According to Daniel Cooper's essay for the 1994 Haggard box set Down Every Road, Haggard had been carrying the title around in his head for two years before deciding what to do with it, and the "canvass-covered cabin" referred to in the song is a direct reference to the home of Escar and Willie, the great-uncle and great-aunt with whom he stayed after his father died.

[2] In his 2013 book The Running Kind, David Cantwell praises the contributions of guitarists James Burton and Roy Nichols, as well as session bassist Chuck Berghofer, stating, "Burton and the Strangers had ridden a kindred rocking guitar groove on 1968's 'I'm Bringing Home Good News,' but 'Workin' Man Blues' sets the standard."

Haggard wrote four of the LP's ten songs himself, including the mournful "Silver Wings" which, much like his earlier composition "Today I Started Loving You Again," was never released as a single but became immensely popular with audiences.

Mark Deming of AllMusic: "Three of Haggard's finest songs appear on this set—'Silver Wings,' 'Hungry Eyes,' and 'Workin' Man's Blues'—and most country artists would be happy to cut three tunes this strong during the course of their career, let alone as part of one of six albums Hag would release in 1969...

The production and arrangements are admirably low-key and to the point, and Haggard's vocals are deeply emotive without overplaying his hand.