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 the Blade film trilogy (1998–2004). Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.
Kristofferson died at his home in Maui, Hawaii, on September 28, 2024. He was 88.
Kiss The World Goodbye
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not for nothing I've done.
I owed the devil some debts, boys,
Paid them all up but one.
And I don't even regret the living
That I'll be leaving behind.
I've gotten weary of searching
For something I couldn't find.I'm going down to the shade
By the river one more time,
And feel the breeze on my face before I die.
I'm gonna leave whatever's left of my luck to the losers,
Then bend me down and kiss the world goodbye.
Come to lucky-in-lovin'
I never had no complaints.
They never said I was evil,
But then, I wasn't no saint.
I'm just a river that rolled forever
And never got to the sea.
I ain't blaming nobody;
I had it coming to me.
I'm going down to the shade
By the river one more time,
And feel the breeze on my face before I die.
I'm gonna leave whatever's left
Of my luck to the losers,
Then bend me down, and kiss the world goodbye.
Kris Kristofferson’s “Kiss The World Goodbye” is a song about reflecting on one's life and accepting the end that's near. The lyrics portray a person who has lived a life of indulgence and recklessness, but now, in the face of death, acknowledges the consequences that come with such behavior. The first verse speaks of a life devoid of regret except for one debt to the devil, which is yet to be paid. In the next stanza, the singer talks about his restless search for something elusive that he never found. He is tired of it and willing to make peace with it. The phrase "kiss the world goodbye" is repeated in the chorus, emphasizing the acceptance of one's end and a desire to leave one's mark behind.
The second and third verses talk about the singer's unapologetic yet unremarkable life. He was not a saint, nor was he considered evil. He was just like a river that rolled forever, not being able to get to the sea. These lyrics signify an acceptance of one's limitations and how despite that, one can still lead a fulfilling life. In conclusion, the song shows a deep sense of peace and acceptance towards the inevitability of death.
Line by Line Meaning
I never had no regrets, boys;
I have lived without regrets, my friends;
Not for nothing I've done.
All of my actions have been worth it.
I owed the devil some debts, boys,
I made some mistakes in my life,
Paid them all up but one.
But I've made amends for all except the worst one.
And I don't even regret the living
I don't even regret the time I've spent alive,
That I'll be leaving behind.
Even though I'll soon be gone.
I've gotten weary of searching
I've become tired of looking for something,
For something I couldn't find.
Something that just wasn't there.
I'm going down to the shade
I'm going down to a cool place
By the river one more time,
Next to the calming water's edge one last time,
And feel the breeze on my face before I die.
To experience the wind on my skin before I pass away.
I'm gonna leave whatever's left of my luck to the losers,
I will give my remaining fortune to those less lucky than me,
Then bend me down and kiss the world goodbye.
Before I go, I will bow and say farewell to the world.
Come to lucky-in-lovin'
I have had luck in love,
I never had no complaints.
I have no complaints about my romantic life.
They never said I was evil,
Others have never accused me of being evil,
But then, I wasn't no saint.
But I'm no saint either.
I'm just a river that rolled forever
I am like a river that flowed endlessly,
And never got to the sea.
But never made it to the ocean.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dontgiveashit1
never had no regrets, boys;
Not for nothing I've done.
I owed the devil some debts, boys,
Paid them all up but one.
And I don't even regret the living
That I'll be leaving behind.
I've gotten weary of searching
For something I couldn't find.
I'm going down to the shade
By the river one more time,
And feel the breeze on my face before I die.
I'm gonna leave whatever's left of my luck to the losers,
Then bend me down and kiss the world goodbye.
Come to lucky-in-lovin'
I never had no complaints.
They never said I was evil,
But then, I wasn't no saint.
I'm just a river that rolled forever
And never got to the sea.
I ain't blaming nobody;
I had it coming to me.
I'm going down to the shade
By the river one more time,
And feel the breeze on my face before I die.
I'm gonna leave whatever's left
Of my luck to the losers,
Then bend me down, and kiss the world goodbye.
@michaelrossiter2044
Fantastic song from one of the best ever. Kris and John Prine are my 2 favourite songwriters ever. Seen both individually live would have loved to see both on stage together in concert. Sadly that will not happen now.
@susanquinn8422
Love this song, as I do many of Kris's songs and lyrics. It is particularly meaningful to me now, as I move into my late seventies.
He has been able to write about just what it was I was living in the 70"s through today. Thanks Kris!!!!!
@sharondolbare-qs7vx
Good for you. When you can try to make others know what that time was like for many of us. Kris was a poet at heart ❤
@ManieNieuwoudt
Now your are gone but this song and the rest of your music stays with us. KK was a real star
@ilenearmstrong9480
Kris does a great job singing this song,it's one of my favorites until I hear the next kk song he sings .I am a true fan and have been since the 70,s keep writing and singing those great songs Kris
@xine9997
Favourite till the next one comes along: that's it, exactly!
@ilenearmstrong9480
Kris does a great job singing this song, one of my favorite songs ,until I hear the next one he sings.
@beatriznanotilla9333
A 100% poetry, as usual with KK.🎶
@veraperinova7297
Oh God .. I love his songs so much..
@sylviajh14
Listening to you again Kris. I think you're speaking to me this morning and have me in tears. Thank you for the songs and passion.