As we said in our Songwriting section, Kris Kristofferson first began thinking of this song when he'd been ruminating on a film called La Strada.
But though elements of the story are pulled from La Strada, the fact is that they are also elements shared by dozens of other road movies. What sets one road story apart from the next is detail, and the songs are somewhat based on Kristofferson's own experiences.
He started to develop the lyrics while driving between Morgan City and New Orleans in the pouring rain (hence the lines about leaving Baton Rouge and the windshield wipers "slapping time" with the song.) He also said he was influenced by an experience with a certain girl from his past.
And therein lies the twist.
Janis Joplin was Kristofferson's friend and sometimes lover. With her "nothing to lose" way of life and her iconic "free spirit" attitude, there's no doubt that Joplin resembles one of the two travelers in the song. Whether Kristofferson had her in mind to be his speaker when he wrote the tune is uncertain, but what is certain is that the song was a perfect fit for Joplin.