The Epiphany Kris Kristofferson Had Before Writing His First No. 1 as a Solo Artist, “Why Me”

A day at church turned into a life-changing moment for Kris Kristofferson. During one service, which Kristofferson attended with Connie Smith in the early 1970s, he had an epiphany. The night before, the two had done a benefit, and it had been years since Kristofferson had been to church. He joined Smith the following day at the Evangel Temple headed by Reverend Jimmie Rodgers Snow, son of Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Snow in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and the ceremony moved him in a way he never expected, leading him to write one of his biggest hits.

“Saved”

“Larry Gatlin sang “Help Me’ and it really moved me,” remembered Kristofferson of what he remembred from the service. “Then everybody was kneeling down and praying, and Jimmie Snow said something about ‘Is anybody lost’ or something like that, and I remember thinking ‘Why would anybody raise their hand?’ And then my hand went up almost involuntarily, and then he said ‘If you want to be saved, come down front.’”

Kristofferson continued “I can’t remember his exact words, but I remember that I thought at the time ‘There is no way in the world that I would get up in front of a bunch of strangers,’ and then I found myself doing it, and I walked down to where he was. He asked me, ‘Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ as your savior?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know,’ and he looked at me, and I guess he knew that I didn’t know, and he said ‘Get down on your knees.’”

Though he couldn’t recall everything that was said to him, Kristofferson does remember that he began crying. “I was weeping uncontrollably and felt this tremendous relief like some big burden had been lifted off my shoulders,” said Kristofferson. “I was too lost in what was happening to even be embarrassed by it. I was, a little later on, embarrassed because I had never done anything like that before or since. I can remember coming out of it. It was almost like coming out of some acid experience or something. That led me to write “Why Me,” and I really felt like I was just holding a pen. I wasn’t thinking up the words of it.”

“Why Me?”

“Why Me” is exactly what Kristofferson was asking the Lord in the song at the time. In the lyrics, he asks why he has been so blessed in his life and how he can prevent himself from taking it all for granted.

Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I’ve known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving You
Or the kindness You’ve shown

Lord help me Jesus, I’ve wasted it
So help me Jesus, I know what I am
Now that I know that I’ve needed you
So Help me Jesus, my soul’s in Your hand

Tell me Lord, if you think there’s a way
I can try to repay
All I’ve taken from You
Maybe Lord, I can show someone else
What I’ve been through myself
On my way back to You

[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know Kris Kristofferson Wrote for Other Artists—First]

Released on Kristofferson’s fourth album Jesus Was a Capricorn in 1972, “Why Me”—also referred to as “Why Me Lord”—was his first song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and the biggest hit of his career as a solo artist. While Kristofferson had other No. 1s with songs like “Me and Bobby McGee,” “For the Good Times,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” they became hits for other artists.

Kristofferson earned his second No. 1 with the “Highwayman” in 1985. The 1977 Jimmy Webb song inspired the name of the country supergroup The Highwaymen, comprised of Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. Their rendition of Webb’s song topped the charts along with their eponymous debut.

The song also peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Jesus Was a Capricorn also topped the Country album chart.

[RELATED: More Country Outlaws Are Due Induction Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]

Gatlin, who was at the church with Kristofferson that fateful day, also sings backup on the track along with Rita Coolidge. Kristofferson married Coolidge in 1973 but the couple later divorced in 1980.

Elvis’ Cover

Following its release, Elvis Presley would perform “Why Me” live, and his version appeared on his 1974 album Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, along with the 2009 release I Believe – The Gospel Masters.

For more than five decades, Kristofferson’s song has also been covered more than 100 times with more notable renditions by his fellow Highwaymen Nelson and Cash, along with Smith, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Tanya Tucker, David Allan, Coe, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many more.

Photo: Su Ingle/David Reffern/Redferns/Getty Images