Help Me Make It Through the Night
The Highwaymen Lyrics


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Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall

Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
Help me make it through the night

I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend

Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone

Help me make it through the night

I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
For tonight I need a friend

Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone

Help me make it through the night





I don't want to be alone
Help me make it through the night

Overall Meaning

The Highwaymen's song "Help Me Make it Through the Night" is a ballad about the pain of loneliness and the human need for companionship. The lyrics portray a person who is in need of a physical and emotional connection with someone else to help them forget the worries of yesterday and the uncertainty of tomorrow. The song opens with the request to the lover to take off the ribbon from their hair and lay down by the singer until the early morning light. The singer asks for nothing but time and an empathetic ear from the lover. The ribbon's metaphorical meaning could be the releasing of the lover's sense of social decorum, and the shadows on the walls could be as if the lovers' shadows have intertwined.


As the song progresses, the singer says that they do not care about what is right or wrong or try to understand it. They only need someone to be with them and help them face the night. The singer wants to forget about yesterday, forget about all that has gone wrong, and it is sad to be alone. The singer begs the lover to help them make it through the night without being alone. The song's second last line is a heartfelt plea, "I don't want to be alone", which gives a poignant impression of the singer's pain and their desire for human companionship.


This song serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of human connections and the pain of loneliness. The songwriters capture the essence of the human experience as they express the need for empathy and companionship. The Highwaymen's rendition of the song is a beautiful version that deserves its place in the annals of country music.


Line by Line Meaning

Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove any signs of inhibition or restraint that may be preventing you from being yourself


Shake it loose and let it fall
Relax and release your emotions; allow yourself to be vulnerable


Layin' soft upon my skin
Your affection and warmth is comforting and feels good to me


Like the shadows on the wall
Your presence creates a sense of intimacy that is enhanced by the quiet ambiance of the surroundings


Come and lay down by my side
Join me in this moment and spend some time together


Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until the new day arrives


All I'm takin' is your time
I am not asking for anything else except for your presence and companionship


Help me make it through the night
I need you to help me get through my loneliness and the darkness of the night


I don't care who's right or wrong
It doesn't matter who's responsible for our current position; we just need to be there for each other


I don't try to understand
It's okay if we don't fully grasp the reasons behind our difficulties; what matters is that we support each other


Let the devil take tomorrow
We can deal with tomorrow's problems tomorrow; let's not worry about them now


'Cause tonight I need a friend
I need someone to be here with me, to talk to me, to understand me, and to make me feel less alone


Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is behind us and we cannot change it


And tomorrow's out of sight
The future is unknown and uncertain; we cannot predict what will happen and we should not waste time worrying about it


And it's sad to be alone
Being by yourself can be difficult and painful


Help me make it through the night
Stay with me and offer me your company so that I can face my fears and anxieties


I don't want to be alone
I need human connection and companionship to feel happy and fulfilled




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kris Kristofferson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Yvonne Grant

At 93 years old, the Highwaymen always lift my spirits.They made my life happy.

wayne brown

That's wonderful. My mom lived to be 97. She died in 2003 and loved This group. (Outlaws)

Kerry Bindon

Never fear life and loves eternal be at Peace the journey back to light is never-ending

Don Binns

😢you said it ,agreed ,anybody that can fly their own chopper and land it ,in persons yard because only way ,you can force the person to meet you, his more than just balls as many assholes have those !

6 More Replies...

Diana Pierson

What a fantastic group of singers all on one stage. Doesn't get any better then that..♥♥♥♥

Violet Kirk

Four amazing artists in their own right but when they came together it was a whole different experience. Thank you gentlemen.

Sandra Durham

You can't get much better than this, they were absolutely fantastic. I watch their concerts over & over.

David

Hello 👋 Sandra how are you doing today??

James Mcmilly

Hello Sandra, how are you doing today?

anella d'ambrosio

@James Mcmilly ciao James!come stai?🙋🥰😍😘❤️

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