Broken Freedom Song
Echoes of Broken Freedom: Kris Kristofferson's Poetic Reflections
Lyrics
Got a song about a soldier,
Introducing a song about a soldier.
Ridin' somewhere on a train
Describing the soldier riding on a train.
Empty sleeve pinned to his shoulder
Noting the soldier's missing arm, indicated by an empty sleeve, and the use of pills for pain relief.
And some pills to ease the pain
Highlighting the soldier's physical and emotional pain.
Started drinkin' in El Paso,
Describing the soldier starting to drink in El Paso.
He was drunk in San Antone,
Noting the soldier's intoxicated state in San Antone.
Tellin' strangers who were sleepin'
Revealing the soldier sharing his feelings with strangers while they sleep.
How he hated goin' home
Expressing the soldier's reluctance or dislike of returning home.
Just a simple song of freedom,
Introducing the idea of a simple song of freedom.
He was never fightin' for,
Indicating the soldier was not fighting for the song's message.
No one's listenin' when you need 'em,
Expressing a lack of audience or attention when needed.
Ain't no fun to sing that song no more.
Conveying the diminished enjoyment of singing the song due to circumstances.
Got a song about a sister,
Introducing a song about a sister waiting by the phone.
Waitin' somewhere by the phone,
Describing the sister's anticipation for a man who never returned.
For some man who never missed her,
Highlighting the sister's enduring loneliness since his departure.
Ever since he come and gone
Indicating the man's absence after coming and going.
And its harder for a woman,
Emphasizing the added difficulty for a pregnant woman.
With a baby on the way,
Noting the challenges of being human, particularly when impoverished.
That's the price of bein' human,
Highlighting the hardships faced when lacking financial resources.
When you're poor enough to pay,
Expressing the price paid for being human in difficult circumstances.
So she listens to the freedom,
Pointing to the sister finding solace in the freedom heard in silence.
In the silence at her door
Emphasizing the loneliness felt when freedom is the only company.
No one's missin' 'til you need 'em
Stressing the absence of support until it's needed.
Ain't no fun to sing that song no more
Conveying the diminished joy of singing the song due to life's challenges.
Got a song about a Savior,
Introducing a song about a Savior in a city of strangers.
Lookin' lonesome and afraid,
Depicting the Savior as lonely and fearful.
At a city full of strangers,
Describing a city full of strangers and an unmade cross.
And a cross He never made
Revealing the Savior's emotional state and the absence of the expected cross.
And He's sadder than He's wiser,
Expressing the Savior's sadness and increased wisdom.
And a longer way from home,
Indicating the Savior is far from home and facing challenges.
And He wonders why His Father,
Wondering about the abandonment by the Savior's Father during a difficult time.
Left Him bleeding and alone.
Highlighting the Savior's suffering and solitude.
Just a broken song of freedom,
Characterizing the song as broken freedom and referencing the closing of a door.
And the closing of a door,
Expressing the absence of interest until someone needs the song.
No one's missin' 'til you need 'em
Highlighting the diminished joy of singing the broken song of freedom.
Ain't no fun to sing that song no more.
Conveying the decreased enjoyment of singing the song due to life's challenges.
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