Me and Bobby McGee

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“Me and Bobby McGee” is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson and was originally performed by Roger Miller. The posthumously released version by Janis Joplin in 1971 topped the US Singles chart. It became the second posthumously released number one single in US chart history the first being “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding. Considering Joplin’s version, if you’re wondering how Roger Miller could possibly sing this song, then it was Kristofferson’s inspiration to write about politician Barbara “Bobbie” McGee. In her popular version, Joplin sang it as if Bobby was a man. Joplin’s version is ranked at number 148 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song tells the story of two drifters, the narrator and Bobby McGee. They hitch a ride with a truck driver and sing their way through the American South, then head westward to California. After visiting California, they sadly parted ways. Since the singer’s name is never mentioned and the name “Bobby” is gender-neutral, the song has been recorded by both female and male singers.