An Okie from Muskogee and a wild and crazy guy

by Kyle Hughes, Bennington Banner, August 7, 1979

A lot of people who came to see Steve Martin at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sunday wore fake arrows through their heads in imitation of the comedian. Others wore white rabbit ears like Martin sometimes does. A few wore T-shirts announcing they were “a wild and crazy guy.”

Most of the people at Saturday’s Merle Haggard concert – he’s the country singer who wrote “Okie from Muskogee” – looked like they wouldn’t be caught dead with an arrow through their heads, much less be seen in public sporting bunny ears. They were a no-nonsense crowd.

They came to hear Merle sing his hits, and they weren’t disappointed. He did, effortlessly, and proved again he is one of the best country singers and songwriters going today.

In a sense, the crowd the next day also came to hear Martin do his hits.

He did. He played his banjo, said he was a “wild and crazy guy,” talked in a fake European accent, juggled, did some comedy magic tricks, made funny shapes with balloons, danced around, and even said “Well, excu-u-u-u-se me!” which is more or less his trademark. Martin did not say once during his matinee show, however, that he had “happy feet,” which is another one of his beloved routines.

The crowd loved it. They greeted the old routines with cheers – most of the material was familiar – and one got the feeling Martin could have just stood there and mugged for an hour and pleased the audience.

It was a show with few surprises for anyone who has ever seen the comedian on television or heard any of his comedy records.

Steve Martin has gotten a lot of mileage out of his insincere sincerity and the goofy characters which are essentially all variations on the same theme. His aim is pure entertainment – stand up there and make me laugh – and he succeeds a lot of the time.

But it’s like what they say about eating Chinese food: a half-hour later you’re hungry again. Martin’s comedy just doesn’t stay with you like the routines of other comedians.

It’s true he doesn’t really do monologues. Most of the time, he doesn’t really tell jokes. He strikes a funny pose to make you laugh. It’s miles away from Lenny Bruce.

Martin is amusing, but he leaves you with little unless you’re open to going around saying “Well, excu-u-u-u-se me!” or talking sincerely-insincerely in a funny accented voice about anything you like. Martin is a wild and crazy guy, but that has limited possibilities.

Now, Merle Haggard is a different story.

He is, of course. Aside from his claims that “Okie from Muskogee” is supposed to be funny, that is. And it is: What else could a song complaining about people smoking marijuana, growing shaggy hair, burning draft cards, and making “a party out of lovin’” be?

Merle Haggard is a fine songwriter and country singer who will probably never cross over onto the pop charts like, say, Dolly Parton. Haggard is a stylist whose work belongs to a strong musical tradition.

Steve Martin – maybe even Dolly Parton too – is show business. Merle Haggard is an artist.

Sunday, Haggard fronted a band with a couple of guitarists, two drummers, an inaudible fiddler, a honky tonk sax player, and a number of other excellent musicians, including his ex-wife. The band was tight.

How can you say enough about Merle Haggard? He has dozens of song classics like “Mama Tried,” “Fighting Side of Me,” “Daddy Frank,” “I Started Loving You Again,” and others composed by the California Okie.

It was a disgracefully poor turnout. “About 12 hundred and some change,” a SPAC fire marshal estimated.

In contrast, Steve Martin’s shows were sold out for months in advance. There was even a big lawn crowd during the 3 p.m. matinee. He was onstage for a little less than an hour, preceded by a set by Steve Goodman (He wrote Arlo Guthrie’s old hit “City of New Orleans”). Martin also performed Sunday night.

Why the difference in attendance?

Well, Steve Martin is on television a lot and has been in a couple movies. Merle Haggard’s on the country radio stations.

Steve Martin is a comedian. Merle Haggard is a musician, and a country musician to boot; Saratoga’s a sophisticated town, sometimes too much so.

It’s the town’s loss. Steve Martin might be more popular, but Merle Haggard is certainly more authentic. What a study in contrasts.

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