Kris Kristofferson - The Winner (Shel Silverstein tribute, 2010)

Kris' amazing contribution to this tribute album dedicated to Shel Silverstein. Think he's chosen the right song ;-)

16 songs of this brilliant songwriter by various artists.
http://www.amazon.com/Twistable-Turnable-Man-Musical-Silverstein/dp/B003FW50ZK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twistable-Turnable-Man-Tribute-Silverstein/dp/B003FW50ZK
only mp3 downloads available with the German Amazon
http://www.amazon.de/Twistable-Turnable-Man-Musical-Silverstein/dp/B003MMZ9UY

Kris about Shel Silverstein in an interview in 2006: „...Shel was a friend of mine from the start - he just hung out with scruffy songwriters - me and my friends. All the establishment in Nashville were breaking their necks to get him to do things they were into. He was writing for Bobby Bare, Dr. Hook and many others. He was still a cartoonist for Playboy then."

Well, young Kris for the intro verses, some newer pics for the final ones and some scenes for the story between...
Hope you'll enjoy the song and the vid...
The scenes are from the movies
The last days of Frank and Jesse James (1986)
Trouble in mind (1985)
Wooly boys (2001)
A star is born (1976)
and a tiny one from Pat Garret and Billy the kid (1973)
- all available on DVD...

The Winner
by Shel Silverstein
(the original song had 20 verses, but I don't have enough characters for the info box here to add the ones that Kris left out...)

The hulk of a man with a beer in his hand looked like a drunk old fool,
And I knew that if I hit him right, I could knock him off that stool.
But everybody said, "Watch out -- that's Tiger Man McCool.
He's had a whole lot of fights, and he always come out the winner."

But I'd had myself about five too many, and I walked up tall and proud,
I faced his back and I faced the fact he'd never stooped or bowed.
I said, "Tiger Man, you're a pussycat," and a hush fell on the crowd,
I said, "Let's you and me go outside and see who's the winner"

Well, he gripped the bar with one big hairy hand and he braced against the wall,
He slowly looked up from his beer -- my God, that man was tall!
He said, "Boy, I see you're a scrapper, so just before you fall,
I'm gonna tell you a little what it means to be a winner."

He said, "You see these bright white smilin' teeth, you know they ain't my own.
Mine rolled away like Chiclets down a street in San Antone.
But I left that person cursin', nursin' seven broken bones.
And he only broke three of mine, so I'm the winner."

He said, "Behind this grin, I got a steel pin that holds my jaw in place.
A trophy of my most successful motorcycle race.
And every mornin' when I wake and touch this scar across my face,
It reminds me of all I got by bein' a winner.

Now this broken back was the dyin' act of handsome Harry Clay
That sticky Cincinnatti night I stole his wife away.
But that woman, she gets uglier and meaner every day.
But I got her, boy, and that makes me the winner (?)

I got arthritic elbows, boy, I got dislocated knees,
From pickin' fights with thunderstorms and chargin' into trees.
And my nose been broke so often I might lose it if I sneeze.
And, son, you say you still wanna be a winner?

You gotta speak loud when you challenge me, son, 'cause it's hard for me to hear
With this twisted neck and these migraine pains and this cauliflower ear.
And if it weren't for this glass eye of mine, I'd shed a happy tear
To think of all you'll get by bein' a winner.

Now, as I kick in your family jewels, you'll see my left leg drags,
And this jacket's kinda padded up where my right shoulder sags,
There's a special part of me I keep in this brown paper bag,
And I'll show it to you -- if you want to see all of the winner.

Now, you remind me a lot of my younger days with your knuckles clenchin' white.
But, boy, I'm gonna sit right here and sip this beer all night.
And if there's somethin' that you gotta prove by winnin' some silly fight,
OK, I quit, I lose, son, you're the winner."

So I stumbled from that barroom not so tall and not so proud,
Behind me I could hear the hoots of laughter from the crowd.
But my eyes still see and my nose still works and my teeth are still in my mouth.
And y'know...I guess that makes me...the winner.