Kris Kristofferson - Casey's Last Ride

[jangel1873]

Lovely song.

[Garrulous63]

The Grand Capt: This is a song about a cheating husband, not a killer. A sad, cheating husband, not happy with anything in his life.

[Randman64]

This really is a great song, great voice,great lyrics!!

[TheGrandCapt]

why is it song writers today can not even come close to a song like this ??????

[Draanes]

@TheGrandCapt

Because today its not about the song anymore...its just how much makeup you can put on... how much you can embarrass yourself dryhumping half naked in you musicvideo..and say "fuck" as many times as possible... real music has taken a break in my opinion.

[angerock49]

@Draanes there is still a lot of good music, don't see only the so called "mainstream" stuff ;-)

[TheGrandCapt]

Can some one explain to me what this song is about.. I think I have an idea. Is he a stalker hanging in the subway and his victum falls in love with him before he strangles her with her own stockings???

[tcboner97223]

@TheGrandCapt not a stalker a man that torn. he should b home but the beer

[joshuabrooks21]

I'd have to say that Kris Kristofferson's signature year was 1970, when he had three of his songs vying for Song of the Year, those being "For The Good Times," "Sunday Morning Coming Down," and "Help Me Make It Through The Night," sung by Ray Price, Johnny Cash, and Sammi Smith respectively. This was the first, and so far only time that three different songs from one writer went against each other for such an honor. I wish it would happen again. Maybe Bobby Braddock can repeat the feat....

[matthewsnare]

one of my favorite songs of all times! what a story it tells....they just don't write songs like this anymore

[MrL2Hr]

This song will always remind me of last summer, the first time I heard it, tnx for uploading it :)

[TheGrandCapt]

@MrL2Hr Last summer ? Can I take a trip in your time machine ?

[rjvos59]

one of the greatest songwriters and not a bad singer too

[RobsnVegas]

Love this song !

[timoonn]

dat groove :o

[MrLialaw]

brings me back to a flat in forest gate in 73 happy days thx for posting

[Squsaher]

They don't make music like this anymore, I'm only 21 and I'm not old enough to look back at the good old times. Yet I feel like this kind of music has made people what they are now and I myself know it has changed me for the better.

[Goklayeh]

@Squsaher Nice to hear from the younger generation that has an appreciation for lyrics and music. Check out Townes Van Zandt, another great American Poet.

[zaaritha]

So good!

[thebunnygrimm]

There was a time when men were sensitive and strong at the same time... without either being required.

[dogmunch]

@thebunnygrimm thats waht is so good about Kris.. he really is a true man.. no bullshit.

[Gavoren]

"J'ai toujours rêvé d'être un gangster" <3

[ianman15]

John Denver did a great version of this song too.

[mazpac]

Love this song!

[emerydarius0]

what is this song about

[dogmunch]

this man is misunderstood

[CactassDupree]

@dogmunch by whom??

[dogmunch]

@CactassDupree many, many men!

Some people just dont really know Kris.. they dont really know what he is about and some people over shadow him with some of his great friends.

Such as sunday mornin comin down.. Cash will get favoured on that one but Kris really paints a picture more than Johnny and really makes you feel.

just saying you know..

Have you seen Cisco pike?? I only just saw it on new years day when i was feeling sorry for myself.. what a man

[bluescommander]

Great singing. Not a pretty voice, but perfectly suited to the song.

[zaaritha]

So good!

[Mcosscilator]

You're right bigbiscuit100 - there's so much going on in this song. The pain of the human condition, the lonlieness, the desire for some love. Superbly crafted.

Johnny Cash's version is also worth a listen.

[an8777]

Kristofferson rules

[bigbiscuit100]

"Casey, it's a shame to be alone." I'm not sure he could have ended this song with more resonating lyric.

[mtchair4me]

@bigbiscuit100 I have always felt that that line is the key to understanding the enitre piece. There is much going on in the body of the song, yet I feel the answer is a simple truth of the way we torture ourselves and the way we deal with how we live and get through our lives. In print this piece reads like a poem. It must have been very difficult to create the music, which is supurb

[davidnightwalker]

Fabulous song. Kristofferson belongs to a very special class of songwriters: Dylan, Waits, Cash, Young, etc.

[Tommyfazz]

@davidnightwalker very well said David !

[luv2pik6]

@davidnightwalker Sure do appreciate the hell out of another

who has it in them to look at Kris beond the painted picture all

the younger generation see on t.v. .. Hell yeah he is great on

screen, "Sam Elliot presense" no doubt. But songwriter shit

man in country musics era of Outlaw ya cant forget his name

it was on the top as far as his writes went. Look who sung em

Cash, Merle, Waylon, Willie, Russel... wow, bad ass dude.

[zer0xify]

im 20 years old and i grew up listening to Kris with my father, i really enjoy his music, and this is one of my favorite songs.

[BOXCUTTAONE]

I once met 'casey' ... a weird dude

[BOXCUTTAONE]

I met 'Casey' once

[jteeeeeton]

Fabulous song, from a great poet of all human emotion. This is the first time I ever heard this by Kris. I Love the Emmylou Harris version -It's quite haunting- still a pleasure to hear the original. Thanks for the post. Jim E.

[hufferz]

A true renaissance man.

[olderirishlady]

Hes a class act in all respects.Love his songs.

[faithmairee]

I met Kris at Finky's Country Show Place in the mid-eighties. He was 50 years old at the time. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life. He is one of the world's greatest songwriters. His music penetrates the soul and his voice moves one with its rich emotion.

[faithmairee]

I met Kris at Finky's Country Show Place in the mid-eighties. He was 50 years old at the time. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life. He is one of the world's greatest songwriters. His music penetrates the soul and his voice moves one with its rich emotion.

[zaaritha]

This is really good!

[jonessm50]

love this song. My version is different but just like the song

[thedoors360]

i would love to meet  the man

[manila7979]

I don't know exactly how I feel ab out Casey. His sadness appears to be, in part, self-created. And in the process, he has probably damaged other people, specifically the woman whose lines Chris sings.

[RickTNRebel]

The Cash show was taped at the Ryman on friday nights...as a busboy at the Ramada, I had a standing pass. Kris and I used to sit together in the gallery, left of stage.

[hcb176]

todays country is a joke... we all know that... hearin a sing like this really drives the point home...

[manila7979]

I like this song but its sadness is too much to bear.

[MLFive]

I don't care much for Casey himself, I'm not interested in depressive men.

But I feel very sorry for the woman. That line, "Casey it's a shame to be alone", breaks my heart every time.

[Mrgwa]

@MLFive

Why man can't be sad?

[MLFive]

Someone please cover this and bring it to the charts!

[yukonnoka]

Songs like this make people like Justin Timberlake and the Jonas brothers seem even more gay...

[bearsbugs]

Can anybody tell me why the hell this song was never a big hit??? it still just blows me away, and I've been listening to it for 40 years now

[bluesdude2]

@bearsbugs I think that it ended up being a bigger hit for John Denver than it was for Kris, but this is my favorite version.

[manila7979]

@bearsbugs I remembering this song being on an album that I listened to in the 70's. I believe Kris was at the height of popularity at that time, but a different kind of music came into being after then. It really is great--I'm with you on that!

[bearsbugs]

@manila7979 If it's the same album I had, you were listening to the "Me and Bobbie Magee" LP a lot of the other cuts on it were major to minor hits in their own fields for a lot of people, from Janis doing the title track, to Johnny Cash with Sunday Morning Coming Down, to Sammi Smith with Help Me Make it Through the Night, to Charlie Rich with For The Good Times. And a couple others that escape my memory at 5:45 AM and I haven't been to sleep yet :)

[petmoila]

It makes me go to goose pimples every time I hear this awesome tune!

[beezy3030]

one of the greatest songs of all time!

[cruxton31]

who needs those 19th century poets. We have kris. willie,johnny denver

[blackcrow36]

a great great song...... thanks for posting.

[CitySlickerHillBilly]

Is good. The end.

[Ananderson100]

I love this song, there is something so sad about it but sexual too, I got to see him about 3yrs ago at colsten hall Bristol, was sat quite away back but at the end I noticed he was shaking hands with people, I rushed to the front but he was about to leave the stage, I thought this is my only chance so I shouted Kriss, he heard me and came back and shook my hand and gave a little wink, I was in heaven 4 I really admire most 4 his wonderful poetry, William Blake of my time, God bless him.

[jackson82dz]

one of the best song ever From Algeria

[mtchair4me]

It is a great song. I have tried but cannot write a coherent comment in such a small space as this that would adequately explain it's subtleties. I tried but could not. It would take many pages to explain what I see going on in and with the lyrics. One must see the lyrics and structure to understand this piece. In total this composition defines the author in terms of singer, writer, musician and, POET.

[Putzflek]

It's a great song because it can be interpreted in many ways, and many of us can see ourselves - somehow - in one of the characters.

In addition, I think Kristofferson does a tremendous job here. What a star!

[Putzflek]

The way I see it: It's an ironic relationship between two lonely and trapped people.

He's a miner stuck in a dead end job that he hates and probably is in a loveless marriage as well. He hates how his life turned out, like many of us.

She works at a local honky tonk, and is also trapped in her domain, desperate to get out. She sees him as an escape from her misery and loneliness, perhaps she truly love him. She tries to set both of them free (well, mostly herself), but probably fails.

[CitySlickerHillBilly]

@Putzflek

It's based on Casey Jones, an engineer known all around for his unique whistle and for never being late.

The story can't fit into one comment, so look him up. But basically, he saved the lives of all on his train, but in the end died himself. Many songs and allusions have been made in his honor.

[thekidde63]

Not.

[CitySlickerHillBilly]

@thekidde63

Such a detailed analysis such as "not" leaves no mystery as to what you are inferring. No sir.

[thekidde63]

I imply, you infer.

[CitySlickerHillBilly]

Awesome. Tiny mistakes allow you to comment without saying anything important.  I'll make shore to spell something wrong this time so you can yet again avoid the question.

[meatsandwich69]

@CitySlickerHillBilly

The song isn't about him, however the title alludes to him.

[CitySlickerHillBilly]

@meatsandwich69

Well that's just confusing. I saw it as a different take on Casey, but that was just an opinion. Yours is just as likely, I suppose.

[Putzflek]

@CitySlickerHillBilly

thank you!

[STUDIOCHINCHAN]

Thanks for sharing this video

Cheers from Belgium

Eric - Studio ChinChan

[therealtrex]

Everyone check out Peter Rowans version on the Album -

Walls of Time

[thedoors360]

he has lived a diverse wild life. poet,pilot teacher,veteran,actor, father, husband.songwriter and singer.all around badass.

[Ananderson100]

You summed it up perfectly, kind regards Ann.

[CactassDupree]

@thedoors360 Rhoades Scholar too i think. (sp) dupree :)

[CactassDupree]

@thedoors360 Rhoades Scholar too i think. (sp) dupree :) for sure a road scholar

[chadhys]

The best song writer of our time And I will always love his music

[ultrabrougham]

@thedoors360 Kris never was a badass. I agree with the rest of your comment.

[JeudeLyne]

@thedoors360 it's a bitch to be a drunk.

[mtchair4me]

I see it as a relationship between a guy and girl. The story is narrated in two parts. . Casey's part deal with him returning home after a visit with his friend. The second part deals with the words he remembers her speaking to him. The lyrics I had printed out formed four paragraphs, His part are one and three. Her part is two and four. Two and four are unusual.

[JohnnyCashShow]

A great song! Thanks for posting!

[crosseyed101]

I've always read that it's from two time periods. The man's verses are the present, when he's lived his full life; kids, wife, job.

The woman's verses are from long ago, when he was first on his journey to manhood. They had a passionate love, but it was improper. I always thought she was an older woman, but she could be a prostitute.

[crosseyed101]

continued:

The point is, though, that she was his true belief, no matter the distance their relationship was his foundational experience. It hits him like a thunderclap every now and then. Why was he not the man to move into his destiny? Killer.

Anyway, probably one of the most killer songs ever written. Her verses, sung by Kris, are about as affecting as music can get.

[mattdk88]

@crosseyed101

I agree. Cash's version is amazing too, but it has a completely different feel to it. When Kris sings, you can feel the affection and melancholy right in the bones. When I first began listening to him, I remember thinking his voice was somewhat of a weak spot. This song is a clear evidence that I was wrong, I think :-)

[arjunthe1]

awesome song

[sabbac]

I've always thought the first two verses take place much later in the story when Casey is dead - walking into hell (or he;s a worker in a factory, same diff). Verse three is the earliest - a glimmer of a young romance. (she breaks up with him) .Verse 4 and 5. He is married,but empty. Verse 6, he meets the girl that destroyed him in his youth, she's lonely too.

[uglybadger1]

great song

[GunsNRoses247]

I think this song is about a man who is about to get married and its his last ride with a prostitute who he frequently visited. The prostitute grew to love Casey and knows she will never see him again because he "has a family of his own" and she asks him to "only stay a while" but he goes to drink off his torn feelings between his wife and the prostitute

[Maksimfan]

I agree. it's how I've always seen it.

[TutSichNix]

THANK YOU to all guy´s because you help me to get back my ego !!!

lol

[TutSichNix]

hey dude´s, .. i hear this song since about 15 years, ..i try to translate the lyric´s in my motherlanguage a few times. because i like this song so very much. i want to know what about he is singing. almost i become headache and losing my self awareness. i run with my fucking head against the fucking wall again and again and translation programms even support my problems. know i found the song , and see man who speak english discuss about the meaning of the lyrics.

[MeneerTiki]

At least Casey takes it like a man; alone and resigned.

A woman is never the answer, to one's problems

[jibefilm]

where ca i download the song ?

[Chastalard]

A beautiful song...check out June Tabor's rendition

she has a wonderful take on it. Amazing lyrics.

[ProfanityJames]

Casey's ruined - he had sumat decent in that bird and he's left her behind - that's how I see it, I could be wrong of course.

[zaaritha]

Great lyrics!

[dangervich]

casey kills himself... that's why it's his last ride.

[pinchandtwist]

isnt this the guy from the movie Convoy? a think his name was Mud-Duck!

[madmargey]

he played Rubber Duck aka Martin Penwald, brilliant film

Big 10-4

[202001NI]

I think its about the "lady of the night" type of thing. Some lonely person he is leaving behind. So, pretty much thats the way I interpret it.

[GilbertSmith]

Yeah. Kind of like marriage is a prison sentence keeping him away from the lonesome mistress he truly loves.

[comeonfolks]

Is this a cheating song? I never can quite figure out what this song is about. Is Casey going to see his secret lovey dovey for the last time?