In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in forming the country music supergroup The Highwaymen, and formed a key creative force in the outlaw country music movement that eschewed the Nashville music machine in favor of independent songwriting and producing. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. As an actor, he is known for his roles in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976) (which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980) and Blade (1998).
Kristofferson has said that he would like the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone:
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Castaways
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spied a little fishing vessel drifting aimlessly
Her sails were torn and tattered
And her wheel was spinning free
I told myself that little boat sure looks a lot like me
[Chorus]
‘Cause like a ship without a rudder
And each day I’m drawing closer to the brink
Just a speck upon the waters
Of an ocean deep and wide
I won’t even make a ripple when I sink
As I pulled along beside her and I climbed upon her deck
In the silence I could feel the hair a rising on my neck
I thought as I walked through the empty quarters down below
That lost abandoned vessel was the sister of my soul
In the emptiness my footsteps were like echoes in a cave
That seemed to say there ain’t no way to leave this floating grave
And when I scrambled to the deck my ship had vanished like a dream
Leaving nothing but the lonely waves to hear my silent scream
[Chorus]
In Kris Kristofferson's song "Castaways," he sings about coming across a fishing vessel while sailing in the Caribbean Sea. The boat was drifting aimlessly, with torn sails and a spinning wheel, much like Kristofferson felt about his own life. He compares himself to the ship without a rudder, just drifting with the tide, and each day being closer to the brink. He recognizes that he is just a speck upon the waters of an ocean deep and wide, and that he won't even make a ripple when he sinks.
As Kristofferson pulls along beside the boat and climbs upon her deck, he feels the hair rising on his neck in the silence. He realizes that the lost and abandoned vessel is the sister of his soul. In the emptiness of the quarters down below, his footsteps echo, reminding him that there is no way to leave this floating grave. When he scrambles to the deck, his own ship has vanished like a dream, leaving only the lonely waves to hear his silent scream.
The song tells a powerful story about the feeling of being lost and adrift in life, just like the fishing vessel on the sea. It highlights the idea that we are all just travelers in this world, and that our journey may at times feel aimless and hopeless. The imagery of the boat and the sea creates a haunting and evocative picture of the human condition, and the chorus's repetition emphasizes the loneliness and despair that can come with feeling unanchored in life.
Line by Line Meaning
One day as I was sailing on the Caribbean Sea
The singer narrates sailing on the Caribbean Sea on one occasion.
I spied a little fishing vessel drifting aimlessly
The singer observed a small fishing vessel floating around without aim.
Her sails were torn and tattered
The sails on the boat were damaged and falling apart.
And her wheel was spinning free
The wheel on the boat was spinning without control.
I told myself that little boat sure looks a lot like me
The artist compared the distressed state of the fishing vessel to their own life.
‘Cause like a ship without a rudder
The singer compares themselves to a ship without a rudder.
I’m just drifting with the tide
The singer uses an analogy to explain their aimless wandering in life.
And each day I’m drawing closer to the brink
The artist feels like they are getting closer to their breaking point each day.
Just a speck upon the waters
The artist feels small and insignificant like a speck while floating on the ocean.
Of an ocean deep and wide
The artist emphasizes that the ocean is vast and profound.
I won’t even make a ripple when I sink
The singer feels like they will not have an impact on anyone or anything once they fail.
As I pulled along beside her and I climbed upon her deck
The artist pulls up alongside the boat they were observing and climbs aboard.
In the silence I could feel the hair a rising on my neck
The singer feels uncomfortable and uneasy in the silence.
I thought as I walked through the empty quarters down below
The singer internalizes their feelings as they examine the empty interior of the fishing vessel.
That lost abandoned vessel was the sister of my soul
The singer sees similarities between themselves and the abandoned boat they are exploring.
In the emptiness my footsteps were like echoes in a cave
The emptiness of the boat echoes back the sound of the artist's footsteps.
That seemed to say there ain’t no way to leave this floating grave
The artist feels trapped in their aimless life and feels like there is no escape.
And when I scrambled to the deck my ship had vanished like a dream
The singer, upon returning to their own ship, realizes their struggle is all too real and their life is slipping away like a dream.
Leaving nothing but the lonely waves to hear my silent scream
The singer is alone in their struggle and feels like there is no one to hear their cries for help.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats the central theme of the song: the artist feels lost and without purpose in their life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind