Sweet Temptation – Many Kristofferson fans might have never heard it. Anita watched a performance on YouTube and got Fans chatting about it in our Facebook Fan Group. The song is not well known, so these extracts might help others.
The Question
I have a question, after listening to Kris and Lorrie Morgan sing “Sweet Temptation”. I really like that song, and so far as I am aware, Kris has never recorded it. Does anyone know otherwise? I can’t even find the lyrics anywhere, so I don’t know if he ever published it either. There are other songs of the same name, but I can’t find any lyrics for this version. I tried transcribing it from this performance, but it’s difficult, especially when Lorrie sings, because she holds the microphone so close to her mouth. Since Kris is playing the guitar, he is farther from the mic and you can do a better job of catching the lyrics. Let me know if any of you have encountered any information about this sexy little song?
Anita Lay
The Performance
Jackie Boyle found the video that started the discussion. Kris Kristofferson and Lorrie Morgan performing Sweet Temptation
Sweet Temptation – Song Lyrics
Hello, sweet temptation, you are such an old surprise
We’ve got all the feelin’s down by heart
Thank you for the welcome shot of welcome in your eyes
Let me tell the truth before we start.
Don’t you go no closer to the hunger in my heart
You know the danger if you do
Love is wild enough to tear the universe apart
I ain’t gonna take that chance with you.
“Cause I love my woman now, and I love my kids
I believe in tryin’ to be true
So I don’t fool around no more, sweetheart, but if I did
I’d sure like to fool around with you.
Hey, you old coyote, you don’t look so bad to me
I ain’t scared of anything you do
It just tears me up inside to know for just a while
I could even make believe in you.
But I love my woman now, and I love my kids
I believe in tryin’ to be true
So I don’t fool around no more, sweetheart, but if I did
I’d sure like to fool around with you.
Hello sweet temptation, you are such an old surprise.
The Experts
Kris’ fans are loyal and dedicated – They are also experts. Individually, every fan has a favourite something – song, era, performance, lyric, venue or topic. Collectively, they know everything I have ever asked or wondered about Kris Kristofferson – Though they might not always tell 🙂
The Discussion
I remember hearing this one, a favorite for sure, at several concerts, but not sure if it was ever released on any album. On Lori’s verses, she sings: “Hey, you old coyote, you don’t look so bad to me, I ain’t scared of anything you do. It just tears me up inside to know for just a while, I could even make believe in you.”
Emily Gmitter
I don’t think it was ever recorded. I had a copy of it on a cassette from a recording at a concert many years ago and thought that was the only record of it I was delighted to see the video. There were a couple more on there I’ve never heard since I think one was called Paper Heart.
Brigit Freeman
I think Paper Heart may have been sung by Elvis in the movie GI Blues. Not positive though
Laura Nickerson Papineau
I don’t remember Kris associated in any way with Paper Heart….now I’ll be tearing my brain up trying to recall any song with a reference to “paper heart”….maybe it was in the song, and Brigit just thought that was the title. But my brain keeps coming up empty.
Emily
With Mickey Raphael on harmonica …..
Victoria Gensheimer Doula
Mickey Raphael is not the only familiar face among the musicians. There are several musicians who appeared in Don Was’s documentary on the Highwaymen when they did their final album “The Road Goes On Forever” — the drummer, one of the guitarists, and Don Was is there, too. I recognize his hair and his hat. I’m not sure why they seemed to be the house band for this show, but they were.
Anita Lay
The Film – Paper / Cheating Hearts
Emily found the song on Tina Stapelfeldt’s channel, with the note, “The song is with the end credits to the movie “Paper Hearts” aka “Cheating Hearts” (1993)”
Kris Kristofferson plays a very small part in this film, most of the clips where he does appear are in the video.
The film was released under two names, Paper Hearts and Cheating Hearts – Adding to the confusion. Emily is going to watch the DVD and might tell us more later. We were all very pleased to hear that Kris Kristofferson does not die in this film, and we added it to our list.
In Summary
No known audio recording of the Kris Kristofferson song Sweet Temptation has been published or released. The song was performed on stage and filmed at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, for The American Music Shop telecast, which aired on The Nashville Network early 1990s. The lyrics have now been transcribed and checked by Kris’ fans. If you have anything to add, please leave us a comment.