Kris Kristofferson was a towering figure in the American popular culture for six decades as a singer, musician, songwriter and an actor of great repute. In fact, he was also a Rhodes scholar and a military vet.

Born in in 1936 in Texas, his active years were between 1959 – 2021 and during that period he gave the world multiple hit-country songs for himself and other musicians, starred in several hit movies and formed the iconic super-band The Highwaymen.

While the man wore multiple hats and all of them beautifully, but for me, the hat that made him shine the brightest was that of a ‘songwriter’ (well, that could be because of the poet in me). Let me take lyrics of some of his major songs to elucidate this.

Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down (1969)

First recorded by Ray Stevans and then Johny Cash (and later Kris himself), this No. 1 Hit talks about being hungover & lonely after a night of excess.

Well, I woke up Sunday mornin'

With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt

And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad

So I had one more for dessert

Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes

And found my cleanest dirty shirt

Then I washed my face and combed my hair

And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day

The lyrics immediately sucks you in with its storytelling and you start seeing that Sunday morning in this hungover man’s life. And who writes ‘cleanest dirty shirt’? It’s such a poetic usage.

Me and Bobby McGee (1970)

Made iconic by the mad vocals and singing by Janis Joplin, this track has perhaps the most remembered lines in the history of popular music.

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose

Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no-no

And feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues

You know feelin' good was good enough for me

Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

The lyrics here subtly captures memories of love, fleeting nature of happiness and the bittersweet nature of freedom and loss.

Help Me Make It Through The Night (1970)

Sung by many – from Johnny Cash to Elvis to Joan Baez, this one is gentle country ballad.

Come and lay down by my side

Till the early mornin' light

All I'm takin' is your time

Help me make it through the night

I don't care who's right or wrong

I don't try to understand

Let the devil take tomorrow

Lord tonight I need a friend

Once again, its gracefully visual, saying a lot while keeping a lot unsaid. Poetic.

For The Good Times (1970)

Recorded by Ray Price, this is a gentle, reflective song about the end of a relationship. Instead of bitterness, it focuses on gratitude for the time spent together, highlighting the fleeting nature of happiness.

Don't look so sad

I know it's over

But life goes on

And this old world will keep on turning

Let's just be glad

We had some time to spend together

There's no need to watch the bridges

That were burning

Kris Kristofferson left us a couple of weeks ago after living a full life. To rephrase his own line, ‘Let’s just be glad, we have some great songs from him to spend our time with’.

By Meraj Hasan

Meraj Hasan ‘meem’ is a Dubai based business and marketing consultant, poet and a music journalist. He also has a wide range of vinyl in his collection ranging from jazz, blues, classical, rock, pop and old Hindi film albums. Meraj's first book of poems, ‘Khyaalon Ki Tapri’ was an instant bestseller and he has just released his second book of poems, 'Boondon Si Baatein'.