Me and Bobby McGee – Freedom’s just another word. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #JanisJoplin #KrisKristofferson #RogerMiller

The best stories related to cover songs tend to begin with common misconceptions. ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ is an interesting example because there are a few surrounding this song.

So let’s go back to the beginning…

The song was written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster and it was originally recorded and released by the legendary Roger Miller, in 1969.

‘Bobby McGee’ is one of those songs that is a story in itself. It relays the adventures of two drifters as they hitchhike through the American South and make their way to California, before parting. It’s often thought that Kristofferson wrote the song for Janis Joplin but that is not the case. He released his version on his debut album in 1970. Here is where it gets really interesting. Joplin recorded the song just a matter of days before her death in October, 1970. Kris had played it for Janis and she was so inspired she essentially learned it on the spot. Kristofferson, who had a brief affair with Joplin only found out she had recorded the song, after her death. It was released posthumously on her ‘Pearl’ album and it became the the second song to hit #1 following the death of the performer. The first such occurrence was Otis Redding with ‘(Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay.’

‘Me and Bobby McGee’ also gives co-writer credit to Fred Foster who named the songs’ character, after a secretary he knew named Bobbi McKee. By naming the character ‘Bobby’ they ensured the song could be sung by a male or female. ‘McGee’ was a result of Kristofferson misunderstanding Foster’s name pronunciation. ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ is host to several brilliant lines, perhaps none more so than “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” Kristofferson reveals that the line was very autobiographical as he stated in a subsequent interview that following a series of setbacks,

I’d pretty much trashed my act. But there was something liberating about it. By not having to live up to people’s expectations, I was somehow free.”

Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson went on to have a prolific career of his own. He is highly regarded in the songwriting community. ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ has been covered by countless performers over almost 50 years and it resides at #148 on Rolling Stone’s list of the top 500 songs of all time. Perhaps his biggest endorsement was being a member of ‘The Highwaymen’ which included Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Wille Nelson. I referred to this quartet in an earlier post as country rocks’ Mount Rushmore. Currently Kris Kristofferson splits his time between Malibou and Maui. As recently as 2016 he was a Grammy nominated artist with a record called ‘The Cedar Creek Sessions’. I had the privilege of seeing him back in 1985 and I consider myself fortunate. Just an amazing songwriter and an interesting man. 

And Janis Joplin’s only #1 song. With all due respect…the best version in my opinion.