About The Song
The Highwaymen, composed of four of the brightest country stars – Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson – is perhaps the greatest country music supergroup in history.
With such distinct singing voices, the four living legends shared a friendship and a love for music that translated into three albums over a decade, while traveling the world, performing country music to millions of fans.
This includes when The Highwaymen took the stage for one remarkable performance of the iconic ballad tune “Me and Bobby McGee.” We found footage of the American Outlaws: Live at the Nassau Coliseum in 1990, where Cash, Kristofferson, Jennings, and Nelson joined forces to deliver the classic country ballad with nothing but perfection – the audience can’t help but watch in amazement.
Other hits the supergroup performed at that time are “Big River” and “Always on My Mind.”
Written by Kris Kristofferson with the help of Fred Foster, “Me and Bobby McGee” tells the story of a couple of drifters who found love while traveling across the nation before sadly parting ways.
According to Kristofferson, the titular character was named after studio secretary Barbara “Bobbie” McKee. However, the country star misheard her surname.
Anyway, the country classic was originally recorded by Roger Miller in 1969 – whose version reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Since then, the song has been covered countless times by different artists, including Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding. Meanwhile, Gordon Lightfoot brought the country song to the pop chart when his version hit No. 13 on Canada RPM Top singles.
Kristofferson also recorded his own version for his debut album Kristofferson in 1970.
Video
Lyrics
Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans
Illinois Central, Monday mornin’ rail
15 cars and 15 restless riders
Three conductors, 25 sacks of mail
All along the southbound odyssey the train pulls out of Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin’ graves that have no name, freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of rusted automobiles
Good mornin’ America, how are you?
Don’t you know me? I’m your native son!
I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans
I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
Dealin’ cards with the old men in the club car
Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
And feel the wheels grumblin’ neath the floor
And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers
Ride their fathers’ magic carpet made of steel
Mothers with their babes asleep, rockin’ to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
Good mornin’ America, how are you?
Don’t you know me? I’m your native son!
I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans
I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
Nighttime on the city of New Orleans
Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee
Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’
Thru the Mississippi darkness rollin’ down to the sea
But the towns & people seem to fade into a bad dream
And the steel rail still ain’t heard the news
Conductor sings your songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train has got the disappearing railroad blues
Good mornin’ America, how are you?
Don’t you know me? I’m your native son!
I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans
I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
