Me and Bobby McGee - wikipedia Me and Bobby McGee For the album entitled Me and Bobby McGee, see Kristofferson ( album ). `` Me and Bobby McGee '' Single by Roger Miller from the album Roger Miller 1970 Released July 1969 Format 7 '' Recorded May 16, 1969 Genre Country Length 4 : 02 Label BNA 69035 Songwriter ( s ) Kris Kristofferson Fred Foster Producer ( s ) Jerry Kennedy Roger Miller singles chronology `` Vance '' ( 1969 ) `` Me and Bobby McGee '' ( 1969 ) `` Where Have All the Average People Gone '' ( 1969 ) `` Vance '' ( 1969 ) `` Me and Bobby McGee '' ( 1969 ) `` Where Have All the Average People Gone '' ( 1969 ) `` Me and Bobby McGee '' is a song written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, originally performed by Roger Miller. Others performed the song later, including the Grateful Dead, Kristofferson himself, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, and most famously Janis Joplin, whose posthumously released version topped the U.S. singles chart in 1971, making the song the second posthumously released No. 1 single in U.S. chart history after `` ( Sittin ' On ) The Dock of the Bay '' by Otis Redding. Billboard ranked Joplin 's version as the No. 11 song for 1971. Contents 1 History 2 Narrative 3 Recordings and notable performances 4 Chart performance ( Roger Miller version ) 5 ( Janis Joplin version ) 5.1 Weekly singles charts 5.2 Year - end charts 6 Selected list of recorded versions 7 References 8 External links History The suggestion for the title came from producer and Monument Records founder Fred Foster. Kristofferson did not write the song for Joplin, but it became strongly associated with her after her death. Narrative The song is the story of two drifters, the narrator and his girlfriend Bobby McGee. The couple hitch a ride from a truck driver and sing as they drive through the American south. They visit California and then part ways, with the song 's narrator expressing his sadness after her departure. Recordings and notable performances `` Me and Bobby McGee '' Single by Janis Joplin from the album Pearl B - side `` Half Moon '' Released January 11, 1971 ( 1971 - 01 - 11 ) Recorded September 5 - October 1, 1970 Genre Blues rock, country rock Length 4 : 33 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster Producer ( s ) Paul A. Rothchild Roger Miller was the first artist to record the song and it appeared at No. 12 on the U.S. country chart in 1969. Gordon Lightfoot 's version hit No. 13 on the pop music chart and No. 1 country music chart in his native country of Canada in 1970. The song was included on a Statler Brothers album but was not released as a single. Kenny Rogers and The First Edition recorded the song ( with Rogers on lead vocals ) and released in on their album Ruby, Do n't Take Your Love To Town in 1969. Joplin recorded the song for inclusion on her Pearl album only a few days before her death in October 1970. Studio musician Stephen Ryder manned the keyboard for that session, and famously `` Got a little carried away. '' Kristofferson had sung the song for her, and singer Bob Neuwirth taught it to her. Kristofferson did not know she had recorded it until after her death. The first time he heard her recording of it was the day after she died. Joplin 's version topped the charts to become her only number one single and in 2004, her version of this song was ranked No. 148 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Chart performance ( Roger Miller version ) Chart ( 1969 ) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles 12 U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 22 Canadian RPM Country Tracks ( Janis Joplin version ) Weekly singles charts Chart ( 1971 ) Peak position Australia KMR Canada RPM 6 New Zealand 10 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1971 ) Rank Australia 17 Canada 79 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 11 U.S. Cash Box 29 Selected list of recorded versions 1969 Roger Miller - album Roger Miller 1969 Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - album Ruby, Do n't Take Your Love to Town 1970 Ramblin ' Jack Elliott - album Bull Durham Sacks & Railroad Tracks 1970 The Statler Brothers - album Bed of Rose 's 1970 Gordon Lightfoot - album Sit Down Young Stranger 1970 Kris Kristofferson - album Kristofferson ( Kristofferson 's version also appears in the film Two - Lane Blacktop ) 1970 Bill Haley & His Comets - album Rock Around the Country. ( According to the biography Bill Haley by John Swenson, Kristofferson gave Haley 's version his seal of approval. ) 1970 Sam The Sham - single `` Me And Bobby McGee / Key To The Highway '' ( Atlantic # 2757 ) 1971 John Mogensen as `` Carsten Levin '' - single / featured on album John ( 1973 ) 1971 Janis Joplin U.S. number - one single : parent album Pearl 1971 & 1972 Jerry Lee Lewis - album The Killer Rocks On / B - side of `` Would You Take Another Chance on Me '' 1971 Dottie West - album Have You Heard... 1971 The Grateful Dead - album Skull & Roses, and numerous other live recordings 1971 Loretta Lynn - album I Wanna Be Free 1971 Lalla Hansson as `` Anna & mej '' - album Upp till Ragvaldsträsk scoring a Tio i topp hit. 1972 Johnny Cash - album På Österåker 1972 Charlie McCoy - album Charlie McCoy 1972 Jeannie C. Riley - album Give Myself a Party 1973 Waylon Jennings - album Lonesome, On'ry and Mean 1973 Chet Atkins - album Alone 1973 Thelma Houston - album Thelma Houston 1973 Olivia Newton - John - album Let Me Be There 1974 Lonnie Donegan - album Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann 1974 Cornelis Vreeswijk as `` Jag och Bosse Lidén '' - album Getinghonung 1979 Gianna Nannini as `` Io e Bobby McGee '' - album California 1984 Joan Baez - album Live Europe ' 83 album : Baez also performed the song with the Boston Pops in 1985. 1994 Blind Melon records the song in the studio during a session in The Netherlands, appears on their B - sides collection. 1994 Melissa Etheridge - album Acoustic 1997 Loquillo - album Compañeros de viaje 1999 LeAnn Rimes - album LeAnn Rimes 1999 Barb Jungr - album Bare 2002 Anne Murray - album Country Croonin ' 2002 Jennifer Love Hewitt - album Bare Naked 2002 Waterloo & Robinson as `` Ich und BobbyMcGee '' - album Marianne 2003 Jerry Jeff Walker - album Too Old To Change 2004 Pink - album Live in Europe 2005 Dolly Parton - album Those Were The Days 2005 Arlo Guthrie - album Live In Sydney 2005 Tori Amos live in Hartford 10 April 2005 2006 Dale Ann Bradley - album Catch Tomorrow 2007 Angela Kalule on the soundtrack of The Last King of Scotland 2007 Caroline af Ugglas - album Joplin på Svenska 2008 Amanda Strydom - album kerse teen die donker 2010 Crystal Bowersox on American Idol iTunes release of studio version from Top 11 week, and Final 2 week, of season 9 2013 Grace Askew recorded a studio version on the fourth season of The Voice USA after defeating Trevor Davis in the Battle Round performing the same song. 2016 Matt Doyle - album Uncontrolled Other artists Amanda Overmyer Reba McEntire Joan Baez Arlo Guthrie Loretta Lynn Willie Nelson Dave Dudley The Statler Brothers Aaron Lewis John Doe Charley Pride Taylor Horn Kenny Rogers Brian McKnight Celinda Pink The Platters Impotent Sea Snakes Bobbie Gentry Buck Owens Roy Clark Hank Snow Jerry Lee Lewis Preceded by `` Everything a Man Could Ever Need '' by Glen Campbell RPM Country Tracks number - one single ( Gordon Lightfoot version ) September 19, 1970 Succeeded by `` Countryfied '' by Dick Damron Preceded by `` One Bad Apple '' by The Osmonds Billboard Hot 100 number - one single ( Janis Joplin version ) March 20 - March 27, 1971 Succeeded by `` Just My Imagination ( Running Away with Me ) '' by The Temptations References ^ Jump up to : `` Kris Kristofferson 's `` Me and Bobby McGee '' - June 22, 2013 Lydia Hutchinson ``. Jump up ^ `` Me And Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin Songfacts ''. Songfacts.com. 1968 - 06 - 06. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ Hawke, Ethan ( April 16, 2009 ). `` The Last Outlaw Poet ''. Rolling Stone ( 1076 ) : 57. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 10. Jump up ^ Canada, Library and Archives ( 17 July 2013 ). `` Image : RPM Weekly ''. Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` flavour of new zealand - search listener ''. Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2016 - 06 - 24. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Australian Chart Book ''. Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016 - 03 - 05. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1971 / Top 100 Songs of 1971 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2015 - 06 - 26. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 30. Jump up ^ `` Lalla Hansson - Anna & Mej ( Vinyl ) ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Upp till Ragvaldsträsk ! Svensk mediedatabas ''. SMDB.kb.se. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` John Doe -- Me and Bobby McGee ''. Last.fm. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. External links New Yorker cartoon quoting the song A SecondHandSongs list of selected artists who covered `` Me and Bobby McGee '' Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics FILM : ACOUSTIC - Kris Kristofferson performs `` Me and Bobby McGee '' and relates La Strada by The Modern School of Film at ArcLight Presents... Janis Joplin Studio albums Big Brother & the Holding Company ( 1967 ) Cheap Thrills ( 1968 ) I Got Dem Ol ' Kozmic Blues Again Mama ! ( 1969 ) Pearl ( 1971 ) Live albums In Concert ( 1972 ) Live at Winterland ' 68 ( 1998 ) The Woodstock Experience ( 2009 ) Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968 ( 2012 ) Compilations Janis Joplin 's Greatest Hits ( 1973 ) Janis ( 1975 ) Wicked Woman ( 1976 ) Farewell Song ( 1982 ) Janis ( 1993 ) This Is Janis Joplin ( 1995 ) 18 Essential Songs ( 1995 ) Love, Janis ( 2001 ) The Lost Tapes ( 2008 ) Move Over ! ( 2011 ) Blow All My Blues Away ( 2012 ) Songs `` Ball ' n ' Chain '' `` Careless Love '' `` Cry Baby '' `` Down on Me '' `` Flower in the Sun '' `` Hesitation Blues '' `` Kozmic Blues '' `` Mary Jane '' `` Me and Bobby McGee '' `` Mercedes Benz '' `` Move Over '' `` Nobody Knows You When You 're Down and Out '' `` Piece of My Heart '' `` See See Rider '' `` Silver Threads and Golden Needles '' `` Summertime '' `` Tell Mama '' `` To Love Somebody '' `` Trouble in Mind '' `` What Good Can Drinkin ' Do '' `` Work Me, Lord '' Related Big Brother and the Holding Company Full Tilt Boogie Band Janis ( 1974 documentary ) Love, Janis ( 2001 musical ) Nine Hundred Nights ( 2001 documentary ) Festival Express ( 2003 documentary ) Janis : Little Girl Blue ( 2015 documentary ) Sam Andrew Jorma Kaukonen Gabriel Mekler Michael Monarch Monterey Pop Festival Woodstock Festival Port Arthur, Texas Book : Janis Joplin Jerry Lee Lewis Studio albums Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee 's Greatest Soul My Way The Golden Cream of the Country Who 's Gonna Play This Old Piano ? Southern Roots : Back Home to Memphis Last Man Standing Mean Old Man Collaborations Class of ' 55 ( with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison ) Million Dollar Quartet ( with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley ) Live albums Live at the Star Club, Hamburg The Survivors Live Last Man Standing Live Soundtrack albums Jamboree ( 1957 ) American Hot Wax ( 1978 ) Great Balls of Fire ! ( 1989 ) Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) Compilation albums All Killer, No Filler : The Anthology Songs `` Baby Baby Bye Bye '' `` Baby, Hold Me Close '' `` Breathless '' `` Chantilly Lace '' `` Cold, Cold Heart '' `` Come as You Were '' `` Crazy Arms '' `` Do n't Let Me Cross Over '' ( with Linda Gail Lewis ) `` Down the Line '' `` End of the Road '' `` Great Balls of Fire '' `` Hi Heel Sneakers '' `` High School Confidential '' `` I 'm So Lonesome I Could Cry '' `` In the Mood '' `` Invitation to Your Party '' `` It 'll Be Me '' `` Jackson '' ( with Linda Gail Lewis ) `` Lewis Boogie '' `` Me and Bobby McGee '' `` One Has My Name ( The Other Has My Heart ) '' `` One Minute Past Eternity '' `` She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye '' `` She Still Comes Around ( to Love What 's Left of Me ) '' `` Sixteen Candles '' `` Somewhere Over the Rainbow '' `` Sweet Little Sixteen '' `` There Must Be More to Love Than This '' `` To Make Love Sweeter For You '' `` Turn On Your Love Light '' `` What 's Made Milwaukee Famous ( Has Made a Loser Out of Me ) '' `` What 'd I Say '' `` When He Walks on You ( Like You Have Walked On Me ) '' `` Whole Lotta Shakin ' Goin ' On '' `` Would You Take Another Chance on Me '' `` You Win Again '' Filmography Jamboree ( 1957 ) High School Confidential ( 1958 ) American Hot Wax ( 1978 ) Family Mickey Gilley Linda Gail Lewis Carl McVoy Jimmy Swaggart Related articles Discography Great Balls of Fire ! Walk the Line Kenny Lovelace Mack Vickery Bill Haley & His Comets Bill Haley Joey Ambrose Franny Beecher David Byrd Danny Cedrone Johnny Grande Jackson Haney Ralph Jones John `` Bam - Bam '' Lane Lenny Longo Marshall Lytle Nick Nastos Rudy Pompilli Al Rappa Al Rex Dick Richards Billy Williamson Albums Rock ' n Roll Stage Show Rockin ' the Oldies Rockin ' Around the World Bill Haley 's Chicks Strictly Instrumental Bill Haley and His Comets Haley 's Juke Box Compilations Rock with Bill Haley and the Comets Shake, Rattle and Roll Rock Around the Clock Rockin ' the Joint Songs `` Rocket 88 '' `` Jukebox Cannonball '' `` Rock the Joint '' `` Real Rock Drive '' `` Crazy Man, Crazy '' `` Fractured '' `` Live It Up '' `` Chattanooga Choo Choo '' `` Rock Around the Clock '' `` Shake, Rattle and Roll '' `` Birth of the Boogie '' `` Two Hound Dogs '' `` Rock - A-Beatin ' Boogie '' `` See You Later, Alligator '' `` Hot Dog Buddy Buddy '' `` Rudy 's Rock '' `` Rip It Up '' `` Do n't Knock the Rock '' `` Skinny Minnie '' `` Corrine, Corrina '' `` I Got a Woman '' `` Charmaine '' `` Joey 's Song '' `` Skokiaan '' `` Music ! Music ! Music ! '' `` La Paloma '' `` Yakety Sax '' `` Green Door '' `` Land of a Thousand Dances '' `` Me and Bobby McGee '' Related Discography Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Me_and_Bobby_McGee&oldid=796407196 '' Categories : 1969 singles 1971 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Taylor Horn songs Joan Baez songs Grateful Dead songs Bill Haley songs Janis Joplin songs Kris Kristofferson songs Gordon Lightfoot songs Roger Miller songs Jerry Lee Lewis songs Number - one singles in Australia Songs written by Kris Kristofferson RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients 1969 songs Song recordings produced by Jerry Kennedy Songs about trains Lalla Hansson songs Songs released posthumously BNA Records singles Columbia Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Eesti Español Français Italiano Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Русский Sardu Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 20 August 2017, at 16 : 43. 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Question: when did janis joplin record me and bobby mcgee
Answer: a few days before her death in October 1970