How Kris Kristofferson Brings Comfort to Migrants
By Stephen Reeves
If you're a music fan, you've been mourning the passing last weekend of Kris Kristofferson. The singer, songwriter and actor lived a life so remarkable it reads like fiction. In addition to his well known accomplishments in the arts, he was also a Rhodes scholar who studied at Oxford, an Army Ranger, a helicopter pilot, a college football player, and as a young man had such a promising future as a boxer he was in Sports Illustrated. He wanted so badly to be a songwriter that he turned down a position teaching English at West Point Academy in favor of a job as a janitor at a recording studio in Nashville.
It was during this time that he famously landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash's lawn in order to make an impression while delivering a demo tape to the star. You've probably heard that story, but did you know one of his songs brings comfort to migrants on their journey?
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, TX and was a Christian. He spoke movingly about his conversion experience in Episode 6 of Ken Burns' documentary "Country Music" released a few years ago. For English speakers his most well-known gospel tune is probably "Why Me" which has been recorded dozens of times by major country stars. My favorite version is by Johnny Cash from his American I: American Recordings album that helped rejuvenate his career. Another song, “Jesus Was a Capricorn” might be a bit irreverent, it nevertheless carries some profound meaning.
On a visit to Tijuana in January of 2020 I learned that another gospel tune written by Kristofferson and Marijohn Wilkin is sung by many migrants while making the journey north. Though I've never found a recording of Kristofferson singing it, "One Day at A Time" has been recorded by numerous artists and was a #1 hit in the UK in 1979 for Lena Martell and #1 in the US for Christy Lane in 1980. I included the Merle Haggard version on the playlist I made for our conference a few weeks ago.
The Spanish version "Un Dia a La Vez" has not only been recorded by stars like Paulino Bernal and Ricardo Mejia and Los Tigres Del Norte, but is often sung as a hymn in church and is well known throughout Latin America.
The simple lyrics are a prayer for enough strength to just get through the day. You can see why it is popular with those making a treacherous journey.
I'm only human, I'm just a man
Lord help me believe in what I could be and all that I am
Show me the stairway I have to climb
Lord for my sake, teach me to take, one day at a time
One day at a time sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength, to do everyday, what I have to do
Well yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time
Lord do you remember, when You walked on this land?
Lord Jesus you know as you're looking below
It's worse now than then
There's pushing and shoving, they're crowding my mind
So for my sake, teach me to take, one day at a time
One day at a time sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength, to do every day, what I have to do
Well yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time
Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time
Thank God for the life of Kris Kristofferson and that he had the courage to follow the call to write songs, in so doing he strengthened the faith of the vulnerable.
Spanish Version
Necesitado
Me encuentro, Señor
Ayúdame a ver, yo quiero saber
Lo que debo hacer
Muestra el camino
Que debo seguir
Señor, por mi bien, yo quiero vivir
Un día a la vez
Un día a la vez, Dios mío
Es lo que pido de ti
Dame la fuerza para vivir
Un día a la vez
Ayer ya paso, Dios mío
Mañana, quizá no vendrá
Ayúdame hoy
Yo quiero vivir un día a la vez
Tú ya viviste
Entre los hombres
Tú sabes, mi Dios, que hoy está peor
Es mucho el dolor
Hay mucho egoísmo
Y mucha maldad
Señor, por mi bien, yo quiero vivir
Un día a la vez
Un día a la vez, Dios mío
Es lo que pido de ti
Dame la fuerza para vivir
Un día a la vez
Ayer ya paso, Dios mío
Mañana, quizá no vendrá
Ayúdame hoy
Yo quiero vivir un día a la vez
Ayúdame hoy, yo quiero vivir
Un día a la vez
