some memories are more resilient than time itself. He acknowledges that many things may change — but the images and moments he chooses to hold on to remain vivid.
Throughout the song, Merle recalls intimate scenes: “the night we made love in the hallway,” sleeping on the floor, and a wintry retreat at Lake Shasta where they felt closer than ever. He even revisits a “London vacation” — not just as a traveler, but as someone who shared laughter and joy in that foreign place. Yet, despite all the good times, he returns again and again to his central refrain: “But, baby, you are my favorite memory of all.”
The emotional meaning of the song is layered and deeply resonant. According to interpretations, Haggard is not just reminiscing — he is honoring the enduring power of love, even when time and life have moved on. His confession is both wistful and accepting: memories may fade in detail, but their emotional weight stays with him, shaping his present just as much as his past.
Musically, the arrangement is both gentle and spare, leaving space for Haggard’s warm, slightly weathered voice to carry the emotional weight. The instrumentation — soft guitar, subtle steel, and a steady but unintrusive rhythm — supports the reflection, rather than overwhelming it. It’s as though he’s singing directly to an old friend or a lost love, not performing for an audience.
In the arc of Haggard’s career, “My Favorite Memory” stands as a moment of quiet introspection among songs often grounded in hard times, working-class grit, and the longing for freedom. On the album Big City, which itself deals with themes of struggle, identity and place, this song offers a tender counterbalance — a deeply personal pause amid broader reflections.
Listening to this song now is like stepping into the soft glow of a late-night living room, where shadows stretch gently and memories feel alive again. It reminds us that some loves leave a mark not because they lasted forever, but because in memory, they are eternal.
“My Favorite Memory” is not just a recollection — it’s a celebration of what endures in our hearts, a testament that among all the moments life may give us, one person, one connection, can become the memory we return to again and again.