Highwayman (The Highwaymen album) - Wikipedia

About the Song

  • “Me and Bobby McGee” was originally written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, but it gained widespread popularity through Janis Joplin’s rendition in 1971. The Highwaymen, comprising Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, later released their version in 1985, adding their own unique flavor to this timeless ballad.
  • The song narrates the tale of a free-spirited journey, reminiscing on love, loss, and the pursuit of freedom. Its poignant lyrics and soulful melodies have resonated with listeners across generations, making it one of The Highwaymen’s most iconic performances.
  • The Highwaymen, a supergroup formed by four legendary country artists, came together in the mid-1980s, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. Their collaboration on “Me and Bobby McGee” showcases the unparalleled talent and chemistry among these iconic musicians, cementing their place in musical history.

The Highwaymen biography | Last.fm

Video 

Lyrics: Me and Bobby McGee

Busted flat in Baton Rouge headed for the trainsFeelin’ nearly faded as my jeansBobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rainedTook us all the way to New Orleans
I took my har’poon out of my dirty red bandannaI was playin’ sad while Bobby sang the bluesWith them windshield wipers slappin’ timeAnd Bobby clappin’ handsWe finally sang up ever song that driver knew
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to loseNothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s freeFeeling good was easy Lord when Bobby sang the bluesFeeling it was good enough for meGood enough for me and Bobby McGee
From the coal mines of Kentucky to the California sunBobby shared the secrets of my soulStandin’ right beside me Lord through everything I doneEvery night she’d keep me from the cold
Somewhere near Salinas Lord Bobby slipped awayLookin’ for the home I hope she’ll findI’d trade all of my tomorrows for just one yesterdayHolding her body close to mine
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to loseNothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s freeFeeling good was easy Lord, when Bobby sang the bluesFeeling it was good enough for meGood enough for me and Bobby McGee

You Missed

MINNIE PEARL WALKED ONSTAGE AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY FOR 50 YEARS WITH A $1.98 PRICE TAG ON HER HAT — AND THEN ONE NIGHT, SHE JUST COULDN’T ANYMORE. Here’s something most people don’t think about with Minnie Pearl. That price tag hanging off her straw hat? It wasn’t random. Sarah Cannon — that was her real name — created it as a joke about a country girl too proud of her new hat to take the tag off. And audiences loved it so much that it became the most recognizable prop in country music history. For over fifty years, that tag meant Minnie was here, and everything was going to be fun. So imagine what it felt like when she couldn’t put the hat on anymore. In June 1991, Sarah had a massive stroke. She was 79. And just like that, the woman who hadn’t missed an Opry show in decades was gone from the stage. But here’s what gets me. She didn’t die in 1991. She lived another five years after that stroke, mostly out of the public eye, unable to perform, unable to be “Minnie” the way she’d always been. Her husband Henry Cannon took care of her at their Nashville home. Friends visited, but they said it was hard. The woman who made millions of people laugh couldn’t get through a full conversation some days. Roy Acuff, her old friend from the Opry, kept her dressing room exactly the way she left it. Nobody used it. The hat sat there. She passed on March 4, 1996. And what most people remember is the comedy. The “HOW-DEEE” catchphrase. The big goofy grin. What they don’t remember is that Sarah Cannon was also a serious fundraiser for cancer research. Centennial Medical Center in Nashville named their cancer center after her — not after Minnie, after Sarah. She raised millions and rarely talked about it publicly. There’s a story about the very last time Sarah tried to put on the hat at home, months after the stroke, and what her husband said to her in that moment — it’s the kind of detail that makes you see fifty years of comedy completely differently. Roy Acuff kept Minnie Pearl’s dressing room untouched for years after she left — was that loyalty to a friend, or was he holding a door open for someone he knew was never coming back?