"Kristofferson" is the title of a country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 song written by Anthony Smith and Reed Nielsen. It was recorded by singer Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...

 on his 2007 album Let It Go

Let It Go (Tim McGraw album)

Let It Go is the eleventh album by Tim McGraw. Released on March 27, 2007, it was his first studio album in two and a half years. Let It Go entered the U.S. Billboard 200 at number one with sales of 325,000...

. Released in early 2008 as the album's fifth single. The song peaked at #16 on the country singles charts, and #19 on the Canadian Country Singles Chart in 2008.

Content

A mid-tempo ballad accompanied by piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

 and fiddle

Fiddle

The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...

, "Kristofferson" centralizes on a character (the narrator) who has just come home to find his lover has departed, leaving only a note which takes up half a sheet of paper. Upon seeing the note, he takes a pencil and begins to write down his feelings (in lyrical form) in the remaining space, using his composition as an allusion to songwriter Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson

Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...

.

Reception

Brady Vercher of The 9513 gave the song a thumbs-down review. He said that the song seemed like an attempt to capitalize on Kristofferson's fame, and did not expand on the title beyond name-checking. However, Vercher said that the production was pleasant and that McGraw sang the song well.

Chart performance

The song debuted at #53 on the Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

chart dated March 15, 2008.

Chart (2008)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs	16
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100	10