About The Song
In 1981 Merle Haggard released the album *Big City* and included one of his most hopeful and unusual songs. “Rainbow Stew,” written entirely by Haggard, is a lighthearted yet pointed vision of a world where differences don’t divide people but instead create something better. The track stands out in his catalog for its optimistic tone and its gentle satire of the political and social divisions of the era.
The lyrics imagine a utopian “rainbow stew” where everyone — regardless of race, religion, or background — can live together in peace. There’s no war, no hunger, and no need to fight over who belongs where. Haggard delivers the words with a warm, almost playful delivery that contrasts with the heavier material he often recorded. The song doesn’t preach or lecture. It simply offers a simple, colorful metaphor for the kind of harmony that feels possible when people choose to see what they share instead of what separates them.
By the early 1980s Haggard had already spent more than a decade turning working-class experience into song. He had delivered cultural touchstones and deeply personal material about prison, family, and the road. *Big City* continued that thread while also allowing space for broader social commentary. “Rainbow Stew” fit naturally into that mix — a song that acknowledged the divisions of the time without giving in to cynicism. It reflected Haggard’s ongoing interest in the lives of ordinary people and his belief that the things we have in common are stronger than the things that pull us apart.
The track also captured a particular moment in country music when artists were beginning to address social issues with more directness. While many songs of the era leaned into upbeat escapism or traditional themes, “Rainbow Stew” offered a hopeful alternative. It didn’t pretend the problems didn’t exist. It simply suggested that a better way was possible if people were willing to stir the pot differently.
What has kept the song resonant is its universal appeal. The idea of a world where differences enrich rather than divide isn’t tied to any single political moment. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt frustrated by unnecessary conflict and wished for something kinder and more inclusive. Haggard’s straightforward delivery makes the message feel accessible rather than preachy, and the colorful metaphor of the stew gives the song a memorable, almost childlike optimism.
Decades later “Rainbow Stew” remains one of the most quietly hopeful entries in Haggard’s vast catalog. It doesn’t demand attention the way some of his anthems do, but it rewards repeated listening with its steady belief that people are capable of better. In a career built on telling the truth about working-class lives, this track stands as a gentle reminder that sometimes the most radical act is simply imagining — and singing about — a world where everyone has a seat at the table and something good to share.
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Lyric
There’s a big, brown cloud in the city
And the countryside’s a sin
The price of life is too high to give up
It’s gotta come down again
But worldwide war is over and done
And the dream of peace comes true
We’ll all be drinkin’ that free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew
When they find out how to burn water
And the gasoline car is gone
When an airplane flies without any fuel
And the sunlight heats our home
But one of these days when the air clears up
And the sun comes shinin’ through
We’ll all be drinkin’ that free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew
Eatin’ rainbow stew in a silver spoon
Underneath that sky of blue
We’ll all be drinkin’ that free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew
Alright, Parky?
Here comes Don
You don’t have to get high to get happy
Just think about what’s in store
When people start doin’ what they oughta be doin’
Then they won’t be booin’ no more
When a President goes through the White House door
Does what he says he’ll do
We’ll all be drinkin’ that free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew
Eatin’ rainbow stew in a silver spoon
Underneath that sky of blue
We’ll all be drinkin’ that free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew
Eatin’ rainbow stew in a silver spoon
Underneath that sky of blue
We’ll all be drinkin’ free Bubble Up
And eatin’ that rainbow stew