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
El Gavilan
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta break your own chains
The dreams that posses you
May blossom an bless you
Or run you insane.
The moment is yours now
To lay on the line
Tomorrow won't mind.
Lay down your sadness
Show me your sign
Let me feel your spirit
Running with mine
I don't deserve you
I'm just a man (alt.: I'm only human)
But I swear I love you
Just as hard as I can.
Storm on the Mountain
Stars in the sky
Running for glory
Freedom to fly.
Will you remember
Way down the road
Somebody loves you
More than you know.
The lyrics to Kris Kristofferson And The Borderlords's song El Gavilan are about self-discovery and pursuing one's dreams and passions. The line "gotta make your own rules child, gotta break your own chains" encourages the listener to forge their own path in life, to not be constrained by societal norms and expectations, and to take risks in order to achieve their goals. The following lines acknowledge that following one's dreams can be both rewarding and challenging, as they can "blossom and bless you" or "run you insane".
The chorus urges the listener to live in the present moment and to let go of any past regrets or future anxieties. The singer invites the listener to share their innermost feelings and to let their spirit run free alongside his. He acknowledges his own imperfections as a human being, but declares his love for the listener and promises to give it his all. The final verse speaks of the pursuit of true freedom, with a storm on the mountain and stars in the sky representing the obstacles and the aspirations that the listener may encounter on their journey. The song concludes with the reminder of a love that will endure over time.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotta make your own rules child
You need to establish your own personal guidelines and principles.
Gotta break your own chains
It's essential to free oneself from any constraints or limitations.
The dreams that posses you
Your aspirations and desires that take a hold of you.
May blossom an bless you
Your hopes and aspirations can lead to positive outcomes.
Or run you insane.
It's also possible that your ambitions can drive you to madness.
The moment is yours now
The present is yours to seize and make the most of.
To lay on the line
To put yourself and all that you have at stake.
The past just don't matters
The past is irrelevant in the face of the present moment.
Tomorrow won't mind.
The future is yet to come and won't judge you for what you do in the present.
Lay down your sadness
Let go of any sorrow and distress.
Show me your sign
Expose who you truly are and what you stand for.
Let me feel your spirit
Allow me to sense your vitality and energy.
Running with mine
Our spirits and souls are in sync and in harmony.
I don't deserve you
I am not worthy or entitled to your love and affection.
I'm just a man (alt.: I'm only human)
I am flawed and imperfect, subject to making mistakes and poor judgments.
But I swear I love you
Regardless, I am committed to my love for you.
Just as hard as I can.
I love you with all my might and ability.
Storm on the Mountain
A formidable and intense obstacle in one's path.
Stars in the sky
Celestial bodies that indicate hope, ambition, and aspiration.
Running for glory
Pursuing success through outstanding achievements.
Freedom to fly.
The ability to be unbound and unrestricted.
Will you remember
Will you recall or reminisce about what has occurred.
Way down the road
Further ahead in the future, long after the current moment has passed.
Somebody loves you
There is someone who cares for you and is devoted to you.
More than you know.
Their love and affection for you is deeper and more profound than you realize.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@judithstevens1591
Still. Always, and forever. Thank you, Kris Kristofferson. And yep, Sir you did it again. Thank you... God Bless.
@simonedevlin7710
Such a beautiful love song you wrote my dear friend. I was so blessed to have your friendship when I was just sixteen.The decades have passed and I have seen how you grew into such a legendary character singer/songwriter. Little did I know that I would be in the company of a Rhodes scholar. Keep being that incredible soul who shared his journey so humbly, always extremely appreciative of the little kind deeds. Blessings to you and your beloved family. Stay safe and well my caring mentor.
@user-fv9fv7qk4c
1969 I first heard Kris sing & that was through my late Brother. Thankyou Bro.. Love all his music thanks Kris this is one great song.
@loishill9064
JUST SENT ONE BUT IT NEVER POSTED.THIS MAN
& HIS BEAUTIFUL VOICE IS THE BEST OF ALL. SAW HIS
CONCERTS IN CHARLOTTE NC. WILL ALWAYS A FAN WHEN MY CELEBRATION OF
LIFE IS HELD.KRIS WILL BE SINGING.84 AND A FAN FOR- EVER. LOIS HILLN.C.🎸❤🏹❤
@bloggerme2413
Beautiful - Thank you for your constant love & care in presenting & preserving this body of work.
@julieadam7425
Awesome song!❤ Love the lyrics!!🎵❤️
@lindagal6027
Totally agree with what you say about the two movies. First heard this beautiful song in 'Trouble in Mind' - which I also enjoyed - as you say, interesting. The box of my dvd quotes Roger Ebert as saying this movie "isn't a comedy, but it knows that it is funny". I'd go with that - I found myself laughing out loud even while I was cringing. Kris, of course, was wonderful. I also agree that this song goes wonderfully well with the storyline of "Welcome Home" and your choice of scenes from it. I recently played this song to a student who is about to go off to college and was expressing doubts about his abilities. He left a lot more confident. I regularly use KK songs to illustrate poetic techniques. Because the students find the content and the meaning accessible - and love the music too, they learn more easily to identify technique. Kristofferson as a teaching aid! Well done and huge thanks again for your work.
@biggestkkfan1506
+lindagal Glad you like it and thank you for your comment.
Great you use his songs as a teaching aid... Some people get to him just by themselves, some need a helping hand :-)
This was my second videoclip I've ever edited to his songs... I loved this movie so much I wanted to make a video with scenes from it. Was glad to find a good match with this song :-) Still remember how long it took me to find all the tools I needed and especially to convert it to the size I wanted it to have... That was in January 2009. My first one was Lover please... Before that I had only uploaded some performances from the Nassau concert, because the ones that were on YT weren't of good picture quality, and those from the Breakthrough DVD. But then my sis asked me to upload Lover please, and I didn't want to upload a video with just a pic to the song...
@51488142
i watch this movie last night and i have seen it many times, i cry every time i see it.<3 i have seen Toruble in mind to many times ,and i love it.<3
@biggestkkfan1506
Yes Anita, great movie and really touching.