The song, which was about the then-controversial topic of an interracial romance, was actually written several years prior to 1972, but not released at first because Capitol Records thought it would hurt Haggard's image at the time.
He also points out that no one cared when the two of them were childhood friends, but now that they are grown up, the world "draws a line" and won't let them be together because they are of different races.
Eventually, Irma herself decides to leave the narrator, but he proclaims that he will always love her "'till I die".
Haggard said that he and Johnny Cash both believed strongly in freedom of speech.
Haggard had earlier recorded a cover of "Go Home", a song by Tommy Collins with a similar theme.