"Red Bandana" is a song written and recorded by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

artist

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

. It was released in March 1979 as the first single from the album '' Serving 190 Proof''. The song reached #4 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

Content

The narrator states that he can't grow up and settle down but he can appreciate the way she looks when she has a red bandana tied around her hair. The lyrics make reference to

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...

's " Me and Bobby McGee".

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

1979 singles 1979 songs Merle Haggard songs Songs written by Merle Haggard Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen MCA Records singles {{1970s-country-song-stub