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
What About Me
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He said he left his soul there overseas
The notion he defended doesn't matter anymore
And circumstance had brought him to his knees
We sat there in the silence of a cold and empty room
Down the hall I heard a baby cry
He looked up from the potion he was cooking in a spoon
Chorus:
He said, do you really believe in freedom ?
I said, I do
He said, oh, what about me ?
They killed both of her parents in an undercover war
For wanting all their children to be free
She said, it's even sadder that it's in el salvador
They named it for the savior don't you see
Suddenly the truth was like a blinding flash of light
Holy thunder rolled across the sky
I stared into the wonder of the warrior jesus christ
And destiny was burning in his eyes.
Chorus:
He said, do you really believe in freedom ?
I said, I do
He said, oh, what about me ?
And the sandinista said, do you really believe in freedom ?
I said, I do
He said, oh, what about me ?
Kris Kristofferson's "What About Me" is a powerful protest song that sheds light on the untold horrors of war and the failure of those in power to uphold their promises of freedom. The song begins with Kristofferson meeting a soldier who had fought in the war and returns home to no recognition, having left his soul overseas. The soldier had dedicated himself to a notion of freedom that no longer seemed to matter. The anger in his eyes reveals the pain and struggle that he had gone through, questioning Kristofferson's beliefs of freedom.
The second verse focuses on a woman in El Salvador, whose parents were killed in an undercover war for wanting their children to be free. The name of the country, El Salvador, translates to "the Savior," but salvation feels far away for the singer. The beauty of the song, however, is in the bridge, where Kristofferson sees a blinding flash of light and hears holy thunder roll across the sky, and he stares into the warrior Jesus Christ's eyes, and destiny burns within them.
Overall, Kris Kristofferson's "What About Me" is an emotionally charged song that highlights the plight of those who fought tirelessly for the freedom that is promised to them but never delivered. Kristofferson's realization that true freedom lies not in the hands of the powerful but within oneself gives the song its emotional depth and resonates with people even today.
Line by Line Meaning
I seen another soldier who got wasted in the war
I saw a soldier who was destroyed by war
He said he left his soul there overseas
He felt like a part of him was lost in the war
The notion he defended doesn't matter anymore
The ideals he fought for are no longer important
And circumstance had brought him to his knees
He was defeated by the situation he found himself in
We sat there in the silence of a cold and empty room
We were together in a quiet and barren space
Down the hall I heard a baby cry
I could hear a baby crying nearby
He looked up from the potion he was cooking in a spoon
He paused from his drug use to speak with me
And nailed me with the anger in his eye
He confronted me with his fury
Chorus: He said, do you really believe in freedom ?
He asked if I truly believed in freedom
I said, I do
I affirmed my belief in freedom
He said, oh, what about me ?
He challenged me to consider those who are not free
They killed both of her parents in an undercover war
Her parents died in a secret war
For wanting all their children to be free
Because they desired freedom for their children
She said, it's even sadder that it's in el salvador
It's especially tragic that it happened in El Salvador
They named it for the savior don't you see
The country was named after a 'savior'
Suddenly the truth was like a blinding flash of light
The truth became clear in a moment of illumination
Holy thunder rolled across the sky
There was a powerful feeling of righteousness in the air
I stared into the wonder of the warrior jesus christ
I was amazed by the strength and conviction of Jesus as a warrior
And destiny was burning in his eyes.
He had a sense of fate driving him forward
Chorus: He said, do you really believe in freedom ?
He asked again if I truly believed in freedom
I said, I do
I reiterated my belief in freedom
He said, oh, what about me ?
He asked again for me to consider those who are not free
And the sandinista said, do you really believe in freedom ?
Another individual challenged my belief in freedom
I said, I do
I maintained my belief in freedom
He said, oh, what about me ?
He reiterated the importance of thinking about those who lack freedom
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind