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
Stallion
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stay if you want to, don't be ashamed
Leavin' is easy; Lord, losin's the same
Life is a promise nobody keeps
Lay yourself down girl; rock me to sleep
We were the wild ones, proud in our prime
Me and the stallion, Lord, one of a kind
Ridin' for moonlight, we done it all
Well, the daylight was dying, rooks in the wind
She stood before me, stripped to the skin
Next to my stallion, she purely shown
Gliding to moonlight, starlight and stone
The moonlight is silver, starlight is cold
Wakin' to laughter, shakin' my soul
She was runnin' my stallion, naked and free
Ridin' for moonlight, gone like a dream
Chorus:
Stay if you want to, don't be ashamed
Leavin' is easy; Lord, losin's the same
Life is a promise nobody keeps
Lay yourself down girl; rock me to sleep
The song "Stallion" by Kris Kristofferson tells the story of two wild individuals who are proud of themselves. They are recklessly riding their horses together under the bright moon and starry sky. The chorus suggests that although leaving is easy, losing is the same. Life is unpredictable, and promises made cannot always be kept. The request to lay down and rock the singer to sleep suggests a need for comfort or refuge. It is almost asking the partner to stay and assure the singer that even though life is uncertain, they are finding comfort in being together in the present moment.
The verses describe a moment when the singer sees a woman standing beside him, stripped bare. She stands beside his stallion, glistening under the moonlight, a picture of pure beauty. And as she takes to running the stallion, naked and free, she symbolizes the freedom of spirit and wildness that must be held on to. The moon and starlight, silver and cold, reflect the overall mood of uncertainty and mystery surrounding the pair's love for each other.
The song is a sublime representation of the human experience of recklessness and risk-taking behavior leading to love and affection. It displays the connotation that losing oneself in moments of adventure can lead to unforgettable experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Stay if you want to, don't be ashamed
Don't feel obligated to leave if you don't want to, there's no shame in staying
Leavin' is easy; Lord, losin's the same
It's easy to physically leave a situation, but it's hard to deal with the feeling of loss that comes with it
Life is a promise nobody keeps
No one can guarantee what life will bring, so promises are ultimately empty
Lay yourself down girl; rock me to sleep
Take a moment to rest and find comfort with me
We were the wild ones, proud in our prime
We were young and carefree, confident in our abilities
Me and the stallion, Lord, one of a kind
My connection to my horse was unique and special
See how we run, Lord, see how we fall
We were reckless and didn't think about the consequences of our actions
Ridin' for moonlight, we done it all
We sought adventure and lived for the thrill
Well, the daylight was dying, rooks in the wind
As the sun set, the wind was blowing steadily
She stood before me, stripped to the skin
She was standing naked in front of me
Next to my stallion, she purely shown
Her beauty was amplified by being next to my horse
Gliding to moonlight, starlight and stone
She moved gracefully towards the moonlight and the stars, with a sense of timelessness
The moonlight is silver, starlight is cold
The light from the moon was silver, while the starlight was harsh and cold
Wakin' to laughter, shakin' my soul
I woke up to the sound of laughter, shaking me to my core emotionally
She was runnin' my stallion, naked and free
She was riding my horse without a saddle, completely free
Ridin' for moonlight, gone like a dream
She disappeared into the night like a fleeting dream
Writer(s): kris kristofferson
Contributed by Dylan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.