“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose” — “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson, who died Saturday at age 88 from undisclosed causes, will be remembered as a singer-songwriter whose best lyrics and melodies still resonate strongly today, 50 or more years after he created them.
His 1969 classic “Me and Bobby McGee,” which became a posthumous hit in 1971 for Janis Joplin, continues to be performed around the world. Ditto such Kristofferson-penned gems as “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” “For the Good Times” and others.
His concise songs were earthy and eloquent, carefully constructed, but always conversational in tone. They painted vivid pictures without containing a single extraneous note, word or inflection.