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
New Mister Me
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You just looked the other way
The blood within his eye
Was like a curse
He had two heavy pistols
Which were greasied up and ready
And a face like bobby dylan, only worse
And ordered him another of the same
Suddenly the silence of the frozen room was shattered
By a kid who shot before he called his name
He looked up at his killer
>from the floor where he had fallen
Said, "well look what you have gone and done to me."
He said, "son, I think you blew it
But you're truly welcome to it
You can be the new mister me"
Chorus:
"you can be the new mist me, me, me
Ain't it true that's what you want to be, yesiree bob
And I'll be somewhere sunny where it's funny and it's free
And you can be the new mister me."
Well I was there the day they say that bobby dylan died
You and I both know he got away
He's out there stealin' horses
Really learnin' how to ride
And he's the reason I am free today
Chorus:
Singin' "you can be the new mister me, me, me
Ain't it true that's what you wanna be, yes indeed
And I'll be somewhere sunny where it's funny and it's free
And you can be the new mister me.
New Mister Me by Kris Kristofferson is a captivating story of a violent confrontation that results in someone taking the place of the fallen. The singer witnesses a man with a face like Bob Dylan only worse, who had two pistols and drank whisky like water. The eerie silence of the bar is disrupted when a kid shoots the man before calling his name. The fallen man sees his killer from the ground and tells him that "you can be the new Mister Me."
The song is a commentary on the cycle of violence and how easily it can be perpetuated. The fallen man who orders drinks had become the "Mister Me" of the town, and now it seems that the new killer would take his place. The chorus "you can be the new Mister Me" is sarcastic, reflecting how the desire for power and control can lead to a self-destructive cycle. The line "And I'll be somewhere sunny where it's funny and it's free" is a hint of hope, suggesting that the only way to escape this cycle is to leave it behind.
In the second verse, the songwriter shares a story of how Bob Dylan did not die that day as many believed. The singer suggests that Bob Dylan is out there living a life in which he is free and truly learning how to ride. This line could be interpreted as a reflection of the songwriter's desire to be free from the cycle of violence in which he finds himself. The chorus is the same, reiterating that the desire to be the next "Mister Me" only leads to a path of destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
The moment that you saw him
As soon as you laid eyes on him
You just looked the other way
You avoided him deliberately
The blood within his eye
The stare in his eyes
Was like a curse
It was eerie and ominous
He had two heavy pistols
He carried two large guns
Which were greasied up and ready
They were lubricated and on standby
And a face like bobby dylan, only worse
His appearance resembled that of Bob Dylan, but more terrifying
He ordered up a whisky, which he drank like he was thirsty
He called for a drink and downed it quickly, like he was parched
And ordered him another of the same
And requested a second drink of the same kind
Suddenly the silence of the frozen room was shattered
The quietness of the room was suddenly broken
By a kid who shot before he called his name
By a young person who fired without knowing his name
He looked up at his killer
He gazed at his murderer
>from the floor where he had fallen
From the place he was lying on the floor
Said, "well look what you have gone and done to me."
He remarked, 'look what you've done to me.'
He said, "son, I think you blew it
He stated, 'son, I think you made a terrible mistake
But you're truly welcome to it
But I'm willing to let you take my place
You can be the new mister me"
You can become the new version of myself
Chorus:
"you can be the new mist me, me, me
"You can take over for me
Ain't it true that's what you want to be, yesiree bob
That's what you desire, right?
And I'll be somewhere sunny where it's funny and it's free
And I'll go somewhere enjoyable, carefree and unencumbered
And you can be the new mister me."
And you can emulate me'
Well I was there the day they say that bobby dylan died
I was present on the day it was believed that Bob Dylan passed away
You and I both know he got away
But we both know he escaped
He's out there stealin' horses
He is currently stealing horses
Really learnin' how to ride
And improving his horsemanship
And he's the reason I am free today
And he's the reason I'm liberated today
Chorus:
Singin' "you can be the new mister me, me, me
Singing 'you could take my place
Ain't it true that's what you wanna be, yes indeed
Isn't that what you want to be?
And I'll be somewhere sunny where it's funny and it's free
And I'll be somewhere pleasantly humorous and carefree
And you can be the new mister me.
And you can follow in my footsteps
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonyweafer7420
This man is a true living legend. Greatest songwriter of all time!
@johnnybrace
honored to be alive while Kris is livin'
@nilzarodrigues5
Adoro esse sorriso, adoro essa criatura humana, humana, adoro esse artista genial, mágico...
@debbieveasey4224
Amazing..superb..will NEVER GO OLD❤
@dollyprice5272
Loved hearing this one.
@valquiriabueno5414
Adorooooo 💓💓💓💓🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
@xine9997
Just straight up clever, along with all his other qualities
@DOYLERULES69X
Guy Treffico was awesome!!!!
@MrFlatroofer
Beautiful.
@Turidheim
Beautiful, love him! From Norway & Turid <3 <3