The Word - Vol 93
Nov 14, 2024
Sunday Mornin'
Well, I woke up Sunday mornin’
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
Well, I woke up Sunday mornin’
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
This is the first verse of Kris Kristofferson’s song, Sunday Morning Coming Down. It's a classic of course, and I’m sure you are aware that this songwriting genius passed away last Saturday at the age of 88. There have been many tributes to this singer/songwriter/actor who had such an amazing career. Barbra Streisand, his co-star in the movie, A Star is Born, said “The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in L.A., I knew he was something special,”
Willie Nelson once said, “There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson, everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”
I’m a big music fan, but an even bigger fan of the lyrics in a song, especially lyrics that simplistically paint a picture with an economy of words. Kristofferson was one of those songwriters. For example, in his song “Help Me Make it Through the Night” he writes,
Take the ribbon from your hair,
Shake it loose and let it fall,
Layin' soft upon my skin,
Like the shadows on the wall.
Now, seriously, is there anything softer than shadows on the wall? I used to think that a little mouse’s ear was the softest thing, but no, Kristofferson nails it with shadows on the wall.
And the great lyric from the song, The Pilgrim Chapter 33
He's a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
My brush with Kris Kristofferson was, believe it or not, at South Surrey’s Softball City. I believe the year was 1995 and it was a Canada Day celebration like no other. The event consisted of concerts during the day, or maybe it was over a weekend, that included Trooper, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and the big finale was one of my favourite singer/songwriters, Kris Kristofferson.
I was thrilled to be the MC for that show as I was to introduce Kristofferson. But just before his show, the organizers realized that the planned fireworks display was going to have to happen right in the middle of Kristofferson’s performance. Apparently, there was a curfew imposed by the city that stated the fireworks had to finish at a certain time, which meant the fireworks had to start midway through his show.
There was a lot of hand-wringing going on with the organizers wondering what they were going to do! I suggested they ask Kris to take a break halfway through his performance and then pick up after the fireworks had concluded. “Oh, no, we couldn’t ask him that,” they said. I said, “Well I could ask him?” So, I wandered over to the performer's tent, introduced myself as the MC, and made the request. I said, “Kris, we have a fireworks display scheduled tonight, but due to the city’s curfew about these things, we’re going to have to start halfway through your show! Would you be alright to take a 10 to 15-minute break for the fireworks, then pick up the rest of your show after that?" He said, "Sure, I love fireworks, just give me the high sign down in front of the stage and I'll stop, and you guys can start."
Then he said, "Oh, and by the way, I don't need an introduction. My keyboard player does that." I said, "Ok, fine with me," although I was a little disappointed as I had crafted what I thought was an outstanding intro, mentioning all his big hit songs, his acting career, etc.
When it came time for the show, Kris' keyboard player came out. He kind of looked like Leon Russell, an older guy with white hair down to his shoulders. He cleared his throat a couple of times, "Ahem, Ahem, uh, ladies and gentlemen, uh, Kris Kristofferson." That was it, that was the introduction! I had to laugh! I had gone to all that trouble, and really, a performer of Kristofferson's stature needed only the briefest of introductions.
When the fireworks time came, I gave the high sign to Kris from in front of the stage. Not really a high sign, more of the classic slashing of the throat sign! He saw me, laughed, and said to the crowd, "I'm going to take a break because it's time for some fireworks and I love fireworks!" When they were finished, he just picked up where he left off, and the crowd loved it!
You would think that a writer the likes of Kristofferson would have penned the words he wanted written on his tombstone, but no, apparently Kris always said that he wanted the first three lines of Leonard Cohen’s song, “Bird on a Wire” on his tombstone, which are;
“Like a bird on a wire / like a drunk in a midnight choir / I have tried in my way to be free.”
We've lost another one of the greats!
RIP Kris.
Till next week...
Wayne
Willie Nelson once said, “There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson, everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”
I’m a big music fan, but an even bigger fan of the lyrics in a song, especially lyrics that simplistically paint a picture with an economy of words. Kristofferson was one of those songwriters. For example, in his song “Help Me Make it Through the Night” he writes,
Take the ribbon from your hair,
Shake it loose and let it fall,
Layin' soft upon my skin,
Like the shadows on the wall.
Now, seriously, is there anything softer than shadows on the wall? I used to think that a little mouse’s ear was the softest thing, but no, Kristofferson nails it with shadows on the wall.
And the great lyric from the song, The Pilgrim Chapter 33
He's a walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,
Takin' ev'ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.
My brush with Kris Kristofferson was, believe it or not, at South Surrey’s Softball City. I believe the year was 1995 and it was a Canada Day celebration like no other. The event consisted of concerts during the day, or maybe it was over a weekend, that included Trooper, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and the big finale was one of my favourite singer/songwriters, Kris Kristofferson.
I was thrilled to be the MC for that show as I was to introduce Kristofferson. But just before his show, the organizers realized that the planned fireworks display was going to have to happen right in the middle of Kristofferson’s performance. Apparently, there was a curfew imposed by the city that stated the fireworks had to finish at a certain time, which meant the fireworks had to start midway through his show.
There was a lot of hand-wringing going on with the organizers wondering what they were going to do! I suggested they ask Kris to take a break halfway through his performance and then pick up after the fireworks had concluded. “Oh, no, we couldn’t ask him that,” they said. I said, “Well I could ask him?” So, I wandered over to the performer's tent, introduced myself as the MC, and made the request. I said, “Kris, we have a fireworks display scheduled tonight, but due to the city’s curfew about these things, we’re going to have to start halfway through your show! Would you be alright to take a 10 to 15-minute break for the fireworks, then pick up the rest of your show after that?" He said, "Sure, I love fireworks, just give me the high sign down in front of the stage and I'll stop, and you guys can start."
Then he said, "Oh, and by the way, I don't need an introduction. My keyboard player does that." I said, "Ok, fine with me," although I was a little disappointed as I had crafted what I thought was an outstanding intro, mentioning all his big hit songs, his acting career, etc.
When it came time for the show, Kris' keyboard player came out. He kind of looked like Leon Russell, an older guy with white hair down to his shoulders. He cleared his throat a couple of times, "Ahem, Ahem, uh, ladies and gentlemen, uh, Kris Kristofferson." That was it, that was the introduction! I had to laugh! I had gone to all that trouble, and really, a performer of Kristofferson's stature needed only the briefest of introductions.
When the fireworks time came, I gave the high sign to Kris from in front of the stage. Not really a high sign, more of the classic slashing of the throat sign! He saw me, laughed, and said to the crowd, "I'm going to take a break because it's time for some fireworks and I love fireworks!" When they were finished, he just picked up where he left off, and the crowd loved it!
You would think that a writer the likes of Kristofferson would have penned the words he wanted written on his tombstone, but no, apparently Kris always said that he wanted the first three lines of Leonard Cohen’s song, “Bird on a Wire” on his tombstone, which are;
“Like a bird on a wire / like a drunk in a midnight choir / I have tried in my way to be free.”
We've lost another one of the greats!
RIP Kris.
Till next week...
Wayne
