About the song
“Me and Bobby McGee” is a classic American song with a storied history that highlights its remarkable impact on the music world. Written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, the song was first recorded by Roger Miller and has since become a beloved piece of musical history.
The song’s origins trace back to a suggestion by Fred Foster to Kris Kristofferson, who named the character in the song after a studio secretary, Barbara “Bobbie” McKee. However, Kristofferson mistakenly heard her surname and used “McGee” instead. The narrative of “Me and Bobby McGee” reflects a deep sense of despair and longing, inspired by a poignant scene from Federico Fellini’s film *La Strada*.
The song tells the story of two drifters, the narrator and Bobby McGee, who travel across the American South and eventually head west to California. Their journey is marked by a sense of freedom and camaraderie, but it ends with the narrator expressing a profound sense of loss when they part ways.
The song’s first major hit came from Gordon Lightfoot’s version, which topped the Canadian country charts in 1970. However, it was Janis Joplin’s rendition, recorded just days before her untimely death in 1970, that brought “Me and Bobby McGee” to international fame. Joplin’s version soared to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, making it the second posthumous number one single in U.S. chart history, following Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”
The song’s enduring appeal is evident in its numerous recordings by other artists, including Roger Miller, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Kenny Rogers. In 2002, Janis Joplin’s version was honored with induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame, cementing its place in music history. The song’s simple yet profound narrative, combined with its soulful performances, continues to resonate with audiences across generations.
Video
Lyrics
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin’ for a train
When I’s feelin’ near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way into New Orleans
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I’s playin’ soft while Bobby sang the blues
Windshield wipers slappin’ time, I’s holdin’ Bobby’s hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew
Freedom is just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free, no-no
And feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know feelin’ good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Bobby baby, kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He’s lookin’ for that home, and I hope he finds it
But, I’d trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday
To be holdin’ Bobby’s body next to mine
Freedom is just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’, and that’s all that Bobby left me, yeah
But feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
That feelin’ good was good enough for me, mmm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
La-da-da, la-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da-da-da
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da, Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
La, la-la-la-da-da- Bobby McGee, oh yeah
La-da-da, la-da-da, la, da-da, la, da-da
La-da-da, la-da-da, la-di-da
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, lo-da-da, na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah
Well, I wanna call him my lover, call him my man
I said, I call him my lover, did the best I can, come on
Hey now, Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, oh
Hey-hey-hey, Bobby McGee, Lord