Kris Kristofferson was living in a condemded building when someone broke in one day while he was gone and trashed the place and stole what little he had to steal. Everything was gone! He had lost his family and wife and was disowned by parents. Not having anything was liberating. No way to go but up. So he wrote this song. Bobby Newarth (having heard Roger Miller's recording of the song) taught Janis the song while Kris was in Peru making a film with Dennis Hopper. ... http://www.squidoo.com/bobbymcgee Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:30:54 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:14:15 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/bobbymcgee Kris Kristofferson was living in a condemded building when someone broke in one day while he was gone and trashed the place and stole what little he had to steal. Everything was gone! He had lost his family and wife and was disowned by parents. Not having anything was liberating. No way to go but up. So he wrote this song. Bobby Newarth (having heard Roger Miller's recording of the song) taught Janis the song while Kris was in Peru making a film with Dennis Hopper. He sang the song in the film. Bobby introduced Kris to Janis later (where they lived in her house for about a month). They became friends but he never heard her sing the song until after she died. (From interview on NPR's Fresh Air) Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:14:15 -0600