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Kristofferson, Kris - 1972 Loving Her Was Easier
Identifier
025094
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an influential American singer of the 1960s; she died of an accidental heroin overdose at age 27. Her fourth album, Pearl, was released a little more than three months after her death in January 1971, reaching number 1 on the charts.
Janis Joplin had dated Kristofferson for some time until her death, and she had a number one hit with "Me and Bobby McGee" from her posthumous album Pearl. When released, it stayed on the number-one spot on the charts for weeks.
On October 4, 1970, producer Paul Rothchild became concerned when Joplin failed to show up at Sunset Sound Recorders for a recording session. Full Tilt Boogie's road manager, John Cooke, drove to the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood where Joplin was staying. Upon entering Joplin's room (#105), he found her dead on the floor beside her bed. The official cause of death was a heroin overdose, possibly compounded by alcohol. Cooke believes Joplin had been given heroin that was much more potent than normal, as several of her dealer's other customers also overdosed that week.
Peggy Caserta and Seth Morgan had both failed to meet Joplin the Friday immediately prior to her death, October 2, and Joplin had been expecting both of them to keep her company that night. According to Caserta, 'Joplin was saddened that neither of her friends visited her at the Landmark as they had promised'. During the 24 hours Joplin lived after this disappointment, Caserta did not phone her to explain why she had failed to show up. Caserta admitted to waiting until late Saturday night to dial the Landmark switchboard, only to learn that Joplin had instructed the desk clerk not to accept any incoming phone calls for her after midnight. Morgan did speak to Joplin via telephone within 24 hours of her death, but it is not known whether he admitted to her that he had broken his promise.
Rolling Stone Magazine - Kris Kristofferson: An Outlaw at 80 - Neil Strauss June 6, 2016
And there he goes: Just on the verge of a happy ending, Kristofferson imagines the worst will happen instead. It's a theme that runs through many of his best-known songs. Saturday nights end in Sunday hangovers ("Sunday Mornin' Coming Down"). Great relationships end, leaving lifelong regret as their legacy ("Loving Her Was Easier [Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again]," "Me and Bobby McGee").
The perfect lover who sweeps a woman off her feet is destined to abandon her, robbing her of body, soul and pride ("The Taker").
A description of the experience
Kris Kristofferson - Loving Her Was Easier 1972
"Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)"
I have seen the mornin' burnin' golden on the mountain in the skies
Achin' with the feelin' of the freedom of an eagle when she flies
Turnin' on the world the way she smiled upon my soul as I lay dyin'
Healin' as the colors in the sunshine and the shadows of her eyes
Wakin' in the mornin' to the feelin' of her fingers on my skin
Wipin' out the traces of the people and the places that I've been
Teachin' me that yesterday was somethin' that I'd never thought of trying'
Talkin' of tomorrow and the money love and time we had to spend
Lovin' her was easier than anything I'll ever do again
Comin' close together with a feelin' that I've never known before in my time
She ain't ashamed to be a woman or afraid to be a friend
I don't know the answer to the easy way she opened every door in my mind
But dreamin' was as easy as believin' it was never gonna end
And lovin' her was easier than anything I'll ever do again