About The Song
“Help Me Make It Through the Night” is a soulful country ballad by Sammi Smith, released in September 1970 as a single from her Mega Records album of the same name. Written by Kris Kristofferson, it became Smith’s signature hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for three weeks in January 1971 and crossing over to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning a gold record for over one million US sales. The 2:32 track, with its intimate plea—“Take the ribbon from my hair / Shake it loose and let it fall”—captures a raw, vulnerable longing for connection to ease a lonely night. Smith’s husky, emotive voice, described by Rolling Stone as “smoky and lived-in,” made it a landmark in country’s progressive shift. She told Billboard in 1971, “Kris wrote a truth I felt in my bones. Singing it was like baring my soul.” The song won a 1971 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and was named CMA Single of the Year.
Recorded in July 1970 at Mega Records Studio in Nashville, the track was produced by Jim Malloy, with uncredited Nashville A-Team players likely including Charlie McCoy on harmonica, Chip Young on guitar, and Weldon Myrick on steel guitar, per Discogs. The minimalist arrangement—soft guitar, light percussion, and subtle strings—lets Smith’s voice shine, as AllMusic notes: “It’s raw and unpolished, like a late-night confession.” The album hit No. 3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 77 on the Billboard 200. The song’s G-C-D chord progression and “I don’t care what’s right or wrong” refrain, per Genius, sparked mild controversy for its frank sexuality but resonated widely, appearing on the soundtrack of Fat City (1972) and later in The Sopranos (2001).
Sammi Smith, born Jewel Faye Smith on August 5, 1943, in Orange County, California, was a trailblazer in the 1970s outlaw country scene, discovered by Johnny Cash in 1967. After minor hits with Columbia, her Mega Records deal and this song made her a star, though she never matched its success. Wikipedia details her struggles with addiction and label issues, but her earthy charisma endured. The song was a live staple, performed at her 1971 Grand Ole Opry debut and a 1975 Austin City Limits set, with a YouTube clip showing her commanding presence. Covers abound—Kris Kristofferson (1970), Willie Nelson (1979), Elvis Presley (1971), Joan Baez (1971), and over 60 others, per SecondHandSongs. Reddit fans on r/country praise Smith’s version as “the definitive one,” outshining even Kristofferson’s.
The song’s legacy lies in its bold honesty, with CMT calling it a “feminist anthem before its time” for prioritizing emotional truth over morality. No major controversies persisted, just its groundbreaking impact, as Spotify playlists and Shazam tags reflect its timeless appeal. Smith, who died February 12, 2005, left a mark with this track, which No Depression says “changed country by letting women speak their desires.” It remains a raw, universal cry for solace in the dark.
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Lyric
Take the ribbon from my hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin’ soft upon your skin
Like the shadows on the wallCome and lay down by my side
Till the early morning light
All I’m takin’ is your time
Help me make it through the nightI don’t care what’s right or wrong
I won’t try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord, tonight I need a friendYesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow’s out of sight
And it’s sad to be alone
Help me make it through the nightI don’t care what’s right or wrong
I won’t try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord, tonight I need a friendYesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow’s out of sight
And it’s sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night