Why Me (Kris Kristofferson song)
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| “Why Me” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Kris Kristofferson from the album Jesus Was a Capricorn |
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| Released | April 1973 | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Recorded | July 8, 1972 | ||||
| Genre | country, pop, gospel | ||||
| Length | 3:26 | ||||
| Label | Monument Records 31909 | ||||
| Writer(s) | Kris Kristofferson | ||||
| Certification | Gold (RIAA) | ||||
| Kris Kristofferson singles chronology | |||||
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"Why Me" is an American country, pop and gospel song written and recorded by Kris Kristofferson.
Contents |
[edit] Song history
Kristofferson had become the toast of Nashville in the early 1970s, with the massive success of compositions including "For the Good Times," "Me and Bobby McGee," "Sunday Morning Coming Down," "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and many other songs. He had a pop hit of his own as well, with "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)."
In 1973, he had his biggest hit of his career with "Why Me." According to country music historian Bill Malone, Kristofferson wrote the song during an emotionally low period of his life after having attended a religious service conducted by the Rev. Jimmie Rogers Snow.[1]
Wrote Malone, "'Why Me, Lord'" - as the song is sometimes known - "may seem greatly out of character for Kristofferson, but it can be interpreted as his own personal religious rephrasing of 'Sunday Morning Coming Down.' In this case, he is 'coming down' not from drugs, but from the whole hedonistic euphoria of the (1960s)." Malone also described Kristofferson's gruff vocal styling as "perfect" for the song, since "he sounds like a man who has lived a lot but is now humbling himself before God."[2]
"Why Me" was recorded in 1972, and features backing vocals by soon-to-be wife Rita Coolidge and up-and-coming singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin.
[edit] Successes
"Why Me" was Kristofferson's lone major country hit as a solo recording artist, reaching No. 1 of Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in July 1973. The song, despite peaking only at No. 16 of the Billboard Hot 100, had one of the longer runs (19 weeks) in the Top 40 to that time.[3]
"Why Me" was certified gold for sales of 1 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America.[4]
[edit] Succession
| Preceded by "Don't Fight the Feelings of Love" by Charley Pride |
Billboard Hot Country singles number one single July 7, 1973 |
Succeeded by "Love is the Foundation" by Loretta Lynn |
[edit] References
- ^ Malone, Bill, "Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection" (booklet included with Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection 4-disc set). Smithsonian Institution, 1990, p. 66-67.
- ^ ibid.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits," 8th ed. Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 2004.
- ^ http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/search_results.asp
[edit] See also
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition." 2006.
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006," 2007.
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