The Epic and True Story Behind Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee”

The Beginning of a Journey

This epic journey of an even more epic song started in 1969, with Kris Kristofferson, who at the time was a struggling musician who just signed to Monument Records. He was about to head to Nashville for another job when he was briefed on an idea for a song by Fred Foster, the record label’s founder.


Photo by Josh Anderson / Associated Press

Kristofferson half-heartedly wanted to do the song, which was meant to be called “Me and Bobby McKee,” although Kristofferson later recalled that he thought he heard “McGee,” so named it accordingly.

And this is when it all began…

While Kris Kristofferson did agree to write the song, he later admitted that it took him a very long time to develop all the components of the track.