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
Sugar Man
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
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Of the city streets at night,
And the alleyways and ugly things
Are hidden from the light.
And somewhere, son, my baby's
Gonna sell her soul again,
For a custom tailored lady-killer
They call Sugar Man.
I searched the backstreet barrooms,
And every cheap hotel,
Asking for my baby; they all knew her well.
Well, they said, "She's out there working
For the wages of her sin,
And if you want to find your baby, Baby,
Look for Sugar Man."
Well, tonight I found her
On the sorry side of town
Lying cold upon the bed
Where she had laid her body down.
I picked up the needle that had fallen from her hand
And stuck it through the money she had made for Sugar Man.
There are shadows on the sidewalks
Of the city streets at night
And the alleyways and ugly things
Are hidden from the light.
But the sun's gonna shine tomorrow
On some dirty gargage cans,
And a custom tailored lady-killer
They called Sugar Man.
The lyrics to Kris Kristofferson's song Sugar Man tell the tragic story of a man searching for his lost love, who has fallen victim to the seedy underbelly of urban life. The opening lines, "There are shadows on the sidewalks of the city streets at night, and the alleyways and ugly things are hidden from the light," set the somber tone of the song and create a vivid image of a dark, dangerous world. The singer is on a mission to find his beloved, who has been forced to sell her body to survive. The lyrics describe his search through backstreet bars and cheap hotels, each place confirming his fears that his love has turned to prostitution. The heartbreaking line, "For the wages of her sin," highlights the moral turmoil and societal judgment that often accompanies sex work.
Finally, the singer finds his lost love on the "sorry side of town," lifeless and alone. The image of the needle falling from her hand is a powerful symbol of her addiction and despair, while the act of sticking it through the money she made for Sugar Man represents the painful realization that her body has been used and abused for profit. The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the sun is set to rise on a new day. However, the mention of "dirty garbage cans" and the continued existence of Sugar Man suggest that the darkness of the city will persist, and the cycle of exploitation and desperation will continue.
Overall, the lyrics to Sugar Man paint a bleak portrait of urban life and its effect on vulnerable individuals. The song speaks to larger societal issues around poverty, addiction, and exploitation, and highlights the resilience and humanity of those who are often marginalized and forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
There are shadows on the sidewalks
Amidst the city streets at night, there are areas with shadows that obscure the view of the surroundings.
Of the city streets at night,
These shadows are present when it is dark outside.
And the alleyways and ugly things
These shadows conceal places that might not be welcoming to observe, like dingy alleyways and unsightly things.
Are hidden from the light.
The light of day would expose these areas and reveal what's in them.
And somewhere, son, my baby's
The artist is addressing their child.
Gonna sell her soul again,
The singer's loved one is engaged in activities that go against her values or morals and are harmful to her.
For a custom tailored lady-killer
The singer is using a metaphor to imply that the person exploiting their loved one is dangerous and alluring.
They call Sugar Man.
The mysterious figure treating their loved one poorly has a nickname, Sugar Man.
I searched the backstreet barrooms,
The artist has been looking in places with disreputable connotations to find their loved one.
And every cheap hotel,
The artist looked in all the places where the lodgings are not quite up to standard.
Asking for my baby; they all knew her well.
The locals know the singer's loved one regularly frequents these kind of places.
Well, they said, "She's out there working
The people the artist has been asking have suggested that the loved one is engaged in activities that are favorable for Sugar Man.
For the wages of her sin,
The singer's loved one is performing acts that conflict with her personal beliefs or morals and is reaping financial gains from them.
And if you want to find your baby, Baby,
Those the singer has been inquiring of are now offering a tip on where to locate their loved one.
Look for Sugar Man."
Sugar Man appears to have a significant influence over the singer's loved one, and to locate them, it's recommended to track down Sugar Man.
Well, tonight I found her
The artist has now located their loved one.
On the sorry side of town
The area the artist found the loved one has a low socioeconomic status, and things might not be as good here as in other places in town.
Lying cold upon the bed
The singer's loved one was unresponsive, and their body felt cold.
Where she had laid her body down.
The position the loved one's body was in showed that she had laid before her death.
I picked up the needle that had fallen from her hand
The artist noticed drug paraphernalia nearby and picked it up.
And stuck it through the money she had made for Sugar Man.
The artist then used the needle to perforate the money their loved one had made for Sugar Man and left it there.
But the sun's gonna shine tomorrow
The next day is expected to be better than the previous one.
On some dirty garbage cans,
The area that is described as the dumping site still has the chance for something to brighten up its appearance.
And a custom-tailored lady-killer
Sugar Man, the person responsible for causing misery to the artist's loved one, is still out there but their appearance is now being remarked on as something exceptional.
They called Sugar Man.
His notoriety is emphasized.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KRISTOFFER KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind