Confession time, although I'm aware of many of the great songs that Kris Kristofferson has written, for some reason his penning of "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is one that had escaped me. Being more familiar with the soulful pop version by Gloria Gaynor or the light reggae of John Holt, I'm not even sure I even associate it with being an Americana song at all. It became something of a crooners classic go to song, that was so ever present you never really listened to it at all.
The latest version, bringing it back to its Americana roots is by Annie Bosko, and its stripped back nature with a harmonica and accordion joining the acoustic guitar does take us to the heart of the matter of what the song is about, and let's not be coy, it is so suggestive that it's a wonder it went so mainstream in the first place.
Taken away from the tune the lyrics could not really be clearer as to what it is going on.
"Take the ribbon from my hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft against your skin
Like the shadows on the wall"
Annie's version, starts to a slow acoustic guitar, the pedal steel that accompanies it could not sound any sadder, and that opening verse sounds like a gentle sultry request to get things started, that develops further as the lyrics progress.
"Come and lay down by my side
'Til the early morning light
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night"
This hook up is clearly between two strangers, as the chorus will make abundantly clear, this is now, with no thoughts given for the past or the future, however it's that third line that really addresse the human need for company and comfort,
"Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's so sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night"
Annie's version is honest and true to the original, neatly bringing it back home.