'Me And Bobby McGee' : Story Of A Song Quiz

Answer: Fred Foster

The Texas-born Kristofferson had a varied life: sports star; Rhodes Scholar; helicopter pilot; staff songwriter; actor; and singing star. He wrote too many great songs to list in a few sentences and those songs have been covered by a legion of singers. Fred Foster hailed from North Carolina and as a record producer was influential in the careers of stars such as Dolly Parton and Roy Orbison.

Answer: Roger Miller

Some say Lightfoot was the first to record it, but Miller had the greater hit, Number 12 on the Billboard charts in 1968. Lightfoot charted at number 13. Joplin took it to the top of the charts in 1971. It was to be her only number one and was recorded shortly before her untimely death. Jack Elliott also covered the song.

Answer: Kristofferson

'Kristofferson' was released in 1970. 'Jesus Was A Capricorn' and 'Border Lord' were both released in 1972, reaching Number one and Number six respectively in the US Country Charts. 'Silver Tongued Devil...' peaked at Number four in the country charts in 1970 while his first album, 'Kristofferson' reached Number ten. All reached the top 50 of the Billboard top 200.

Answer: Kentucky, sun

"From the coalmines of Kentucky to the California sun,
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul,
Standin' right beside me through everythin' I done,
And every night she kept me from the cold."
In August 2008, 'All Music Guide' noted more than 300 recorded versions of the song.

Answer: If it sounds country man that's what it is, it's a country song

'Kristofferson' (released in 1970) was re-released as 'Me and Bobby McGee' in 1988. Some have interpreted the comment (probably mistakenly) as being a critical response to Joplin's version - which, after all, is perhaps the best known of all the covers. Perhaps he was just reminding people it was not a pop song.

Besides, Kristofferson had been dating Joplin shortly before her death. In 2004, 'Rolling Stone' ranked Joplin's version at number 148 of the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'.

Answer: True

If we are talking about seemingly unlikely bands to record the song then look no further that The Grateful Dead. It's on their live 1971 album 'Grateful Dead', a.k.a 'Skull And Roses'. Having said that, the Dead were pretty Catholic in their musical tastes, ranging from reggae through folk, country and blues to gospel, as well as rock.

Answer: Two

It was number one on May 3 and May 10 1971. 'Pearl', the LP from which it was taken, stayed at the top in Australia for five weeks in May and June 1971. The song also earned Joplin a Grammy nomination in the same year. The album 'Pearl' earned her a nomination for best r&b vocal performance by a female.

Answer: Salinas

"Salinas is located on the Central California Coast and is known as the 'Salad Bowl of the World.' Salinas has over 150,000 residents and our community is one of California's jewels" [Source www.ci.salinas.ca.us].
One web site that majors in 'misheard lyrics' records that these words have been heard as "Then somewhere miscellaneous, Lord I let her slip away." In the same vein, the lyric "We sang every song that driver knew" has been heard as: "We sang every song Mick Jagger knew." [See www.amiright.com]

Answer: Three

They were:
*'Song of the Year' - but the Grammy went to 'You've Got A Friend', which was written by Carole King. (Kristofferson also received a nomination for 'Help Me Make it Through the Night').
* 'Pop Female Vocalist' - however Janis Joplin's version was beaten by Carole King singing 'Tapestry'.
* 'Best Country and Western Song' - though the Grammy went to Kristofferson for 'Help Me Make It Through The Night'.
Joplin also received a nomination for her album 'Pearl', from which 'Me And Bobby McGee' was taken.

Answer: The Last Movie

Kristofferson appeared in 45 movies. 'The Last Movie' was made in 1971 and was directed by Dennis Hopper, and also played a horse wrangler. Peter Fonda also starred, as did Stella Garcia, Michelle Phillips, Julie Adams, Sylvia Miles, and Henry Jaglom. The movie won the Critics Prize at the Venice Film Festival, but was a critical and box office flop in the USA.

The movie is included in the book 'The Fifty Worst Movies Of All Time' written by Harry Medved, with Randy Dreyfuss and Michael Medved and published in 1978. Kristofferson played a 'wrangler minstrel'.

He also wrote the soundtrack. A video clip of KK singing the song has been posted on 'YouTube'.