281:". He said that he had never thought of needing help, but he was at a low point in his life. When the pastor asked the congregation, "Is anybody feeling lost?" "Up goes my hand," Kristofferson says. The Pastor then asked, "Are you ready to accept Christ? Kneel down there." "I'm kneeling there," Kristofferson continues, "and I carry a big load of guilt around...and I was just out of control, crying. It was a release. It really shook me up." Kristofferson later said, "It was just a personal thing I was going through at the time. I had some kind of experience that I can't even explain."
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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 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."
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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. Malone wrote, "'Why Me, Lord'" - as the song is sometimes known - "may seem greatly out of
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to sing "one of his favorite songs." Sumner would sing the verses and Elvis would join on the chorus along with the back-up singers. Presley also recorded the "B" side of the single, "
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in a hotel room in 1972 to play them two songs he had written. Kristofferson had just attended a rough screening of a movie Johnny and June were heavily involved in, entitled
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incorporated the song, retitled "Why Me Lord", into his live shows beginning in
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included a version of "Why Me" alongside several other covers of songs written by Kris
Kristofferson on his aptly titled 1979 album
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Kristofferson had become the toast of
Nashville in the early 1970s, with the massive success of compositions including "
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McClintock, Jack (March 1975). "Just a Good Ole Rhodes
Scholar: Making it through the Night with Kris Kristofferson".
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Kristofferson said he went with friends to the church service where he was moved by Larry Gatlin's song "
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Wolfgang
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released a version of "Why Me Lord" on their 2014 album "Slow Dawns For Lost
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Malone, Bill, "Classic
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also recorded a version of the song titled "Why Me Lord" on his 1994 album
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song written and recorded by
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group New Swing
Quartet recorded a version, released on the 1985 album
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The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition
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in June 1974. The recording is from his March 20, 1974 concert in
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recorded the song as a duet with Kristofferson on his 2020 album
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Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: The Publishing Demos
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performance in Toronto. The song was performed with pianist
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recorded a version entitled "Why Me Lord" on her 1992 album
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chart in July 1973. The song peaked only at No. 16 on the
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Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)
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Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)
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performed a powerful version of the song during a 2006
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The Complete Monument & Columbia Album Collection
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4-disc set). Smithsonian Institution, 1990, p. 66-67.
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recorded a version of this song for their 2001 album
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264:. It was released on the album
1094:. Record Research. p. 139.
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294:. Johnny Cash's memoir
1229:, Retrieved 1 Nov 2020
751:, titled "Why Me Lord".
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1362:Spooky Lady's Sideshow
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1210:Elvis: A Life In Music
1021:. Top40.nl. 2013-06-18
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1644:Lover Please
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1195:November 14,
1193:. Retrieved
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637:Larry Gatlin
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229:Song history
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84:July 8, 1972
48:
1637:Loving Arms
1630:Nobody Wins
1499:Natural Act
1425:Repossessed
1404:To the Bone
1348:Border Lord
1317:Filmography
1312:Discography
1159:2 September
1045:5 September
851:Josh Turner
832:CeCe Winans
765:Johnny Cash
629:J.D. Sumner
286:Johnny Cash
165:Fred Foster
159:Producer(s)
1710:1973 songs
1704:Categories
1025:2015-08-26
1004:2015-08-26
864:References
809:Homecoming
694:Texas Moon
593:1,000,000
76:March 1973
1658:The Heart
1492:Breakaway
1485:Full Moon
1111:Billboard
1066:Billboard
745:a capella
742:Slovenian
539:Billboard
471:Billboard
459:Billboard
447:Billboard
413:Canadian
401:Canadian
389:Canadian
384:position
332:Billboard
323:Billboard
1675:See also
1117:June 24,
1090:(2002).
1072:June 24,
949:Archived
932:(2004).
787:box set.
541:Hot 100
487:Top 100
484:Cash Box
449:Hot 100
340:' song "
245:", and "
81:Recorded
73:Released
22:"Why Me"
1248:. 1985.
1245:Discogs
912:Playboy
633:Help Me
578:/sales
569:Region
517:Canada
334:Hot 100
306:Help Me
215:country
199:(1973)
194:(1973)
185:(1972)
66:Help Me
1602:Why Me
1326:Albums
980:
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304:sang "
219:gospel
211:Why Me
190:Why Me
114:Length
90:Studio
59:B-side
37:Single
1573:Songs
590:Gold
512:Rank
139:31909
131:Label
103:Genre
1509:Live
1197:2023
1161:2018
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1047:2018
978:ISBN
803:The
585:RIAA
382:Peak
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537:US
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519:RPM
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