Everyone loves learning the lyrics to a new song, right? And learning the lyrics to a song in English is a really great way to practice your English. So, today we are going to look at a classic rock song, made famous by Janis Joplin, that won’t be too hard to learn and will be easy to sing along to, in fact you can start singing along at the end of this post!

Let’s start with a first look at the lyrics; below I’ll explain the song in more detail.

“Me & Bobby McGee” (written by Kris Krsitofferson and Fred Foster)

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train
And I’s feeling nearly as faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,
It rode us all the way to New Orleans.

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna,
I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.
Windshield wipers slapping time, I was holding Bobby’s hand in mine,
We sang every song that driver knew.

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing don’t mean nothing honey if it ain’t free, now.
And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
You know feeling good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun,
Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul.
Through all kinds of weather, through everything that we done,
Hey Bobby baby kept me from the cold.

One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away,
He’s looking for that home and I hope he finds it,
But I’d trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holding Bobby’s body next to mine.

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing, that’s all that Bobby left me, yeah,
But feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
Hey, feeling good was good enough for me, hmm hmm,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la
La la la la la Bobby McGee.
La la la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la, Bobby McGee, la.

La La la, la la la la la la,
La La la la la la la la la, hey now Bobby now Bobby McGee yeah.
Na na na na na na na na, na na na na na na na na na na na
Hey now Bobby now, Bobby McGee, yeah.

Lord, I’m calling my lover, calling my man,
I said I’m calling my lover just the best I can,
C’mon, where is Bobby now, where is Bobby McGee, yeah,
Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!

Yeah! Whew!

Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee.

In summary, this song is about a couple, two lovers, who are traveling around the United States (from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, from Kentucky and to California). They seem to be traveling by hitch hiking and they sound like wanders, hippies, and free spirits. By the end of the song we know that the couple is no longer together. Bobby settled down at some point and the person singing the song misses him/her (‘Bobby’ can be a man or a woman’s nickname) and their time together.

Now, let’s look at some specific lines from this song and dissect what is being said.

“Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train”
busted flat = to be out of money; so the couple is out of money and hoping to catch a free ride on a train or with a car that may pass by them

“And I’s feeling nearly as faded as my jeans”
I’s = I + was (this is not really a grammatical contraction, but acceptable in a song)
feeling faded = this means feeling worn out or tired, like faded blue jeans

“Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained”
to thumb = to stick out one’s thumb in order to hitch hike or get a free ride in a car
a diesel = a car or truck that runs on diesel fuel

“I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna”
harpoon = this is a slang word for a harmonica; an instrument that is played by blowing wind through small holes

“One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away”
slip away = to leave; this term indicates regret about a loss

“But I’d trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday”
This line is similar to saying: ‘I would give up all my future just to have my past back.’

“C’mon, where is Bobby now, where is Bobby McGee, yeah”
c’mon = come + on, which is an expression that usually means ‘hurry up’

Alright, now it is time to sing along with Janis Joplin. Here is her version of this song. Enjoy!