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
Ping Pong
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I use to like
Ping pong
Now I'm in a ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
Ping pong
It scares me now
Ping pong
My heart is the ball in a ding dong, ping pong game with you
I serve it to you
And you knock it back
You hit it so hard, hard, hard
Its startin' to crack
Ping pong
You're smashed again
Ping pong
And I'm losing this ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
I serve it to you
And you knock it back
You hit it so hard, hard, hard
Its starting to crack
Ping pong
You're smashed again
Ping pong
I'm losing this ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
Ping pong
I use to like
Ping pong
Now I'm in a ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
Ping pong
It scares me now...
The lyrics of Kris Kristofferson's song "Ping Pong" describe the back-and-forth nature of a relationship, seen through the lens of a game of ping pong. Kristofferson uses the sport as a metaphor for the ups and downs of love. The song starts with the singer saying that he used to like playing ping pong, but now he finds himself in a "ding dong, ping pong game of love" with his partner. The language sounds fun and playful, but there is an underlying sense of anxiety and fear in the lyrics. The singer is scared because his heart is the ball in this game, and he doesn't know if it will survive all the smashing back and forth.
As the song continues, Kristofferson describes how he serves his love to his partner, only to have it knocked back harder each time. It's as if his feelings are being toyed with, crushed, and tossed back to him from his partner. The metaphor of the ball cracking and breaking under the force of the hits could represent his breakable heart, which is in danger of being destroyed by this game of love. The chorus repeats this feeling of helplessness, emphasizing that the singer is losing the game of love, and he is scared he will never win.
Overall, Kris Kristofferson's "Ping Pong" is a clever and poignant use of metaphor to describe the challenges and uncertainties of love. The song conveys the message that relationships can feel like games at times, with the players taking turns serving and smashing, and sometimes it can feel like the ball is getting crushed in the brawl. Just like a ping pong game, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, and sometimes we get caught in the middle.
Line by Line Meaning
Ping pong
The game of ping pong is being used as a metaphor for a back-and-forth relationship.
I use to like
The singer previously enjoyed the relationship, but it has now become difficult and frustrating.
Now I'm in a ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
The relationship is characterized by arguments and disagreements, but they keep getting back together.
It scares me now
The singer is afraid of the emotional pain that comes with the ups and downs of the relationship.
My heart is the ball in a ding dong, ping pong game with you
The singer's emotions are being tossed back and forth like a ping pong ball.
I serve it to you
The singer tries to be open and vulnerable in the relationship.
And you knock it back
The other person responds in a way that hurts or retracts from the vulnerability.
You hit it so hard, hard, hard / Its starting to crack
The other person's response is becoming more and more damaging to the relationship.
You're smashed again
The other person has hurt the singer's feelings yet again.
I'm losing this ding dong, ping pong game of love with you
The singer feels like they are losing the game of love with the other person.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BOUDLEAUX BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kapritchosa
This show was aired in my country under the name "The Winning Hand" several decades ago. I have been searching for these performances for a long long long time. Thank you for uploading them.
RickBlaineOTR
Dolly Parton is such a great performer. She makes this song so much fun. She has a great voice, a pretty smile, and that amazing hour glass figure! What a sexy woman.
Jim Goleman
As a dj this was the first song by Dolly i ever spun--
Mostly Brenda
Surprising because it was the B-side of https://youtu.be/4lUC9cA7whk
Jim Goleman
@Mostly Brenda i was at a small station in Bastrop, La spinning 45's and LP's what we called wheel music---'male. Female, then groups. Just happened to pull it out!!
Najma airbnb host
This was more fun than a song😂😂😂😂😂
kristoffersonrules
I love it! Thank you!
Elma Ware
Having fun with Kris K in ping pong What a lovely entertainment. Dolly is full of fun! LOVETT lovett👠💕💄💋
Poetic Justice
This was so loopy. Kris was having the time of his life.
Mari Mini
SZUPER