There are songs that feel less like performances and more like quiet conversations with the soul. “What Will It Be Like” is one of those rare tracks. When Merle Haggard sings it, you can almost hear the burden of his years and the deep questions that linger in life’s quiet moments. His voice carries the honesty that only a man who has traversed fire and redemption can muster.
The song is not background music; it demands stillness and introspection. It moves beyond commercial success or fleeting radio play, touching on universal themes of faith, mortality, and the unknown. Haggard’s voice in this piece is stripped of bravado—it is tender, vulnerable, and at times, trembling. This raw sincerity is what pulls listeners in, making them truly believe every word. He is not performing; he is simply speaking his truth.
According to Linda Foreman, a longtime Merle Haggard fan and author of “Country Music Reflections,”
“In ‘What Will It Be Like,’ Merle sheds the tough outlaw persona and reveals the soulful man beneath. It’s a song that makes you want to pause and really listen — to the questions we all carry but rarely voice.”
The power of this song lies in its universal question: What lies beyond this life? We have all stared at the ceiling in the dark, wondering, what will it be like? Throughout history, countless artists have tackled this mystery, but Merle’s version feels intimate—less like a sermon and more like a friend quietly whispering, “I wonder too.” It offers comfort and permission for listeners to embrace their uncertainties.
Music historian James Carlton shared his perspective, stating,
“Merle Haggard’s voice on this track is not about spectacular vocals or grandiosity—it’s about the small moments of doubt and hope that define the human condition. This song is his most poignant late-career work, where honesty replaces bravado.”
For many devoted followers, “What Will It Be Like” stands as a late-career gem where the legendary country musician strips away his rugged outlaw image and reveals a vulnerable man wrestling with eternal questions. It’s not about offering answers but about sitting with the mystery, allowing it to soften the heart, and perhaps finding some peace in the shared silence.
Listening to this song is a deeply personal experience; it invites listeners to journey beyond the notes and lyrics into a place of contemplation about eternity and the human soul’s enduring quest for meaning and connection. In this moment, Merle Haggard does more than sing — he opens a door to understanding and unity in the face of life’s greatest unknowns.