‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ and 9 other essential Kris Kristofferson songs
As a longtime fan of country music, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing some truly exceptional artists grace the genre with their talents. Among these legends, few have left as lasting an impact as the one and only Kris Kristofferson. His life story is as captivating as his songs, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between.
Kris Kristofferson didn’t merely compose country music tunes as if he was destined for the hallowed halls of country music’s Mt. Rushmore; his windblown hair and rough-hewn face gave him an appearance fitting for eternal sculpture. During the mid-1970s, Kristofferson’s rugged good looks propelled a thriving acting career in Hollywood, culminating in a nearly bare-chested role opposite Barbra Streisand in her reimagining of “A Star Is Born.” However, it was the profundity and creativity of Kristofferson’s songwriting—a skill he cultivated through his studies in literature at Pomona College and the University of Oxford—that marked a career that spanned from the late 1960s to his passing at age 88 on Saturday. Here, arranged in the order they were released, are ten essential Kristofferson songs: his own renditions, interpretations by other artists, and one selection that encapsulates the poetic nature he appreciated.
1. “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” (1970)
× Johnny Cash helped Kris Kristofferson achieve a top country hit and opened numerous opportunities for him in Nashville, by performing a poignant drunkard’s lament during a live recording at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on his ABC variety show. However, it is Kristofferson’s own rendition from his debut album that best portrays the despair of a man who “woke up Sunday morning with no way to ease my pounding head.
2. Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (1970)
× As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but be captivated by the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s country singles chart – a poignant and sensual narrative of a fleeting encounter. The lyrics, “Take the ribbon from my hair, shake it loose and let it fall / Laying soft against your skin, like the shadows on the wall,” are particularly striking to me. This song, which went on to win the Grammy Award for Country Song of the Year, was a highlight at a ceremony where Kris Kristofferson was nominated in that category for an impressive three different tunes.
3. Janis Joplin, “Me and Bobby McGee” (1971)
× In her distinctive blues-rock voice, Joplin sang “Freedom is just another way of saying you have nothing left to lose” – a profound insight that became one of Kristofferson’s most recognized pieces of wisdom. The song “Me and Bobby McGee” peaked at number 1 on the Hot 100 chart in March 1971, just under half a year after Joplin’s death at the age of 27.
4. “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” (1971)
× As a movie-goer and music enthusiast, I must say that in this particular performance, Kristofferson’s voice resonated strikingly with Leonard Cohen’s, especially in his soulful delivery about the profound devotion of a woman. Producer Fred Foster masterfully added the perfect touch of melodious softness to create an effortlessly captivating soundscape.
5. “The Pilgrim, Chapter 33” (1971)
× A Jackson Maine origin story.
6. Al Green, “For the Good Times” (1972)
× One year following Gladys Knight demonstrating soul music’s potential with Kristofferson’s songs in her 1971 recording of “Help Me Make It,” Green recorded his own rendition of “For the Good Times” (originally made famous by Ray Price). His minimalistic rhythm carries an atmosphere reminiscent of the saddest heartbeat in the world.
7. “Why Me” (1972)
× “Perhaps, God, I can demonstrate my path to you, having walked it myself, so that I might guide someone else towards you.
8. Willie Nelson, “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends” (1979)
× It says something about the esteem in which Nelson holds his old pal’s work that he followed his blockbuster standards collection, “Stardust,” with an album of Kristofferson’s songs, including this gorgeous ballad of self-deception, which climaxes with one of the highest notes Nelson has ever sung.
9. The Highwaymen, “Highwayman” (1985)
× In my humble opinion, I found myself once again captivated by the profound melodies of the late Kris Kristofferson, who, in collaboration with Jimmy Webb, crafted a metaphysical lullaby titled “Daydream.” This masterpiece was recorded as part of the illustrious country supergroup, the Highwaymen, alongside Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. With Kristofferson’s recent departure, Nelson now stands alone as the surviving member of this legendary quartet in the world of country music.
10. “Sister Sinead” (2009)
× Similar to how Cash collaborated with Rick Rubin, Kristofferson joined forces with producer Don Was to create a collection of later-life albums that not only recognized the effects of time but celebrated them through gravelly, up-close vocal performances accompanied by intimate acoustic tunes. In this heartfelt and humorous song from his album “Closer to the Bone”, he employs his weathered viewpoint to reinforce his backing for Sinead O’Connor, whom he previously defended amidst criticism following her act of tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on “Saturday Night Live” in 1992. “It’s inviting trouble when you stand out,” Kristofferson sings, “A large target for anyone to aim at, / But some candles flicker and some candles die out, / And some burn as brightly as my sister Sinead.
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2024-09-30 20:31