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
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
Help me make it through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
For tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
I don't want to be alone
Help me make it through the night
Kris Kristofferson's song "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is about a lonely person seeking comfort and companionship from another person. The singer is calling out to someone to come and lay down with them until morning, and they plead for help to make it through the night. The singer is not concerned with who is right or wrong in the situation, nor do they try to understand it. Instead, they ask for a friend, someone to help them forget the loneliness and confusion of life.
The lines "Yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrow's out of sight" and "let the devil take tomorrow" suggest that the singer is living in the present moment and is not worried about the past or future. The person wants to live in the moment and forget their troubles, even if it is only for one night. The singer's voice conveys the raw emotion of desperation, and the lyrics reflect a genuine plea from the heart.
The song has become an iconic staple of country music and has been covered by many famous artists, including Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Willie Nelson. It speaks to the human need for companionship, comfort, and escape. The simplicity of the lyrics draws the listener in and creates an emotional connection that is both raw and powerful.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Shake the ribbon out and let it fall down
Layin' soft upon my skin
The ribbon is now resting delicately on my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Similar to the shadows appearing on the surface of the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Join me and lay near me
Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until the morning light arrives
All I'm takin' is your time
All I'm asking for is your presence and time
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in enduring the long and lonely night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I am not concerned with who is correct or incorrect
I don't try to understand
I'm not making an effort to comprehend the situation
Let the devil take tomorrow
Leave future problems to the evil forces
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Because, at the moment, I need a companion
Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is over and done with
And tomorrow's out of sight
The future is too far away to be seen
And it's sad to be alone
It makes one feel lonely and desolate to be isolated
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in enduring the long and lonely night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I am not concerned with who is correct or incorrect
I don't try to understand
I'm not making an effort to comprehend the situation
Let the devil take tomorrow
Leave future problems to the evil forces
For tonight I need a friend
Because, at the moment, I need a companion
Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is over and done with
And tomorrow's out of sight
The future is too far away to be seen
And it's sad to be alone
It makes one feel lonely and desolate to be isolated
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in enduring the long and lonely night
I don't want to be alone
I don't wish to be by myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tongnampaek
Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
Help me make it through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
.
.
.
.
@tomennis7414
Im a recovering alcoholic,been sober the past nine years,and this song help me through many a night..God bless❤
@plasteredbastard
Doesn't matter what corner of popular music you get an opinion on KKs songwriting brilliance, you hear it the same way, he's one of a kind and the lyrics have their own soul to them.
@walterprill5280
Ft
@tongnampaek
Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
Help me make it through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
.
.
.
.
@mattmorris1057
Startin’ to run out, fuckin’ Santa Jesus God
@mariebaldwin2858
❤
@anytimejj
Kris's Help Me Make It Through The Night is a legendary song to me because I started learning American pop songs with this one when I was at the age of 13 in Korea and I currently enjoy playing the melody on my ukulele.
@kindkidbk
This is amazing!
@user-vv1ep1qu1w
The voice of Kris Kristofferson is fascinating. For a long time I am a huge fan of him.^L^
@wynlewis5357
I'm unable to understand why he only had one number 1 song while many other top country artist had 20 - 30 + and even a couple over 40. In my opinion Kris is unsurpassed.