The Big Easy List: Me and Bobbie McGee

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Get those tomatoes out! It’s time to pelt the countdown list maker. Oh, this won’t be the only time this month you’ll see a song title and go “yay!” then see the version and go “what the actual HECK????” Here’s today’s song. Me and Bobbie McGee - Bill Haley & the Comets What the actual HECK??????? I shall explain (meanwhile, keep throwing those tomatoes, we southerners love our ‘mater sammiches! ). The version you know, the version you most likely consider THE version, was recorded after people like Roger Miller (who did the first recording of it), the Statler Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers & the First Edition, and even Gordon Lightfoot had recorded it. Songwriter Kris Kristofferson said he did not know until after Janis Joplin died that she had recorded it. We’ll stick with Kristofferson for a moment. When asked his favorite version of this song, which is the most famous one that he wrote (there are over 300 cover versions listed), he mentioned the 1971 version by Bill Haley and the Comets. As for the titular character, Fred Foster, who was the head of Monument Records, asked Kristofferson to include his secretary, Bobbie McKee, in a song sometime. So Kris misheard him…I don’t think she minded! (That supposedly was the extent of Foster’s contribution to this song, but that shows how generous Kristofferson was: giving him songwriter credit for that suggestion!) This is definitely NOT what you’d expect if the only version you’ve ever heard is Janis’ rendition. I tend to agree with Kristofferson’s assessment: this is pretty stinking amazing. Me and Bobbie McGee Written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster Recorded by Bill Haley & the Comets From Rock Around the Country, 1971 NEW ORLEANS LYRICS: Took us all the way to New Orleans