From “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” to “For The Good Times”, Kris Kristofferson has had the kind of success every songwriter dreams of. He and other artists like Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, and Ray Price have recorded his songs. Here are some of his best lyrics, in no particular order.
“I’d Rather Be Sorry” (with Rita Coolidge)
‘”Cause I’ll never know ’til it’s over / If I’m right or I’m wrong loving you / But I’d rather be sorry for something I’ve done / Than for something that I didn’t do.”
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This song preaches that it’s better to live your life with no regrets than to regret not taking a chance later on. Kristofferson and Coolidge were married in 1973 and divorced in 1980. They recorded several duet albums together and even earned two Grammy awards.
“Me and Bobby McGee”
“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose / Nothing ain’t worth nothing, but it’s free.”
This one gained a lot of attention when Janis Joplin posthumously released her own version of it after her death from a heroin overdose. Kristofferson told Performing Songwriter: “‘Bobby McGee’ was the song that made the difference for me. Every time I sing it, I still think of Janis.”
“Eye Of The Storm” (ft. Willie Nelson)
“Bad love is better than no love at all / At least you know you’re alive.”
“Eye Of The Storm” is about realizing that you still have a lot to be grateful for, even when you’re in the eye of the storm. This one appears on The Essential Highwaymen compilation, as well as Kris Kristofferson Extras.
“The Taker”
“He’ll take his time before takin’ advantage / Takin’ her easy and slow / And after he’s taken the body and soul / That she gives him, he’ll take her for granted.”
In “The Taker”, Kristofferson describes an undeniably selfish man. However, he does it in a way that almost gets your hopes up, describing him as a guy who’s also a giver, a helper, a lover, and a getter before getting to the point of the song. Kristofferson and poet Shel Silverstein wrote this one, and both Waylon Jennings and Kristofferson recorded it.
Photo by: Ron Bull/Toronto Star via Getty Images
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