Janis Joplin (born 19 January 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas, United States, di… Read Full Bio ↴Janis Joplin (born 19 January 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas, United States, died 4 October 1970 in Los Angeles, California) was an American singer, songwriter, composer and painter. Originally the lead singer for the blues rock band Big Brother & The Holding Company, Joplin left the band in late 1968 for a solo career. She released two solo albums, I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (1969) and Pearl (1971), the latter released after her death. During her solo career, she was backed by the Kozmic Blues Band and later, the Full Tilt Boogie Band. Her version of the Kris Kristofferson song "Me and Bobby McGee" reached #1 in the United States on March 20, 1971.

I Know You Rider
Janis Joplin Lyrics

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I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
You're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin',
I said runnin' in your arms.

Don't the moon look lonesome

When it's shinin' down through the trees.
Don't the moon look lonesome
When it's shinin' down through the trees.
Don't my, don't my man looks fine
When he comes runnin', runnin' after me.

I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone, honey when I'm gone.
Say now, I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
You're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin',
I said runnin' in your arms!

I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
I know you rider
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Yeah, you're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin',
Oh, I said runnin' in your arms!

And I know my baby
Says he's bound to love me so, love me so.
Said I, I know my baby
And he's bound to love me so.
You know he'll close his arms around me
Like a circle, he thinks I'll understand.

I know you rider
Said you're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

Overall Meaning

Janis Joplin's I Know You Rider is a traditional American folk song with unknown authorship. It is a song about a woman who is leaving her lover, and she tells him that he is going to miss her when she's gone. The song is written in the first person and the woman addresses her lover throughout the song. She expresses her confidence that her lover will miss her when she's gone and reminisces about their times together. The woman also comments on the loneliness of the moon and how her man looks fine when he comes running after her. She acknowledges that her man loves her and will miss her, but she also recognizes the power she has over him.

The chorus of "I Know You Rider" is simple and catchy with the repetition of "You're gonna miss me when I'm gone." It adds a sense of foreboding to the song, made all the more poignant by Joplin's emotional delivery. The song is a classic example of the themes found in traditional folk music, specifically that of love and loss. The roots of the song can be traced back to the 1920s, and it has been recorded by many artists, including the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, and Hot Tuna.

Line by Line Meaning

I know you rider
I understand you, my lover

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
You will feel my absence and regret it when I leave

You're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin', I said runnin' in your arms.
You will miss hugging and holding me close

Don't the moon look lonesome When it's shinin' down through the trees.
The moon appears lonely when it serves as the only source of light on a dark night

Don't my, don't my man looks fine When he comes runnin', runnin' after me.
My lover looks perfect when he runs towards me

Say now, I know you rider
I tell you, my lover

Yeah, you're gonna miss your lovin' baby runnin', Oh, I said runnin' in your arms!
You will feel the absence of holding me tightly

And I know my baby Says he's bound to love me so, love me so.
My lover tells me he is devoted to me

You know he'll close his arms around me Like a circle, he thinks I'll understand.
He will hold me like a circle, and he thinks I will comprehend his love

Said I, I know my baby And he's bound to love me so.
I am aware that my lover is devoted to me

I know you rider Said you're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
I understand that you will feel the absence of me when I'm gone

Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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