Kris Kristofferson - Kristofferson (1970/2016) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Kris Kristofferson had a belated start of a great recording career when he was in his mid thirties, releasing Kristofferson in 1970. The Nashville star distinguished himself from other Country acts, taking on a political stance lyrically that exceeded Nashville standards.

Songs on Kristofferson were picked up by fellow artists Johnny Cash ("Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down") and Janis Joplin ("Me And Bobby McGee") recognizing his stature as a songwriter instantly. The ballad "Help Me Make It Through The Night" was also recorded by the likes of Elvis Presley, Joan Baez, Gladys Knight And The Pips, Bryan Ferry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sammie Smith and many others.

„On the evidence of his first collection of songs, Kristofferson was ahead of his country music peers in realizing that, despite Nashville's conservative political tilt, there was a natural affinity between the country archetype of a hard-drinking, romantically independent loner and the rock & roll archetype of a drug-taking, romantically free hippie. A sleeve note suggested that Kristofferson had been reluctant to record, but while he didn't have much range as a singer, he brought a conviction to his vocals and a complete understanding of the nuances of the lyrics. The songs were so personal that they seemed to demand a personal interpretation, and established the persona of a poor songwriter struggling against despair. Nashville, as it turned out, didn't have much use for his countercultural songs, but the country music community could recognize a good love song, and Ray Price quickly cut "For the Good Times," which topped the country charts. Then Johnny Cash covered the first-person hangover narrative "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" for a number one country hit, and Sammi Smith gave a twist to "Help Me Make It Through the Night" by recording it as a woman's song for yet another country number one. The finishing touch to Kristofferson's sudden renown was Janis Joplin's cover of the classic on-the-road song "Me and Bobby McGee," released shortly after her death, which topped the pop charts. When it was released in 1970, Kristofferson did not reach the charts. By the following year, however, its creator was on his way to becoming a major star, and after his second album broke into the pop charts in July 1971, Monument retitled the first album Me and Bobby McGee and reissued it. This time around, it made the pop and country charts and went gold.“ (William Ruhlmann, AMG)

Tracklist:
01. Blame It On the Stones
02. To Beat the Devil
03. Me and Bobby McGee
04. Best of All Possible Worlds
05. Help Me Make It Through the Night
06. The Law Is for Protection of the People
07. Casey's Last Ride
08. Just the Other Side of Nowhere
09. Darby's Castle
10. For the Good Times
11. Duvalier's Dream
12. Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down

Produced by Fred Foster

Digitally remastered