Kris Kristofferson Album: “Me and Bobby McGee”

I came across a wooden hut on the shores of lake Villarica in the south of Chile. Whilst sitting next to the hut and admiring the view I noticed someone had scratched something into the wall on the hut "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose" from Me and Bobby Mcgee.

This quite simply the best album I have ever heard of any kind (and I don't consider myself a Country fan). In my opinion better than Pink Floyd's The Wall, Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and The Smiths' The Queen is Dead. Me and Bobby Mcgee makes you smile, makes you wonder, makes you reach all those moments in your life when you had time to feel.

Kris Kristofferson is one of that small group of musicians (like Bob Marley) who transcends the musical genre he is generally said to belong to and who should therefore appeal to anybody who appreciates great music. His music is so, so much more than country music: it is lyrics verging on poetry sung beautifully to incredibly catchy tunes. The songs on this album are all in the good-to-great category, but my particular favourite is the classic Sunday Morning Coming Down. I also love the humour in Kristofferson's lyrics, which he fortunately performs in such a way that every word is clearly audible. I defy anybody not to smile upon listening to the lyrics of Best Of All Possible Worlds.

In short, an artist whose music should be in every music lover's collection. Do not be put off by the country label- Kristofferson is a musical genius.

The proof of Kristofferson's craftmanship as a songwriter lies in the fact that songs like Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through The Night, For The Good Times and Sunday Morning Coming Down have been covered thousands of times by artists from many different genres. This collection displays his literate songwriting while his gruff vocal is somewhat reminiscent of Willie Nelson. I also considered him to be straddling a position between country and folk, and this album is more folk than country with its incisive social comment as on Blame It On The Stones and The Law Is For Protection of the People. He introduces Bobby McGee with the words: "If it sounds country man, that's what it is, this is a country song." Besides the above-mentioned classics, the other songs are excellent too and I love his voice and the sparse arrangements. This album is a classic example of the best work of the 60s singer-songwriter genre.

Kris Kristofferson/ Kristofferson, aka `Me and Bobby McGee': This album was originally released as `Kristofferson' but after Janis' version of "Bobby McGee" became a huge hit, the Record Execs rechristened the album with the song title. No matter what name the album goes by, it is one of the greatest singer/songwriter albums ever made. Kristofferson's world-weary voice is the perfect match for both his world-weary and humorous songs. This easily earns five stars.

This album contains some of the finest music he's done. It set the pace for a lot of what was to come. Me & Bobby Mcgee and Sunday Morning Coming Down have to be at the tops of what he has done. Yet, with Duvalier's Dream and To Beat the Devil thrown in what is there not to like? Kris will always write enough and string the albums together to where you feel there will not be a lapse in his writing...just one long album. He seems to get the right sounds also. When the harmonica and the keyboards play, it just seems to float in, not be overplayed.