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
Maybe You Heard
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Searching for words, too deep, sweet reason and rhyme
Living alone, more and more and he's prone to be lazy
Turning to stone, blasted and blind.
Chorus:
Don't turn away there, hey, goddamn you, he was your brother
Turn on your father, sister, mother, brother
Don't you condemn him, leave it to strangers
You ought to know him, give him a hand, if you can
But at least for jesus christ's sake, understand him.
Maybe you've heard that they say that the lady's been changing
Day after day, more than her mind
Learning to play, where the part has her turning to strangers
Going too far, line after line.
Chorus:
Don't turn away there - hey - goddamn you, you used to love her
Turn on your father, sister, mother, mister
She was your friend.
Don't you condemn her, leave it to strangers
You ought to know her, give her a hand, if you can
But at least for jesus christ's sake, understand her.
The song "Maybe You Heard" by Kris Kristofferson is a plea to not turn away from those in need, even when society may view them as crazy or unpredictable. The lyrics suggest that it is important to try to understand and help those who may have lost their way, rather than simply ignoring or condemning them.
The first verse describes someone who may be struggling with personal issues and withdrawing from society, and the chorus emphasizes the importance of recognizing this person as a friend or loved one, rather than simply a stranger. The second verse describes a woman who may be going down a dangerous path, but the chorus again emphasizes the importance of understanding and helping her, rather than casting her aside.
Overall, the song is a message of compassion and empathy, urging listeners to look beyond surface-level judgments and try to support those who may be struggling. It is a reminder to not give up on each other, and to extend a helping hand when it is needed most.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe you've heard, your ole buddy's gone crazy
Perhaps you've heard that your old friend has lost their mind
Searching for words, too deep, sweet reason and rhyme
Trying to find the right words to express their deep emotions
Living alone, more and more and he's prone to be lazy
Spending more time by themselves and becoming unmotivated
Turning to stone, blasted and blind.
Feeling numb and lost
Don't turn away there, hey, goddamn you, he was your brother
Don't ignore him just because he's struggling, he's still family
Turn on your father, sister, mother, brother
Take care of your loved ones in need
He was your friend.
He was your close companion
Don't you condemn him, leave it to strangers
Don't judge him, let outsiders deal with it
You ought to know him, give him a hand, if you can
You should understand him and offer help if you're able
But at least for jesus christ's sake, understand him.
At the very least, try to empathize with his situation
Maybe you've heard that they say that the lady's been changing
You may have heard that the woman has been going through personal changes
Day after day, more than her mind
Every day she's struggling to keep everything together
Learning to play, where the part has her turning to strangers
She's trying new things and meeting new people to cope
Going too far, line after line.
She's pushing boundaries and taking risks
Don't turn away there - hey - goddamn you, you used to love her
Don't abandon her, you used to care about her
Turn on your father, sister, mother, mister
Take care of your own family and others in need
She was your friend.
She was your dear friend
Don't you condemn her, leave it to strangers
Don't judge her, let someone else handle it
You ought to know her, give her a hand, if you can
You should try to understand her and offer assistance
But at least for jesus christ's sake, understand her.
At least try to empathize with her, for goodness' sake
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dolly Price
Love this!
Elisabeth Klaassen
Wonderful song !!!!!! :-)
Brian Book
My favorite Kristofferson channel. Thanks for posting the lyrics.
biggestkkfan
You're welcome! Glad you like it š Keep watching here
flatroofer
Beautiful.
Sharon Ramsey
Great song.
Veronica Irving
He sang this song when Rita left him for good, because of his philandering ways. He was shameless with his wanton ways. I wish I was one of his paramour š
Bobby Mcgee
I've never heard this before. Thanks.
Kine Fjellheim
After the divorse ...Great Ā :-)
brenda mcdonall
Divorce