Kris Kristofferson - Burden of freedom video free download


39,408
Duration: 04:31
Uploaded: 2011/07/11

blocked in Germany for Sony music content... Sorry...

Fair use - no copyright violation intended

Here's a playlist with more songs from that concert:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL28E357850AF8025F

First part of the song is from his concert at Boulder, it's on the DVD "Breakthrough". I did not want to leave out the second verse, because it is just too good to be left out, so I cut it from the album song (1972).

One of my very favourite songs of Kris.

Burden of freedom

I stand on the stairway, my back to the dungeon

The doorway to freedom so close to my hand

Voices behind me still bitterly damn me

For seeking salvation they don't understand

Lord, help me to shoulder the burden of freedom

And give me the courage to be what I can

And when I am wounded by those who condemn me

Lord, help me forgive them, they don't understand

Their lonely frustration, descending to laughter

Erases the footprints I leave in the sand

And I'm free to travel where no one can follow

In search of the kingdom they don't understand

Lord, help me to shoulder the burden of freedom

And give me the courage to be what I can

And when I have wounded the last one who loved me

God, help her forgive me, I don't understand.

Kris already wrote this song in the mid-sixties -- it's one of these early demo songs from 1967.

So it's certainly about his thoughts of the time when he decided not to stay in the army and start this teaching job at the military academy at West Point, but to follow his heart and write songs...

His parents didn't like it at all; they didn't seem to respect songwriters a lot back then... His mum even wrote an angry letter to him showing her disappointment and disowning him as well as saying what an embarrassment he was to his family and their friends and warning him not to contact any people the family knew...

His dad went along with her sentiments, but at least had some talks with him (whereas his mum didn't talk to him for years) and let him know that he could "understand his need to do" what he did before he died in 1971. Kris wrote a touching short story about his dad, which you can read in the book "Big shoes -- In celebration of dads and fatherhood". http://www.amazon.com/Big-Shoes-Celebration-Dads-Fatherhood/dp/B004JZX0EA

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Shoes-Celebration-Dads-Fatherhood/dp/1401301711

Kris' mum died in 1985. She had changed to a big supporter of Kris, but I don't know when that had started... She even had given Johnny a heartfelt hug, that man who she had called "a dope addict and felon" in her letter, because Kris had been idolizing him so much... Maybe time changes everything...

Die Bürde der Freiheit

Ich steh auf der Treppe, meinen Rücken zum Kerker

Den Zugang zur Freiheit so nah an meiner Hand

Stimmen hinter mir verdammen mich immer noch heftig

dafür, dass ich Erlösung suche, die sie nicht verstehen.

Gott, hilf mir, die Last der Freiheit zu tragen

Und gib mir den Mut zu sein, was ich sein kann

Und wenn ich verletzt werde von denen, die mich verurteilen

Gott, hilf mir, ihnen zu verzeihen- sie verstehen es nur nicht.

Ihr einsamer Frust endet in Gelächter

und löscht die Fußstapfen, die ich im Sand hinterlasse

Aber ich bin frei dorthin zu reisen, wohin mir niemand folgen kann

Auf der Suche nach dem Königreich, das sie nicht verstehen.

Gott, hilf mir, diese Last der Freiheit zu tragen

Und gib mir den Mut zu sein, was ich sein kann

Und wenn ich die Letzte, die mich noch geliebt hat, verletzt habe,

Gott, hilf ihr, mir zu verzeihen, ich verstehe es nur nicht. 

Das waren wohl seine Gedanken, als er jede Sicherheit und die vorgesehene Karriere bei der Armeee hinter sich ließ, und entgegen den Willen seiner Eltern und vielleicht auch den seiner damaligen Frau, in Nashville noch mal ganz von vorn anfing (als Nacht -- Hausmeister im Tonstudio), um das zu machen, was ihm sein Herz sagte, nämlich Lieder zu schreiben. 

Er war in eine Militärfamilie hinein geboren, sein Vater  war General bei der Luftwaffe und hatte sich im Krieg einige Lorbeeren verdient und seine Großväter hatten auch in der Armee gedient, väterlicherseits in der schwedischen Armee (seine Großeltern waren 1905 in die USA ausgewandert, wo im Aug 1905 sein Vater zur Welt kam). Zwei Jahre länger in der Armee, und Kris wäre Major geworden...

Kris'  Mum hat jahrelang kein Wort mit ihm gewechselt. Sie hatte ihm einen Brief geschrieben, dass er enteignet wäre und sich nicht mehr blicken lassen sollte, weil er sozusagen eine Schande geworden war...so sauer war sie auf ihn, weil er 1965 die Armee verließ und nach Nashville ging, anstatt die für ihn vorgesehene Karriere anzugehen (Er war kurz davor  Literatur zu unterrichten an der Militärakademie in Westpoint. Aber auf dem Rückweg von seinem ersten Besuch dort, als er feststellte, das war es nicht, was er wollte,  machte er Stopp in Nashville -- und das war's dann mit dem Lehrerjob...)

Comments

9 years ago

Trevor Smith

and just to add to that, the implications of the song are powerful.

9 years ago

Trevor Smith

interesting mix. I thought this was a newer song and didn't know the history behind it,

9 years ago

Alice Fortyfive

Excellent job. In mid sixties went to church and had major religous experience..this when he wrote lord help me Jesus. This song could come from that. Time grame also.

9 years ago

Eakins April Davis

GREAT SINGER AND LOVE HM

9 years ago

Becky Haines

♡♥♡♥

9 years ago

Liu Chao-Hong

Thank you so much for compiling such excellent collection!

10 years ago

sylviajh14

Thank you Kris.

10 years ago

Joe Glackin

Im doing a bit of research etc on 1912 to 1922 era of Ireland`s history which many believe created a positive/negative direction on our destiny by decisions etc of that time . Its amazing what transpires ,knowledge gained and meeting certain people can achieve . Speaking to an old mate I survived drinking with years ago ,we came up with a solution regarding past Irish problems . When we all were away or at home, there was one thing that kept us united defeating any sectarian divide. That was heavy boozing and the delight to meet another who did likewise ,we were one. Those times we never realised what many of us had since to learn . That is, we are all identical by being unique to each other.This song attached , by a great thinking musician whose songs expresses his thoughts of great wisdom as such

10 years ago

Mircea Ionel Jr.

This tune shows what the Man Kris was since his early years. He stood his grounds he believed in so much that no one could manipulate him - not even hi most beloved ones. Kris is one of those blessed ones that walk the among us and leave "footprints only in the sand, on water ... and in our Souls"

10 years ago

becky haines

This song kept my soul alive many, many times, thank you!

11 years ago

TheMinnesotaDJ

God help those to freedom of body & soul.

12 years ago

blue butterfly

this man has an extremely sexy mind... love him

12 years ago

robinandthe7hoods

Sure miss the '60's and '70's.Where has all the talent gone?

12 years ago

RoyAl4truth

only four thousand views = part of the reason everything is still fucked up !!

12 years ago

biggestkkfan

@MsPj33 ...But now I think I maybe should have seperated these songs here, because it's blocked in Germany just because of the second verse from the album song...

12 years ago

biggestkkfan

@MsPj33 lol of course you have the song... this was one of the first vids I uploaded in early January 2009... I didn't change any original vid with the re-upload, except for Lover please which I already changed a bit for myself shortly after I had uploaded it and had it in my private vids, so I took that version lol There are some special memories to me with the making of every single vid that I don't wanna miss with the viewing ;-)

12 years ago

biggestkkfan

@MsPj33 Yes, of course... I mean I have the album song, but haven't made a vid to it. You mean, you'd like to have the song?

12 years ago

touttamoi

It is pure poetry!

12 years ago

biggestkkfan

@ThatReviewGuy1 Thanks for this comment. Loved to read it and agree with you...

12 years ago

Ryan king

No matter how many times I hear this, it still manages to be one of the strongest and most emotional songs I have ever heard. This song has helped me become who I am today, and I will carry the lyrics with me until I die. Thank you so much Biggestkkfan for posting this again. And though he'll probably never read it, thank you Kris, for changing my life for the better and giving me inspiration to become all I can be.

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