Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson were like two peas in a pod. They made some amazing music together as part of The Highwaymen. Just as well, on their own, both musicians are legends in the world of country music with really respectable songwriting talents.
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They’ve never been particularly competitive, either; they were just two buds who enjoyed making music together. However, there is one song that Kristofferson wrote that many believe Nelson perfected with his own version. And, honestly, it’s hard to disagree with that.
The song in question is “Help Me Make It Through The Night” from Kristofferson’s 1970 self-titled album. It’s a heartwrenching song that many believed was a bit taboo back in the day, considering it’s a song about a deeply depressed man who is taking solace in the attention (and body) of a woman who is helping him “through the night.”
Despite the fact that some listeners thought the song was too vulgar, the song itself is absolutely heartwrenching, simple, and beautiful. It’s been covered so many times through the years, too. Joe Simon, Gladys Knight, and John Holt all covered the tune and found some charting success with it. However, Willie Nelson’s 1979 cover of the song charted nearly as well as Kristofferson’s original, and many believe he perfected the song.
Is Willie Nelson’s Version of “Help Me Make It Through the Night” Better Than Kris Kristofferson’s Original?
I’ll leave that verdict up to you, but it’s hard to deny that Willie Nelson’s cover of this Kris Kristofferson classic is absolutely stunning. Nelson released the song on his collection of Kris Kristofferson covers, titled Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson. That album has some great covers on it, from “Me And Bobby McGee” (which, let’s be real, Janis Joplin did it better than anybody), “Why Me”, and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”. And then, there’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night”.
Kris Kristofferson’s version of “Help Me Make It Through The Night” is very much a ballad, but it’s more upbeat and playful. It’s definitely of its time; it has that early 1970s vibe to it.
Nelson’s version, though, sounds like it could be of his own making. It’s got more of a classic country vibe to it, complete with a glossy piano track. It’s almost bluesy in a way. The way Nelson croons the lyrics matches the heartwrenching nature of the words. Kristofferson got close in his version, but the original version just felt a bit too sweet when you consider the context of the lyrics. Nelson’s version gets it right, and he even belts out a few parts of the song.
If you think Kristofferson’s version is better, to each their own. At the very least, Nelson’s version is a great example of how good of a vocalist he is.
Photo by Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
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