Kris Kristofferson – Me and Bobby McGee

Learn how to play Kris Kristofferson – Me and Bobby McGee note-for-note on guitar.
Difficulty level: Easy
Barre chords: No
Thumb over chords: No
Playing Style: Strummed
Tuning: Standard
This lesson teaches slight variation on Kristofferson’s acoustic guitar part on the original studio version of the track. The variations involve a few hammer ons designed to add variety to the accompaniment.
The complete file contains a lesson video, a performance play thru video, full tabs, chords and lyrics. You’ll receive a link to download the lesson which will download as a zip file of 265 Mb containing all the lesson content.
Return to Individual Songs page
Lesson Preview
Tab Preview
Chords & Songsheet Preview
Return to Individual Songs page
You’ll receive at least two videos per song, one lesson and one performance-standard play-through. You’ll receive the chords/lyrics and guitar tabs as PDF files.
The videos are mp4 format and should play on PC’s, Macs and most mobile devices.
They will download as Zip files. If you don’t have a Zip program on your PC you’ll need to install one to open the file.
If you want to download to an iPad or iPhone you’ll need an app to do so, please read here to know more about it.
Browse Our Lessons by
Fingerstyle Instrumental pieces
Ray says
Thank you for this lesson. I had been looking for a traditional song with root and 5th bass note strumming. You even included some classic bass note walks. Wonderful lesson and now I feel like I can play most traditional country songs with this style of strumming.
Is Janis’ version in the same key? I’d love to play along with her recording.
Jerry says
She’s in G going to A. Play the lesson as it is but without the capo.
Ray Voorhies says
Thank you Jerry. It’ll be a lot of fun playing with Kris’ track and also Janis. The extra practice with this style of country strumming will be very helpful. It’s good ear training too.
THOMAS YOKOYAMA says
Thank you so much for Me and Bobby McGee and for the other very accurate lessons. I just wondered if its at all possible to include a finger picking version. Kristofferson’s playing at the Ise of Wright has him finger picking . His playing at other shows including the Obama White House with other performers has him finger picking as well although he does strum at some. It just makes the song more intimate, poetic, fuller and universal and not so much country alone. I was hoping, expecting the finger picking lesson. I saw him perform the song (YouTube) in a hotel room and threw in the f word that really revealed a defiance to convention and he finger picked the song. Took the song to a different level when he did that. Thank you Jerry