Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are the songs "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night", all of which were hits for other artists. Kristofferson composed his own songs and collaborated with Nashville songwriters such as Shel Silverstein.
In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
-- comp. K. Kristofferson, 1971 ("transcr./arr." tcg) --4/4 // Keys of G, A // Moderately --rhythm guitar: alternate bass (see Intro; ^ = downstrum; v = "upstrum")
INTRO: G ^ v G6 ^ v ||-----3--3---------3--3----|| ||-----0--0---------0--0----|| ||o----0--0---------0--0---o|| ||o----0--0---0h2---2--0---o|| ||--------------------------|| ||--3-----------------------||
INTRO Recitation (over riff above): "I started out writin' this song about . . . [insert own music gods!]"
[Notes: * each chord name below = one entire "bum-chicky-bum-chicky"; * (...sus4) = add sus4 to 2nd half of measure) * letters in < > are bass notes than can optionally be incorporated into guitar accompaniment]
VERSE 1: [add sus4 to 2nd half of G measures at will]
GGGG See him wasted on the sidewalk in his jacket and his jeans, CCGG Wearin' yesterday's misfortunes like a smile-- CCGEm Once he had a future full of money, love, and dreams, A7A7D (...sus4) D Which he spent like they was goin' outa style-- GGGG And he keeps right on a'changin' for the better or the worse, CDGG Searchin' for a shrine he's never found-- CCGG Never knowin' if believin' is a blessin' or a curse, CDGG Or if the goin' up was worth the comin' down--
CHORUS: CC He's a poet, he's a picker-- GG He's a prophet, he's a pusher-- DDDG He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned-- CCGG He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction, DDDGG Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
[modulate whole-step up:] A (...sus4) A (...sus4)
VERSE 2: [add sus4 to 2nd half of A measures at will]
AAAA He has tasted good and evil in your bedrooms and your bars, DDAA And he's traded in tomorrow for today-- DDAF#m Runnin' from his devils, Lord, and reachin' for the stars, B7B7EE And losin' all he's loved along the way-- AAAA But if this world keeps right on turnin' for the better or the worse, DEAA And all he ever gets is older and around-- DDAA From the rockin' of the cradle to the rollin' of the hearse, D(or Bm) EAA The goin' up was worth the comin' down--
CHORUS DD He's a poet, he's a picker-- AA He's a prophet, he's a pusher-- EEEA He's a pilgrim and a preacher, and a problem when he's stoned-- DDAA He's a walkin' contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction, EEEAA / G#F# Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
EEE [A:coda riff] There's a lotta wrong directions on that lonely way back home.