Help Me Make it Through the Night - wikipedia Help Me Make it Through the Night For the Sammi Smith album, see Help Me Make It Through the Night ( album ). For the Hank Crawford album, see Help Me Make It Through the Night ( Hank Crawford album ). `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' Song by Kris Kristofferson from the album Kristofferson A-side `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' Released 1970 Recorded 1969 Genre Country Length 2 : 24 Label Monument Songwriter ( s ) Kris Kristofferson Producer ( s ) Fred Foster `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' Single by Sammi Smith B - side `` When Michael Calls '' Released January 1970 Genre Country Label Mega Records Songwriter ( s ) Kris Kristofferson Producer ( s ) Jim Malloy Sammi Smith singles chronology `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' ( 1970 ) `` I 've Got to Have You '' ( 1972 ) `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' ( 1971 ) `` I 've Got to Have You '' ( 1972 ) `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' is a country music ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album Kristofferson. It was covered later in 1970 by Sammi Smith, on the album Help Me Make It Through the Night. Smith 's recording of the song remains the most commercially successful and most well - known version in the United States. Her recording ranks among the most successful country singles of all time in terms of sales, popularity, and radio airplay. It topped the country singles chart, and was also a crossover hit, reaching number eight on the U.S. pop singles chart. `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' also became Smith 's signature song. Inspired by Smith 's success with the song, numerous other artists covered it soon thereafter, including Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson. Other artists who have recorded charting versions of the song include Gladys Knight & the Pips, John Holt, and ( in French ) Claude Varade. Contents 1 Background and writing 2 Content 3 Chart performance 3.1 Sammi Smith 3.2 Weekly charts 3.3 Year - end charts 4 Other charting versions 4.1 Willie Nelson 5 Other cover versions 5.1 Conventional 5.2 Novelty and other language 6 Television and film appearances 7 References 8 External links Background and writing Kristofferson said that he got the inspiration for the song from an Esquire magazine interview with Frank Sinatra. When asked what he believed in, Frank replied, `` Booze, broads, or a bible... whatever helps me make it through the night. '' During his time as a struggling songwriter, Kristofferson wrote the song while staying with Dottie West and her husband, Bill, at their home on Shy 's Hill Road in Nashville 's Green Hills neighborhood. When he offered Dottie the song, she originally claimed it was `` too suggestive '' for her. Eventually, she would record it before the year was out, and it is included on her album Careless Hands. However, by then, several others had recorded and released versions of it, some garnering great success. Later on, West said that not recording it when it was originally offered to her was one of the greatest regrets of her career. Content Kristofferson 's original lyrics speak of a man 's yearning for sexual intimacy. They were controversial in 1971 when the song was covered by a woman : I do n't care what 's right or wrong, I do n't try to understand / Let the devil take tomorrow, Lord tonight I need a friend. Chart performance Sammi Smith Sammi Smith 's recording reached number - one on the U.S. country charts and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Music Female performance. On February 20, 1971, it reached number 8 on Billboard 's U.S. pop singles chart, and also enjoyed success in Canada. Adult - Contemporary stations took to the song, and it peaked at number 3 on Billboard 's Easy Listening chart. Additionally, it spent three weeks at number 1 on the Country chart. The song became a gold record. Weekly charts Chart ( 1971 ) Peak position Australia KMR 7 Canada RPM Top Singles Canada RPM Country Tracks US Billboard Hot 100 8 US Billboard Easy Listening US Billboard Hot Country Singles US Cash Box Top 100 9 Year - end charts Chart ( 1971 ) Rank Australia 32 Canada 64 US Billboard Hot 100 36 US Cash Box 78 Other charting versions In 1971, Joe Simon hit # 69 on the Hot 100 and # 13 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. In 1972, a version by Gladys Knight & the Pips reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and was a Top 10 pop hit in the United Kingdom. This version was later sampled extensively on Huff and Puff 's 1996 dance track `` Help Me Make It ''. In 1974, John Holt included the song on his album 1000 Volts of Holt. That year, his recording of the song made it into the UK Top Ten. In 1975, the French Canadian singer Claude Valade recorded a French version of the song, `` Aide - moi à passer la nuit '', produced and distributed by London Deram Records. The French - language lyrics were written by Canadian singer - songwriter Christine Charbonneau. The song made its way to fame and was on the charts ( 3rd place ) for more than six months. In 1980, Willie Nelson covered the song. His rendition became a hit on the Country music charts of both the U.S. and Canada. Willie Nelson Chart ( 1980 ) Peak position US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Canadian RPM Country Tracks In 2007, it was recorded for a second time in French with Annie Blanchard ( Musicor Records ) and the song made the Top 20 for 26 weeks, reaching a high of # 6. Other cover versions Conventional Other artists who have recorded the song include : Ray Price, on the 1970 album For The Good Times, released slightly before Sammi Smith 's version Jerry Lee Lewis, on the 1971 album Touching Home Lynn Anderson, on the 1971 album You 're My Man Glen Campbell, on the 1971 album The Last Time I Saw Her Loretta Lynn, on the 1971 album I Wanna Be Free Johnny Mathis, on the 1971 album You 've Got a Friend Andy Williams, on the 1971 album You 've Got a Friend Jim Nabors, on the 1971 album Help Me Make It Through The Night Skeeter Davis, on the 1971 album Skeeter Dottie West, on the 1971 album Careless Hands Jeannie C. Riley, on the 1971 album Jeannie Joan Baez, on the 1971 album Blessed Are... ( In her 1987 memoir, Baez disclosed that she had had an affair with Kristofferson himself at the same approximate time. ) Peggy Lee, on the 1971 album Where Did They Go Olivia Newton - John, on the 1971 album If Not for You Engelbert Humperdinck, on the 1971 album Another Time, Another Place and again in 2009 for A Taste of Country. Elvis Presley, on the 1972 album Elvis Now Saxophonist Hank Crawford, on the 1972 album Help Me Make It Through the Night Tammy Wynette, on the 1974 album Another Lonely Song Lena Zavaroni, on the 1974 album Ma ! ( He 's Making Eyes At Me ) ; she later performed it live on numerous occasions, including at her own wedding in 1989 Charley Pride, on the 1976 album The Happiness of Having You Sergio Franchi, a tenor / crossover version on the 1976 DynaHouse album 20 Magnificent Songs. Harry James, on the 1979 album Still Harry After All These Years Monika Brodka, on the 2005 album `` Album '' ( 1 ) Bryan Adams, on the 2014 album Tracks of My Years Debbie Rule, covered the song on her album Texas Girls ( 2015 ). Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, recorded it as a duet. The recording is found on the 2006 compilation June Carter and Johnny Cash : Duets, released by Sony BMG. In this version, Johnny Cash inserts `` June '' before the line tonight I need a friend. In 2008, Mariah Carey recorded a version of the song intended for inclusion on the soundtrack album of the film Tennessee, but the album was never released. Her recording was eventually released on YouTube in 2010. Novelty and other language Barry Humphries, in the lecherous persona of his character Sir Les Patterson, released a version of the song on the 1985 LP 12 Inches of Les. In 1990, country novelty musician Ray Stevens produced a comedic version of the song. After a conventional balladic first verse with piano and strings, a Foghorn Leghorn character breaks in demanding `` a little fire in it ! '' Stevens launches into an upbeat `` hillbilly '' bluegrass tempo, interspersing each line with mocking jokes of those lines : the first line `` Take the ribbon from your hair, '' is followed by a ripping sound followed by a woman yelling, Spike Jones - style, and so on. Another comedic version was recorded by novelty group Big Daddy, which was performed in the style, and with musical references to The Coasters. A parody was called `` Help Me Make It Through the Yard '' by Pinkard & Bowden, in which the lyrics are altered to tell about the plight of a man coming home drunk : Take the rosebush from my hair, / Lord, it has a lot of thorns, / What 's the sprinkler doing on / At this hour of the morn ?... In Austria, a German language version of the song was recorded by S.T.S.. Its title in German was `` Gö, Du Bleibst Heut Nacht Bei Mir ''. The song was also covered by UK singer Charlie Landsborough on his 2009 album ' Nothing Lasts Forever '. Another German Version ( `` Hilf Mir Durch Die Nacht '' ) exists by Volker Lechtenbrink. A Spanish version was recorded in Colombia in 2001 by Marco T. An Estonian version was released in 1983 by Ivo Linna & Rock Hotel. Television and film appearances In 1972, John Huston used Kristofferson 's version as the theme for his feature Fat City. It plays under the title credits, with instrumental arrangements later in the movie. In 1978, Kristofferson made a guest appearance on the television series The Muppet Show ; on that episode he performed `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' as a duet with a besotted Miss Piggy. In the 1997 film The Ice Storm, the Sammi Smith recording plays in the background in one of the key party scenes. In 2013, American Idol contestant Kree Harrison sang this song during season 12 on `` Songs They Wish They Had Written '' week. In 2015, DeAnna Johnson covered this song on The Voice. References Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ Australian-charts.com Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 - 2001. Record Research. p. 226. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits : 1944 - 2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 321. Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 10, 1971 Jump up ^ `` Forum - 1970 ( ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts ) ''. Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016 - 06 - 02. Retrieved 2017 - 04 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1971 Jump up ^ `` Huff & Puff 's Help Me Make It sample of Gladys Knight & the Pips 's Help Me Make It Through the Night ''. WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 06. Jump up ^ `` Claude Valade Hit Parade, ' ' Aide - moi à passer la nuit ' ', in 3rd place for 26 weeks '' ( PDF ). 2.banq.qc.ca. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2012 - 04 - 25. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Willie Nelson Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Annie Blanchard, ' ' Aide - moi à passer la nuit ' ', Top 20, Charts '' ( PDF ). 2.banq.qc.ca. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2012 - 04 - 25. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Sergio Franchi ''. Discogs.com. Archived from the original on 2012 - 04 - 21. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ Daw, Robbie ( May 17, 2010 ). `` Mariah Carey Covers `` Help Me Make It Through The Night '' ``. Idolator. External links Allmusic review Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Kris Kristofferson Albums Kristofferson The Silver Tongued Devil and I Border Lord Jesus Was a Capricorn Spooky Lady 's Sideshow Who 's to Bless and Who 's to Blame Surreal Thing Songs of Kristofferson Easter Island Shake Hands with the Devil To the Bone The Winning Hand ( with Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Dolly Parton ) Music from Songwriter ( with Willie Nelson ) Repossessed Third World Warrior A Moment of Forever The Austin Sessions This Old Road Closer to the Bone With Rita Coolidge Full Moon Breakaway Natural Act With The Highwaymen Highwayman Highwayman 2 The Road Goes on Forever Live Live at the Philharmonic Broken Freedom Song : Live from San Francisco Compilation albums Songs of Kristofferson The Essential Kris Kristofferson Please Do n't Tell Me How the Story Ends : The Publishing Demos The Complete Monument & Columbia Album Collection See also Discography Filmography Ghost Brothers of Darkland County Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson Joe Simon Studio albums The Chokin ' Kind The Sounds of Simon Drowning in the Sea of Love The Power of Joe Simon Get Down Singles `` The Chokin ' Kind '' `` San Francisco Is a Lonely Town '' `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' `` Drowning in the Sea of Love '' `` Power of Love '' `` Misty Blue '' `` Get Down, Get Down ( Get on the Floor ) '' `` Funny How Time Slips Away '' Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight Merald `` Bubba '' Knight William Guest Edward Patten Brenda Knight Eleanor Guest Langston George Chris Morante Studio albums Everybody Needs Love Neither One of Us Imagination I Feel a Song 2nd Anniversary The One and Only Soundtrack albums Claudine Compilation albums The Ultimate Collection Singles `` Every Beat of My Heart '' `` Giving Up '' `` Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me '' `` Everybody Needs Love '' `` I Heard It Through the Grapevine '' `` The End of Our Road '' `` It Should Have Been Me '' `` I Wish It Would Rain '' `` The Nitty Gritty '' `` If I Were Your Woman '' `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' `` Neither One of Us ( Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye ) '' `` The Look of Love '' `` Midnight Train to Georgia '' `` I 've Got to Use My Imagination '' `` Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me '' `` I Feel a Song ( In My Heart ) '' `` The Way We Were / Try to Remember '' `` Save the Overtime ( For Me ) '' `` Hero '' `` Love Overboard '' `` Baby, Do n't Change Your Mind '' Related topics Discography Aaliyah Barry Hankerson Book Willie Nelson singles discography 1950s and 1960s 1957 `` No Place For Me '' / `` Lumberjack '' 1959 `` Man With the Blues '' / `` The Storm Has Just Begun '' 1960 `` What a Way to Live '' / `` Misery Mansion '' `` Nite Life '' / `` Rainy Day Blues '' 1961 `` The Part Where I Cry '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1962 `` Willingly '' / `` Chain of Love '' `` Touch Me '' / `` Where My House Lives '' `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' / `` There 's Gonna Be Love In My House '' `` You Dream About Me '' / `` Is This My Destiny '' 1963 `` Half a Man '' / `` The Last Letter '' `` Take My Word '' / `` Feed it a Memory '' 1964 `` How Long is Forever '' / `` You Took My Happy Away '' `` Am I Blue '' / `` There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight '' `` River Boy '' / `` Opportunity to Cry '' `` I Never Cared For You '' / `` You Left Me ( A Long Time Ago ) '' `` Pretty Paper '' / `` What A Merry Christmas This Could Be '' 1965 `` She 's Not For You '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Healing Hands of Time '' / `` One Day at the Time '' `` I Just Ca n't Let You Say Goodbye '' / `` And So Will You, My Love '' 1966 `` One In A Row '' / `` San Antonio Rose '' `` Colombus Stockade Blues '' / `` He Sits at my Table '' `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' / `` I Love You Because '' 1967 `` The Party 's Over '' / `` Make Way for a Better Man '' `` Blackjack County Chain '' / `` Some Other World '' `` San Antonio '' / `` To Make a Long Story Short '' 1968 `` Little Things '' / `` Sweet Memories '' `` Good Times '' / `` Where Do You Stand '' `` Johnny One Time '' / `` She 's Still Gone '' 1969 `` Bring Me Sunshine '' / `` Do n't Say Love or Nothing '' `` I Hope So '' / `` Right or Wrong '' 1970s 1970 `` Once More With Feeling '' / `` Who Do I Know in Dallas '' `` Laying My Burdens Down '' / `` Truth Number One '' 1971 `` I 'm a Memory '' / `` Fire and Rain '' `` Yesterday 's Wine '' / `` Me and Paul '' 1972 `` Words Do n't Fit the Picture '' / `` A Moment '' 1973 `` Shotgun Willie '' ( mono ) / `` Sad Songs and Waltzes '' `` Stay All Night ( Stay a Little Longer ) '' / `` Devil in a Sleepin ' Bag '' `` I Still Ca n't Believe You 're Gone '' / `` Heaven and Hell '' `` Bloody Mary Morning '' / `` After the Fire is Gone '' ( with Tracy Nelson ) `` Sister 's Comin ' Home '' ( mono ) / `` Pick Up The Tempo '' `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' / `` Bandera '' 1976 `` Remember Me ( When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming ) '' / `` Time of the Preacher '' `` I 'd Have to Be Crazy '' ( mono ) / `` Amazing Grace '' `` If You 've Got the Money I 've Got the Time '' / `` The Sound in Your Mind '' 1977 `` Uncloudy Day '' / `` Precious Memories '' `` I Love You A Thousand Ways '' / `` Mom and Dad 's Waltz '' 1978 `` Georgia on My Mind '' / `` On The Sunny Side Of The Street '' `` Blue Skies '' / `` Moonlight in Vermont '' `` All of Me '' / `` Unchained Melody '' 1979 `` Whiskey River '' / `` Under the Double Eagle '' `` September Song '' / `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` White Christmas '' / `` Blue Christmas '' 1980s 1980 `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' / `` The Pilgrim, Chapter 33 '' `` My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys '' / `` Rising Stars '' `` Midnight Rider '' / `` So You Think You 're A Cowboy '' `` On the Road Again '' / `` Jumpin ' Cotton Eyed Joe '' ( performed by Johnny Gimble ) 1981 `` Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground '' / `` I Guess I 've Come to Live Here in Your Eyes '' `` Mona Lisa '' / `` Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' / `` Over the Rainbow '' `` Heartaches of a Fool '' / `` Uncloudy Day '' 1982 `` Always on My Mind '' / `` The Party 's Over '' `` Let It Be Me '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning '' / `` Old Fords and a Natural Stone '' `` Little Old Fashioned Karma '' / `` Beer Barrel Polka '' `` Why Do I Have to Choose '' / `` Would You Lay with Me ( In a Field of Stone ) '' `` Take It to the Limit '' / `` Till I Gain Control Again '' `` Without a Song '' 1984 `` City of New Orleans ( Unedited version ) '' / `` Why Are You Pickin ' On Me '' 1985 `` Forgiving You Was Easy '' / `` You Would n't Cross the Street '' `` Me and Paul '' / `` I Let My Mind Wander '' 1986 `` Living in the Promiseland '' / `` Bach Minuet in G '' `` I 'm Not Trying to Forget You '' / `` I 've Got the Craziest Feeling '' `` Partners After All '' / `` Home Away From Home '' `` Heart of Gold '' / `` So Much Like My Dad '' `` Island in the Sea '' / `` There Is No Easy Way '' `` Nobody There But Me '' / `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' `` Spanish Eyes '' ( with Julio Iglesias ) / `` Ole Buttermilk Sky '' `` Twilight Time '' / `` Ac - Cent - Tchu - Ate the Positive '' `` Nothing I Can Do About It Now '' / `` If I Were a Painting '' `` There You Are '' / `` Spirit '' `` Is The Better Part Over '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1990s `` The Highway '' / `` Spirit '' `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' / `` I Never Cared For You '' ( `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' also on CD Single ) 1991 `` The Piper Came Today '' / `` ( I Do n't Have a Reason ) To Go To California Anymore '' ( `` The Piper Came Today '' also on CD Single ) `` Ten With a Two '' / `` You Decide '' `` Graceland '' `` Still is Still Moving to Me '' / `` Valentine '' 1995 `` Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing '' 1998 `` I Never Cared for You '' 2000s and 2010s 2002 `` Mendocino County Line '' ( with Lee Ann Womack ) / `` Maria ( Shut Up and Kiss Me ) '' ( Both single tracks released on CD and 7 '' record ) 2003 `` Wurlitzer Prize '' ( with Norah Jones ) `` Beer for My Horses '' ( with Toby Keith ) 2005 `` I 'm a Worried Man '' ( with Toots Hibbert ) `` The Harder They Come '' 2006 `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other '' 2008 `` Gravedigger '' `` You Do n't Think I 'm Funny Anymore '' 2011 `` The Scientist '' 2012 `` Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die '' `` Just Breathe '' `` Come On Back Jesus '' 2013 `` From Here to the Moon and Back '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` Grandma 's Hands '' ( with Mavis Staples ) `` It Wo n't Be Long '' ( with The Secret Sisters ) `` Somewhere Between '' ( with Loretta Lynn ) 2014 `` The Wall '' `` Bring It On '' `` Laws of Nature '' `` Who 'll Buy My Memories '' `` Summer of Roses '' / `` December Day '' 2015 `` It 's All Going to Pot '' `` Alice in Hulaland '' 2016 `` Lay Me Down '' 2017 `` Still Not Dead '' 2018 `` Last Man Standing '' Book : Willie Nelson Category : Willie Nelson Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Help_Me_Make_It_Through_the_Night&oldid=852114348 '' Categories : 1970 songs 1979 singles Songs written by Kris Kristofferson Kris Kristofferson songs Johnny Cash songs Sammi Smith songs Dottie West songs Joe Simon ( musician ) songs Gladys Knight & the Pips songs Willie Nelson songs Andy Williams songs Glen Campbell songs Elvis Presley songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Columbia Records singles Songs about sexuality Hidden categories : Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Pages using extra track listing with no tracks Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart called without song All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018 Talk Contents 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Question: who wrote help me make it through tonight
Answer: Kris Kristofferson