You will notice, however, upon close listening, the changes in the lyrics. One thing that is different about the Roger Miller version is that you can more easily understand the lyrics, and thus the story of the song. Kristofferson himself taught Joplin the song, even tweaking some of the lyrics, but he wasn’t even aware that she had recorded the song until he heard it on the radio after she had already passed away. He won numerous Grammy awards and was also an actor in movies and television.īy the way, Kenny Rogers & First Edition released their version of the song later the same year.ĭespite Roger Miller’s huge success, Joplin’s version of Me and Bobby McGee has completely overshadowed his and all other versions of the song. He is known for such hits as King of the Road, Dang Me, England Swings, Husbands and Wives, and many others. During the 1960s, Miller was no stranger to top ten hits on the country charts, adult contemporary charts, and pop charts. There was nothing pop about it though, and it did not make its way into the pop charts. It was a fairly big hit on the Billboard Country chart, going to no. Roger Miller released his version, the first recording of the song, in 1969. But, the first to record Me and Bobby McGee was Roger Miller. In fact, he may well be one the greatest songwriters of all time. Remember, he is a songwriter who has often written songs for other folks. I lift Kristofferson out of the list above, but he has, of course, recorded the song and performed it on numerous occasions. You can too if you scroll down to where we’ve placed the clip below.It was written by Kris Kristofferson, and Fred Foster (head of Monument Records). Man, we wish we could have been in the audience to see this!Īt least we have a video from the performance so we can enjoy it whenever we want. Cash took over on the second verse, and Kristofferson eventually joined in with him in a little duet.īy the time they reached the chorus again, Nelson reemerged and joined his friends to finish out the song. Nelson suddenly appeared once they hit the chorus, and all three of them joined in and started singing at once. Cash and Kristofferson started off as the only ones on stage, with Cash playing guitar for Kristofferson while he sang the song he wrote years before. The three country icons gathered together to sing the song on a television show in 1985. But we’re here to remind you of that with one excellent performance of the song, courtesy of Cash, Nelson, and Kristofferson. Since Joplin’s rendition is so well-known, many tend to forget that “Me and Bobby McGee” started off as a country song. Her recording topped the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached number one on the chart in Australia. Other country artists also tried out the tune, including Kenny Rogers and Kristofferson himself.īut no recording of “Me and Bobby McGee” is more popular than Janis Joplin’s version, which was released posthumously following her death on October 4, 1970. One of the most influential songs to come from any of the three artists is “Me and Bobby McGee.” Co-written by Kristofferson and Fred Foster, “Me and Bobby McGee” is an essential part of music history as a whole.Ĭountry artist Roger Miller was the first to record “Me and Bobby McGee,” and he took it all the way to the 12th spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Cash, Nelson, and Kristofferson are all regarded as legends, and their music continues to influence artists both young and old. When it comes to country music it really doesn’t get any bigger than those three names right there. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson.
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