"Grandma Harp' is a 1972 single written and recorded by Merle Haggard

Merle Haggard

Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...

. "Grandma Harp" would be Merle Haggard's 12th No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

chart in May 1972, staying atop the chart for two weeks, and spending a total 14 weeks in the top 40.

Content

The song is a reflection of a young man's grandmother - the family matriarch and title character, Zone Villines (aka "Grandma Harp"), who was born in Newton County, Arkansas and lived for 90 years. The protagonist (who sings the song in first person) says that her life story can be told in only a few short lines, but reflects on how Grandma Harp (along with Grandpa, whom she married in 1901) was a rock that held the family together.

Chart performance

Chart (1972)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	5