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
Killing Time
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lookin' tired, gettin' cold
And that signal light they're waiting for, don't ever seem to chang
Killing time, ain't it slow.
Watch them bending with the burden of the pennies that they save
Marking time, growin' old
Slowly marching by the numbers to the freedom of the grave
Killing time, ain't it slow
And their good times ain't no better than their bad
'Cause they think they need a signal light to tell them they can go
Killing time, ain't it sad.
Don't feel sorry for those people who keep standing in the rain
They don't mind, they don't know
'Cause it never crossed their minds they got a reason to complain
Killing time, ain't it slow.
They're not haunted by the visions that they never dared to see
And they'll never miss the dreams they've never had
They're condemned to go on living in a penitentiary
For killing time, ain't it sad.
In Kris Kristofferson's song Killing Time, a bleak picture is painted of people waiting in the rain for a signal light that never seems to turn green. The people are tired and cold, burdened with the pennies they save, and slowly marching towards their inevitable fate - the freedom of the grave. Kristofferson highlights the monotony of their existence and the sense of hopelessness that comes with it - this is the closest thing to living that they'll ever know, and their good times aren't much better than their bad. The irony is that they don't even realize they have reason to complain, as they've never dared to dream or aspire for more in life.
The song is a poignant commentary on the human condition and the ways in which we can become trapped in our own lives. Kristofferson's lyrics capture the resignation of those who have given up on their dreams and accepted their fate. The repetition of the phrase "killing time" is a reminder that time is a precious resource, and spending it waiting for something that may never come is a form of slow death.
Overall, Killing Time is a powerful song that forces listeners to confront the harsh realities of life. It speaks to the innate human desire for something more, and the ways in which we can become trapped in our own lives if we're not careful.
Line by Line Meaning
See that long line of people who keep standing in the rain
There is a line of people standing in the rain.
Lookin' tired, gettin' cold
The people in the line are becoming tired and cold.
And that signal light they're waiting for, don't ever seem to change
The traffic light that they are waiting for never changes.
Killing time, ain't it slow.
Waiting feels like time is being slowly wasted.
Watch them bending with the burden of the pennies that they save
The people in the line are struggling to save money.
Marking time, growin' old
The experience is slow and boring.
Slowly marching by the numbers to the freedom of the grave
They are marching to the end of their lives, which can be associated with “freedom of the grave”.
Killing time, ain't it slow
Waiting feels like time is being slowly wasted.
That's the closest thing to living that they're ever gonna know
The waiting in line is the most interesting part of their lives.
And their good times ain't no better than their bad
Regardless of whether they are having a good time or a bad time, it feels the same to them.
'Cause they think they need a signal light to tell them they can go
The people in the line are waiting for the signal light to move because they think they need it.
Killing time, ain't it sad.
Waiting feels like time is being wasted.
Don't feel sorry for those people who keep standing in the rain
There's no need to pity the people waiting in line.
They don't mind, they don't know
The people in the line don't mind waiting and don't realize they have any other option.
Cause it never crossed their minds they got a reason to complain
They do not think to complain about waiting in line.
Killing time, ain't it slow.
Waiting feels like time is being slowly wasted.
They're not haunted by the visions that they never dared to see
They are not tormented by things they never dared to do.
And they'll never miss the dreams they've never had
They will never yearn for things they never dreamed of.
They're condemned to go on living in a penitentiary
They are trapped in a prison.
For killing time, ain't it sad.
Waiting feels like time is being wasted.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KRISTOFFER KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind