Me and Bobby McGee was written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster. Kristofferson was inspired by the American movies and literature theme of hitting the road in search of freedom. He started drafting the song in a helicopter, commuting between jobs in the Gulf of Mexico. The character of Bobby McGee was inspired by Barbara Bobby McKee, a secretary at Combine Music, a music publishing company, who was an acquaintance of Kristofferson. The song ... See more [+] discusses themes of freedom and the loss of it and became famously performed by Janis Joplin.
Key: G
Introduction:
G
-
C/G
G
-
C/G
G
G
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' for a train
G
D7
When I's feelin' near as faded as my jeans
D7
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained
D7
G
C/G
G
And rode us all the way into New Orleans
G
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
G
G7
C
I's playin' soft while Bobby sang the blues
C
G
Windshield wipers slappin' time, I was holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
D7
We sang every song that driver knew
C
G
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
D7
G
Nothin', it ain't nothin' honey, if it ain't free
C
G
And feelin' good was easy, lord, oh, when he sang the blues
D7
You know feelin' good was good enough for me
D7
G
A
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
A
From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun
A
E7
Yeah Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
E7
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
E7
A
Yeah Bobby baby kept me from the cold
A
One day up near Salinas, lo-ord, I let him slip away
A
A7
D
He's lookin' for that home and I hope he finds it
D
A
Well I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday
E7
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
D
A
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
E7
A
Nothin', and that's all that Bobby left me
D
A
Well, feelin' good was easy, lo-o-ord, when he sang the blues
E7
And feelin' good was good enough for me
E7
A
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee yeah
A
La da da, la da daa, la da daa da daa da daa
A
E7
La da da da daa dadada Bobby McGee-ah
E7
Laa li daa da daa daa, la da daa da daa
E7
A
Laa la laa la daada Bobby McGee-ah yeah
A
La di da, ladida LA dida LA di daa, ladida LA dida LA di daa
A
E7
Hey now Bobby now now Bobby McGee yeah
E7
Lo lo LO lolo LO lo laa, lololo LO lolo LO lolo LO lolo LO la laa
E7
A
Hey now Bobby now now Bobby McGee yeah
A
Lord, I called him my lover, I called him my man
A
I said I called him my lover, did the best I can
A
E7
C'mon, hey now Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
E7
Lo lo lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord oh