Here's my favorite thing he ever did -- a really cool song he performed live on the soundtrack to Celebration at Big Sur, an otherwise not so wonderful concert film from 1970.
Apart from just being a great lyrical narrative (almost a short story in song, actually), the thing that really gets me about that (and has since I first heard it on a free promo copy at my college newspaper, courtesy of the easily duped people at Ode Records), is the lead guitar work.
If those licks sounds familiar to you, it's because they should -- they're the distinctive and easily recognizable work of the Lovin' Spoonful's great Zal Yanovsky, who was then toiling in Kristofferson's touring band.
Oh, and I know this is perhaps not the way Kris would have liked his cinematic career to be remembered, but here's a very good -- complete -- print of him in Millenium (co-starring Cheryl Ladd!), which is my all-time favorite cheesy sci-fi flick of the '80s.
Trust me, you'll enjoy it.
3 comments:
that "beat the devil" song is good
speaking of zal, the "creative differences" that led to his leaving the spoonful are vividly shown at 1:11 of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNakT7_Q6o
Kris took advantage of every one of those 88 years. He followed Frosts Road Less Traveled as his guide..
Quiet genius is one way to think of him. Another good man bit the dust
rbm
Haven't listened to that album in about 50 years. Still remember the lyrics.
Always liked Kris, but never really became a fan.
RIP
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