Josie
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
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Even though i didn't know it at the time
And i followed her from texas 'til she found me undone
Just a jump ahead of what i left behind.
She was proud of her young body as a body could be
On her way to be a woman of the world
And I still can see her smiling as she gave it to me
Lookin' like a lonesome little girl.
Josie, is it true that you've grown harder than your years
Sellin' them your sadness on the street
How much did you lose between the laughter and the tears
Gettin' back the bitter for the sweet
Well, she loved me back to livin' at a time i was lost
With the closest thing to love i've ever known
And she led me through some bridges i was burnin' to cross
Then she went and burned some bridges of her own.
Now the road's a little colder every time that i leave
For another empty place i've never been
And i don't suppose it's likely that she's lookin' for me
But someday i may just chase her down again.
Josie, is it true that you've grown harder than your years
Sellin' them your sadness on the street
How much did you lose between the laughter and the tears
Gettin' back the bitter for the sweet
The lyrics of Kris Kristofferson's song Josie depict the story of the singer's pursuit of a woman named Josie. He had been chasing after her since he was young and followed her from Texas until he found himself undone. At that time, she was proud of her young body and on her way to becoming a woman of the world. The singer remembers her fondly as she gave herself to him looking like a lonesome little girl.
In the second verse, we find out that the singer is wondering if the Josie he knew has changed. He questions if she has grown harder than her years and if she is selling her sadness on the street. The line "how much did you lose between the laughter and the tears, gettin' back the bitter for the sweet" implies that she has gone through difficulties and has had to pay a price for the good times she experienced.
In the final verse, the singer describes how Josie helped him come back to life when he was lost, and she led him through some bridges he was burning to cross. However, in the end, she burnt some bridges of her own. The song ends with him noting that though the road has grown colder every time he leaves for another empty place he's never been to, he may seek to chase her down again someday.
Overall, the lyrics of the song Josie feel like a reminiscence of a former lover who the singer is still curious about. He seems to be ruminating on his past with her and what may have become of her in the present.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been chasing after josie since the day i could run
I have been pursuing Josie for as long as I could remember and I couldn't help but to run after her.
Even though i didn't know it at the time
Although unaware of it, I have always been in pursuit of Josie for reasons that elude me.
And i followed her from texas 'til she found me undone
I pursued Josie from Texas to the point where I could no longer carry on.
Just a jump ahead of what i left behind.
I was running after Josie to escape my past and the things I left behind are in my rearview mirror.
She was proud of her young body as a body could be
Josie was confident and proud of her youthful body like none other.
On her way to be a woman of the world
She was on a path to gain worldly experience as she geared up to become an adult.
And I still can see her smiling as she gave it to me
I can still vividly recall Josie's smile when she gave herself to me, looking like a lonely little girl.
Lookin' like a lonesome little girl.
Despite her confident appearance, Josie had a lonely air about her.
Josie, is it true that you've grown harder than your years
I wonder if Josie has become tough beyond her age.
Sellin' them your sadness on the street
I have heard that she sells her sorrows to others on the street.
How much did you lose between the laughter and the tears
I am curious to know how much of herself Josie has lost in the balance between joy and grief.
Gettin' back the bitter for the sweet
Josie is trying to restore balance by trading in her sorrow for compensation.
Well, she loved me back to livin' at a time i was lost
During a dark time in my life, Josie's love was instrumental in helping me start living again.
With the closest thing to love i've ever known
Josie gave me the most love I have ever felt.
And she led me through some bridges i was burnin' to cross
Josie helped me through some difficult times when I was making choices that could have led me down a dark path.
Then she went and burned some bridges of her own.
Josie, too, has burned bridges in her own life that she cannot look back on.
Now the road's a little colder every time that i leave
Every time I leave a place, it feels colder and lonelier than before.
For another empty place i've never been
I leave for more places that end up being as empty as the previous one.
And i don't suppose it's likely that she's lookin' for me
I don't think Josie is searching for me, and it is unlikely that we will cross paths again.
But someday i may just chase her down again.
Despite the odds, I still hold hope that I may be able to track down Josie again.
Josie, is it true that you've grown harder than your years
I still wonder if Josie has become harder than her age would imply.
Sellin' them your sadness on the street
It is said that she sells her sorrows to the world.
How much did you lose between the laughter and the tears
I am curious about how much Josie has had to sacrifice along the way.
Gettin' back the bitter for the sweet
Josie is trying to convert her sadness to some form of satisfaction.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind