Kris Kristofferson – To Beat the Devil

About The Song

“The song ‘To Beat the Devil’ is a country-folk track by Kris Kristofferson, featured on his debut album titled ‘Kristofferson’, released in 1970. It’s one of Kristofferson’s deeply personal autobiographical songs, drawing inspiration from his own experiences.

The song narrates an interaction between a young musician and an older one, where the elder imparts life lessons and advice about life and art. In this way, ‘To Beat the Devil’ showcases resilience, struggle, and determination in facing difficulties and failures.

This song is considered one of Kris Kristofferson’s special works, demonstrating his creative talent and cultural innovation. ‘To Beat the Devil’ has become one of Kristofferson’s classic songs and continues to be cherished and celebrated by listeners over the decades.”

Video

Lyrics

A couple of years back I come across a great and wasted friend of mine in the hallway of a recording studio. And while he was reciting some poetry to me that he had written, I saw that he was about a step away from dying, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. And the lines of this song occurred to me. I’m happy to say he’s no longer wasted, and he’s got him a good woman. And I’d like to dedicate this to John and June, who helped showed me how to beat the devil.
It was wintertime in NashvilleDown on Music City RowAnd I was looking for a placeAnd to get myself out of the coldTo warm the frozen feeling that was eating at my soulKeep the chilly wind off my guitarMy thirsty wanted whiskeyBut my hunger needed beansBut it had been a month of paydaysSince I’d heard that eagle screamSo with a stomach full of emptyAnd a pocket full of dreamsI left my pride and stepped inside a barActually I’d guess you’d call it a tavernCigarette smoke to the ceilingAnd sawdust on the floorFriendly shadowsI saw that there was just one old man sitting at the barAnd in the mirror I could see him checking me and my guitarAnd he turned and said,Come up here, boy, and show us what you areI said I’m dry, and he bought me a beerHe nodded at my guitar and said,It’s a tough life, ain’t it?I just looked at himHe said, you ain’t making any money, are you?I said, you been reading my mailHe just smiled and said, let me see that guitarI got something you ought to hearAnd then he laid it on me
If you waste your time a talkingTo the people who don’t listenTo the things that you are sayingWho do you thinks gonna hear?And if you should die explaining howThe things that they complain aboutAre things they could be changingWho do you thinks gonna care?There were other lonely singersIn a world turned deaf and blindWho were crucified for what they tried to showAnd their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time‘Cause the truth remains that no one wants to know
Well the old man was a strangerBut I’d heard his song beforeBack when failure had me locked outOn the wrong side of the doorWhen no one stood behind meBut my shadow on the floorAnd lonesome was more than a state of mindYou see, the devil haunts a hungry manIf you don’t want to join himYou gotta beat himI ain’t saying I beat the devilBut I drank his beer for nothingThen I stole his song
And you still can hear me singingTo the people who don’t listenTo the things that I am sayingPraying someone’s gonna hearAnd I guess I’ll die explaining howThe things that they complain aboutAre things they could be changingHoping someone’s gonna careI was born a lonely singerAnd I’m bound to die the sameBut I’ve gotta feed the hunger in my soulAnd if I never have a nickelI won’t ever die ashamed‘Cause I don’t believe that no one wants to know