I always liked Me and Bobby McGee, sung by Janis Joplin and written by Kris Kristofferson. It was over-played but mostly because it was a lyrical masterwork sung by a captivating artist. The song made me feel the nostalgia for a slice of a life I never led. Great art transports us.
The song tells the story of two young lovers who met on the road, traveled together, fell in love and went their separate ways. But more, it's a song about feeling good despite having little. Feeling good because of who is in our life.
My favorite line was always "I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday." It was so extreme, so heartfelt and so poignant. That intense regret and sense of loss was palpable in the lyrics and in Joplin's raw vocal portrayal. I always feel it when she says that. I believe her when she sings it, every time. My eyes well up.
We have huge memories of love and loss and we can long for the depth of connections past and the ease of those moments. Sometimes our lives can be sorely missing that intimacy and intensity: that sense of at-one-ness with another.
But it dawned on me the other day that there is a better, more important line in the song. "One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away. He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it."
The only reason she had such regret and longing was because she let him go. She set him free to find the home and life he wanted. And she suffered for it. And yet, love is giving. This song is about the nobility of the author, otherwise there'd be no song worth singing. We can easily overlook the crucial turning point in the song and revel in the feels.
But the song is about seeing and making the choice to give, and living with the consequences of selflessness. To me this is the profound message of the song: that sometimes when we give, we lose. We put the other first and surrender the outcome.
And all we have are memories. And we can pay a fitting tribute to those who have brought us joy.