The Janis Joplin Song That “Changed Everything” for Kris Kristofferson: “From Then On, It Was All a Big Blur”

When one thinks of “Me And Bobby McGee”, one thinks of the incomparable Janis Joplin. The iconic vocalist who defined the 1960s didn’t get to see all the love she got from her version of the song. It was recorded before she died and released posthumously in 1971, and it would go on to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year. However, some may not know that the song is not a Janis Joplin original; rather, it was written by Kris Kristofferson.

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And according to Kristofferson himself, Joplin’s version of his tune is the reason he had such a successful career.

If you weren’t aware that “Me And Bobby McGee” wasn’t actually Joplin’s song, you’re not alone. The way she belts every word of the tune makes it seem like she penned every syllable. She just had that kind of power with her voice. According to Kristofferson, he didn’t even know that the iconic singer had recorded a version of the song before she died.

“Me and Bobby McGee”, Popularized by Janis Joplin, “Changed Everything” for Kris Kristofferson’s Career in Both Music and Film

Back in 2016, Kris Kristofferson sat down with Uncut to talk about his career. He very openly admitted that Janis Joplin was the reason he even had a decent career at all.

“Janis [Joplin] having a hit with ‘Me And Bobby McGee’ changed everything,” Kristofferson said. “I think it probably got me in the movies, too, because Dennis Hopper loved that song so much, and he cast me in ‘The Last Movie’. Everything just seemed to fall into place. From then on, it was all a big blur. The only problem I had was whether my band were going to show up for work or not!”

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“Me And Bobby McGee” is a truly gorgeous tune that has aged well. However, Kristofferson admitted that he couldn’t listen to the song when it first blew up. That’s certainly understandable, considering that it coincided with Joplin’s tragic death from an overdose in late 1970.

Instead, he opted to write the song “Epitaph (Black And Blue)” in 1971 as his way of memorializing the woman whom he credits with giving him a career. The lyrics “Just say she was someone / Lord, so far from home / Whose life was so lonesome / She died all alone” are a real punch to the gut, considering the context.