This #1 Country hit was written by the songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson. As the story goes, Kristofferson was sweeping floors and emptying ashtrays at Columbia Records in Nashville before scoring big with this, as well as a series of other songs, which included "Me And Bobby McGee" (a #1 hit and an enduring rock classic for the late Janis Joplin), "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," "For the Good Times," and "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)."

Kristofferson was a Golden Gloves boxer, a Phi Beta Kappa college graduate, and a Rhodes Scholar who spent time at Oxford University in England before becoming a commercial helicopter pilot. But his first love was country songwriting. He turned down a teaching position at West Point to work as a janitor at Columbia, trying to break into the music business.

Break in he indeed did. But it took some persistence and theatrics. For example, he is said to have landed a helicopter in Johnny Cash's yard to get the famous Country singer's attention so he could hand over some demo tapes of his original songs. Persistence and unconventional tactics paid off handsomely for the multi-talented Kristofferson.

Sammi Smith's classic cover of this song catapulted Kristofferson into a songwriters' spotlight reserved for the coveted few, and earned him a Grammy for best country song in 1971. It also won Smith a Grammy for best Country vocal performance female - as well as the Country Music Association's single of the Year Award.

Smith died on February 12, 2005 at the age of 61. Her vocal performance on this song is regarded by some as one of the finest in Country music.

This song saw a recording boom throughout the '70s after Kristofferson and Smith released their versions at the start of the decade, including covers from Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joan Baez, Ray Price, Lynn Anderson, Loretta Lynn, Olivia Newton-John, Andy Williams, Skeeter Davis, Tammy Wynette, Dottie West, Engelbert Humperdinck, John Holt, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and a duet from June Carter and Johnny Cash.

Willie Nelson had a #4 Country hit with this song in 1980.

Kristofferson got the idea for this song after reading an Esquire interview with Frank Sinatra. When asked what he believed in, Frank replied, "Booze, broads, or a bible... whatever helps me make it through the night."

Dottie West, who would later record a cover of this song, originally turned it down because it was too provocative.