MERLE HAGGARD & BONNIE OWENS, “TODAY I STARTED LOVING YOU AGAIN”, 1996

Some love stories never really end—they just pause, waiting for the right moment to slip back into the heart. That’s the kind of love “Today I Started Loving You Again” speaks to, and it’s the reason this song continues to resonate with listeners decades after its release.

Written by Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens, this classic country ballad wasn’t originally a hit when it was first released as a B-side to “The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde” in 1968. But something about its melancholic beauty and aching sincerity wouldn’t let it be forgotten. Over time, it grew into one of Haggard’s most beloved songs, covered by countless artists who found their own heartbreak in its lyrics.

The song captures the painful realization that moving on isn’t always as simple as we wish it were. The narrator thought they had left love behind, but today—just like that—it came rushing back. There’s a bittersweet resignation in the way Merle sings it, a quiet acceptance that no matter how hard he tries, his heart still belongs to someone who may never return. It’s that raw honesty that makes the song feel so personal, as if it’s been written from the pages of our own lives.

What makes this song truly special is its universality. Whether you’ve lived this story yourself or simply felt the sting of love that lingers long after a goodbye, “Today I Started Loving You Again” speaks to the part of us that knows love is never really under our control. Some loves fade, but some—no matter how much we fight it—find a way to stay

Video