Kris Kristofferson - Songs of Kristofferson Album Lyrics

I took myself down to the Tally-Ho Tavern to buy me a bottle of beer
I sat me down by a tender young maiden whose eyes were as dark as her hair
And as I was searchin' from bottle to bottle for somethin' unfoolish to say
That silver tongued devil just slipped from the shadows and smilingly stole her away
I said hey little girl don't you know he's the devil he's everything that I ain't
Hidin' intentions of evil under the smile of a saint
All he's good for is gettin' in trouble and shifting his share of the blame
And some people swear he's my double and some even say we're the same
But the silver tongued devil's got nothing to lose I'll only live till I die
We take our own chances and pay our own dues the silver tongued devil and I
Like all the fair maidens who've laid down beside him
She knew in her heart that he'd lied
But nothing that I could have said could've saved her
No matter how hard that she tried
Cause she'll offer her soul to the darkness and danger
Of something that she's never known
And open her arms at the smile of a stranger who'll love her and leave her alone
And you know he's the devil...

I have seen the morning burning golden on the mountain in the skies
Aching with the feeling of the freedom of an eagle when she flies
Turning on the world, the way she smiled upon my soul as I lay dying
Healing as the colors in the sunshine and the shadows of her eyes

Loving her was easier than anything I'll ever do again
Coming close together
With a feeling that I'd never known before in my time
She ain't ashamed to be a woman or afraid to be a friend
I don't know the answer to the easy way she opened every door in my mind
But dreaming was as easy as believing it was never gonna end
Loving her was easier than anything I'll ever do again

Waking in the morning to the feeling of her fingers on my skin
Wiping out the traces of the people and the places that I"ve been
Teaching me that yesterday was something that I never thought of trying
Talking of tomorrow and the money, love and time we had to spend

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, headin' for the trains,
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,
Took us all the way to New Orleans.
Took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin' sad while Bobby sang the blues,
With them windshield wipers slappin' time and
Bobby clappin' hands we finally sang up every song
That driver knew.

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose,
And nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free,
Feelin' good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues,
And buddy, that was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

From the coalmines of Kentucky to the California sun,
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul,
Standin' right beside me through everythin' I done,
And every night she kept me from the cold.
Then somewhere near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away,
She was lookin' for the love I hope she'll find,
Well I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday,
Holdin' Bobby's body close to mine.

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose,
And nothin' left was all she left to me,
Feelin' good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues,
And buddy, that was good enough for me.
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee.

Take the ribbon from your hair,
Shake it loose and let it fall,
Layin' soft upon my skin.
Like the shadows on the wall.
Come and lay down by my side till the early morning light
All I'm takin' is your time.
Help me make it through the night.

I don't care what's right or wrong, I don't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow.
Lord, tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone and tomorrow's out of sight.
And it's sad to be alone.
Help me make it through the night.

I don't care what's right or wrong, (Yes, I do!)
I don't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow.
Lord, tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone and tomorrow's out of sight.
Lord, it's bad to be alone.
Help me make it through the night.

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 we're burning.

Lay your head upon my pillow.
Hold your warm and tender body close to mine.
Hear the whisper of the raindrops,
Blowin' soft against the window,
And make believe you love me one more time,
For the good times.

I'll get along; you'll find another,
And I'll be here if you should find you ever need me.
Don't say a word about tommorrow or forever,
There'll be time enough for sadness when you leave me.

Lay your head upon my pillow.
Hold your warm and tender body close to mine.
Hear the whisper of the raindrops,
Blowin' soft against the window,
And make believe you love me one more time,
For the good times.

Well, I woke up Sunday morning
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 for my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt
And I shaved my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day

I'd smoked my brain the night before
With cigarettes and songs I'd been pickin'
But I lit my first and watched a small kid
Cussin' at a can that he was kicking
Then I crossed the empty street
And caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin' chicken
And it took me back to something that I'd lost
Somehow, somewhere along the way

On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
'Cause there's something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone
And there's nothin' short of dyin'
Half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleeping city sidewalks
Sunday morning coming down

In the park I saw a daddy
With a laughin' little girl who he was swinging
And I stopped beside a Sunday school
And listened to the song that they were singing
Then I headed back for home
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringing
And it echoed through the canyons
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday

On the Sunday morning sidewalk
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned
'Cause there's something in a Sunday
Makes a body feel alone
And there's nothin' short of dyin'
Half as lonesome as the sound
On the sleepin' city sidewalks
Sunday morning coming down

If you're feeling salty, then I'm your tequila
If you've got the freedom I've got the time
There ain't nothing sweeter than naked emotions
So you show me yours, hon, and I'll show you mine

No ma'm I know this ain't all that you've ever been used to
You with your rings on your fingers and time on your hands
Sometimes it's nice to have somebody nice to be close to
God knows I've been there before you and I understand

I wish that I was the answer to all of your questions
God knows I know you wish you were the answer to mine
Darling if you ain't a thing but a change in direction
Lord don't you know you'd be somethin' I'm lucky to find

I wish that I was the answer to all of your questions
God knows I know you wish you were the answer to mine
Darling if you ain't a thing but a change in direction
Lord don't you know you'd be somethin' I'm lucky to find

So you show me yours and I'll show you mine

See him wasted on the sidewalk in his jacket and his jeans,
Wearin' yesterday's misfortunes like a smile
Once he had a future full of money, love, and dreams,
Which he spent like they was goin' outta style
And he keeps right on a'changin' for the better or the worse,
Searchin' for a shrine he's never found
Never knowin' if believin' is a blessin' or a curse,
Or if the goin' up was worth the comin' down

He's a poet, he's a picker
He's a prophet, he's a pusher
He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned
He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.

He has tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bars,
And he's traded in tomorrow for today
Runnin' from his devils, lord, and reachin' for the stars,
And losin' all he's loved along the way
But if this world keeps right on turnin' for the better or the worse,
And all he ever gets is older and around
>from the rockin' of the cradle to the rollin' of the hearse,
The goin' up was worth the comin' down

He's a poet, he's a picker
He's a prophet, he's a pusher
He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned
He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
There's a lotta wrong directions on that lonely way back home.

Maybe she was smilin' in the mirror
Maybe I was too, 'cause I was stoned
Singin' every sad song on the juke-box one more time
Honey, they were hittin' close to home

And I said - Maybe this'll make you think I'm crazy
Honey, don't feel lonesome if you do
But if you wanna make a young man happy one more time
I'd sure like to spend the night with you

[Chorus:]
And she said - Stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin' believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you

Maybe you got all you got together
Maybe you keep rollin' like a stone
Maybe some old lonesome song'll take you by surprise
And leave you just a little more alone

[Chorus:]
Singing - Stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin' believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you

[Chorus:]
Keep Singing - Stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin' believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you

I said I got a life of my own I've got a life of my own
I said don't try to make me a part of no plan take me or leave me alone
Freedom's a feeling that few understand I got a life of my own
I said I oughta know where to sow my own seeds and when I oughta leave it alone
Trouble's an old friend that I didn't need then and I had a wife of my own
I said I got a life of my own oh I've got a life of my own
I caught a beer bottle flat in the face it laid me back to the bone
Hate is a flavor that's ugly to taste I had a knife of my own
Now they leave me alone and alive by myself lost in the steel and the stone
Hoping for heaven and headin' for hell I got a life of my own
I said I got a life of my own I got a life of my own
I got a life of my own I got a life of my own

Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I've known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving You
Or the kindness You've shown

Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it
So help me Jesus, I know what I am
Now that I know that I've needed you
So Help me Jesus, my soul's in Your hand

Tell me Lord, if you think there's a way
I can try to repay
All I've taken from You
Maybe Lord, I can show someone else
What I've been through myself
On my way back to You

Lord, help me Jesus, I've wasted it
So Help me Jesus, I know what I am
Now that I know that I've needed you
So help me Jesus, my soul's in Your hand

Lord, help me Jesus, I've wasted it
So Help me Jesus, I know what I am
Now that I know that I've needed you
So help me Jesus, my soul's in Your hand

Jesus, my soul's in Your hand

If a cheated man's a loser
And a cheater never wins
And if beggars can't be choosers
'Til they're weak and wealthy men

And the old keep gettin' older
And the young must do the same
And it's never gettin' better
Who's to bless, and who's to blame

[Chorus:]
All the cards are on the table
You done laid your money down
Don't complain about your chances, boy
It's the only game in town

And the meaning doesn't matter
Nor the way you play the game
To the winner or the loser
Who's to bless, and who's to blame

[Chorus:]
Keep your hands above the table
And your back against the wall
Toss your chips in with your chances, boy
Let 'em lay the way they fall

'Cause the moral doesn't matter
Broken rules are all the same
To the broken or the breaker
Who's to bless, and who's to blame