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
Please Don't Tell Ne How The Story Ends
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We may never pass this way again
Just let me enjoy 'till its over
Or forever
Please don't tell me how the story ends
See the way our shadows come together
Softer than your fingers on my skin
That we'll remember
Of each other
Please don't tell me how the story ends
Never's just the echo of forever
Lonesome as the love that might have been
Just let me go on loving and believing
'Till it's over
Please don't tell me how the story ends
Please don't tell me how the story ends
The lyrics of Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge's song "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends" speak about the bittersweet realization that a moment in time may be the last truly special moment shared between two people. The singer is asking their lover not to ruin the magic of the moment by reminding them that it will eventually end. The lyrics seem to indicate a desire to savor the present moment without the burden of knowing what the future may hold.
The first verse sets the stage for the song's mood and theme, emphasizing the fleeting nature of the lovers' time together. The second verse shifts the focus to the physical connection between the two people, again using language that highlights the transience of their intimacy. The third verse contains a bit of wordplay, with the line "Never's just the echo of forever" suggesting that even the most eternal-seeming love can eventually fade away. The final line of the song is a powerful affirmation of the singer's desire to remain firmly in the present, without the burden of thoughts about what might happen next.
Line by Line Meaning
This could be our last good night together
We may not have any more good nights together after this.
We may never pass this way again.
We might not get another chance to be together like this again.
Just let me enjoy it 'til it's over, or forever
Let me enjoy the moment we have now, whether it's brief or everlasting.
Please don't tell me how the story ends.
Don't spoil the magic of our time together by revealing the outcome.
See the way our shadows come together
Our presence creates something beautiful together.
Softer than your fingers on my skin
The tenderness we share is unlike anything else.
Someday these may be all we remember of each other
In the future, these memories of us might be all that remains.
Please don't tell me how the story ends.
Don't ruin the beauty and uncertainty of our story by spoiling the ending.
Never's just the echo of forever
The concept of never is just an echo of the idea of forever.
Lonesome as a love that might have been.
The sadness of a love that was never fully realized.
Let me go on lovin' and believin' 'til it's over
Allow me to continue loving and believing until our time together is over.
Please don't tell me how the story ends.
Once again, don't reveal the ending and dampen the magic of our time together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind