Ben Haggard w/ Noel Haggard “Today I Started Loving You Again”

Some songs don’t just tell a story—they live in you. “Today I Started Loving You Again” is one of those songs. Written by Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens, this classic country ballad carries the kind of heartbreak that lingers long after the last note fades. It’s not about the start of a love story, nor the tragic end—it’s about that bittersweet space in between, where love refuses to let go, no matter how much time has passed.

Merle originally wrote the song for Bonnie, his then-wife and longtime collaborator, and it first appeared as a B-side to “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde” in 1968. While it didn’t take off immediately, time has proven its worth. Over the years, artists like Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, and Sammi Smith have covered it, each adding their own touch of longing and regret.

The beauty of this song is in its simplicity—both in melody and in message. It’s not weighed down with elaborate metaphors or grand gestures; instead, it’s a quiet confession of a heart that just won’t move on. It’s the realization that no matter how far you try to run from love, it has a way of pulling you back in when you least expect it. You thought you were over them—until today.

Maybe that’s why this song resonates so deeply. We’ve all had moments where an old flame sneaks back into our thoughts, triggered by a song, a place, or even just a fleeting memory. Merle’s voice, raw and unpolished, feels like a conversation with an old friend who just gets it. And that steel guitar? It aches just as much as the lyrics do.

“Today I Started Loving You Again” isn’t just a song about love—it’s about the kind of love that never fully disappears. It’s a reminder that the heart doesn’t always follow logic, and sometimes, the hardest part about moving on is realizing you never really did

Video