Janis Joplin | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The greatest white female rock singer of the 1960s, Janis Joplin was also a great blues singer, making her material her own with her wailing, raspy, supercharged emotional delivery. First rising to stardom as the frontwoman for San Francisco psychedelic band Big Brother & the Holding Company, she left the group in the late 60s for a brief and uneven (though commercially successful) career as a solo artist. Although she wasnt always supplied with the best material or most sympathetic musicians, her best recordings, with both Big Brother and on her own, are some of the most exciting performances of her era. She also did much to redefine the role of women in rock with her assertive, sexually forthright persona and raunchy, electrifying on-stage presence. Joplin was raised in the small town of Port Arthur, TX, and much of her subsequent personal difficulties and unhappiness has been attributed to her inability to fit in with the expectations of the conservative community. Shed been singing blues and folk music since her teens, playing on occasion in the mid-60s with future Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. There are a few live pre-Big Brother recordings (not issued until after her death), reflecting the inspiration of early blues singers like Bessie Smith, that demonstrate she was well on her way to developing a personal style before hooking up with the band. She had already been to California before moving there permanently in 1966, when she joined a struggling early San Francisco psychedelic group, Big Brother & the Holding Company. Although their loose, occasionally sloppy brand of bluesy psychedelia had some charm, there can be no doubt that Joplin -- who initially didnt even sing lead on all of the material -- was primarily responsible for lifting them out of the ranks of the ordinary. She made them a hit at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, where her stunning version of "Ball and Chain" (perhaps her very best performance) was captured on film. After a debut on the Mainstream label, Big Brother signed a management deal with Albert Grossman and moved on to Columbia. Their second album, Cheap Thrills, topped the charts in 1968, but Joplin left the band shortly afterward, enticed by the prospects of stardom as a solo act. Joplins first album, I Got Dem Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, was recorded with the Kozmic Blues Band, a unit that included horns and retained just one of the musicians that had played with her in Big Brother (guitarist Sam Andrew). Although it was a hit, it wasnt her best work; the new band, though more polished musically, was not nearly as sympathetic accompanists as Big Brother, purveying a soul-rock groove that could sound forced. Thats not to say it was totally unsuccessful, boasting one of her signature tunes in "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)." For years, Joplins life had been a roller coaster of drug addiction, alcoholism, and volatile personal relationships, documented in several biographies. Musically, however, things were on the upswing shortly before her death, as she assembled a better, more versatile backing outfit, the Full Tilt Boogie Band, for her final album, Pearl (ably produced by Paul Rothchild). Joplin was sometimes criticized for screeching at the expense of subtlety, but Pearl was solid evidence of her growth as a mature, diverse stylist who could handle blues, soul, and folk-rock. "Mercedes Benz," "Get It While You Can," and Kris Kristoffersons "Me and Bobby McGee" are some of her very best tracks. Tragically, she died before the albums release, overdosing on heroin in a Hollywood hotel in October 1970. "Me and Bobby McGee" became a posthumous number one single in 1971, and thus the song with which she is most frequently identified. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 29 Title: Best Released: Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:03:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 2 Summertime (04:01) 3 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:55) 4 Cry Baby (03:58) 5 Ball and Chain (08:01) 6 Move Over (03:43) 7 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 8 Half Moon (03:53) 9 My Baby (03:45) 10 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 11 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 12 Trust Me (03:17) 13 Get It While You Can (03:26) 14 Down on Me (03:05) 15 Combination of the Two (05:50) 16 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) |
 | Album: 2 of 29 Title: Ball and Chain Released: Tracks: 14 Duration: 54:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ball and Chain (07:56) 2 Summertime (From Porgy and Bess) (04:01) 3 Mary Jane (02:10) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 5 Catch Me Daddy (04:50) 6 Down on Me (02:06) 7 Tell Mama (05:48) 8 Magic of Love (02:58) 9 One Night Stand (03:05) 10 Raise Your Hand (03:47) 11 Kozmic Blues (04:23) 12 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 13 Women Is Losers (02:05) 14 Bye Bye Baby (02:37) |
 | Album: 3 of 29 Title: I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! Released: 1969-10 Tracks: 8 Duration: 37:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 2 Maybe (03:43) 3 One Good Man (04:11) 4 As Good as You’ve Been to This World (05:26) 5 To Love Somebody (05:18) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 7 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 8 Work Me, Lord (06:33) |
| I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! : Allmusic album Review : Janis Joplins solo debut was a letdown at the time of release, suffering in comparison with Big Brothers Cheap Thrills from the previous year, and shifting her style toward soul-rock in a way that disappointed some fans. Removed from that context, it sounds better today, though its still flawed. Fronting the short-lived Kozmic Blues Band, the arrangements are horn heavy and the material soulful and bluesy. The band sounds a little stiff and although Joplins singing is good, she would sound more electrifying on various live versions of some of the songs. The shortage of quality original compositions -- indeed, there are only eight tracks total on the album -- didnt help either, and the cover selections were erratic, particularly the Bee Gees "To Love Somebody." On the other hand, "Try" is one of her best soul outings, and the reading of Rodgers & Harts "Little Girl Blue" is inspired. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 29 Title: Pearl Released: 1971-01 Tracks: 29 Duration: 2:15:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Move Over (03:43) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 4 Half Moon (03:53) 5 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:27) 6 My Baby (03:45) 7 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 8 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 9 Trust Me (03:17) 10 Get It While You Can (03:26) 11 Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails) (01:11) 12 Me and Bobby McGee (demo version) (04:46) 13 Move Over (alternate version) (04:27) 14 Cry Baby (alternate version) (04:58) 15 My Baby (alternate version) (03:59) 16 Pearl (instrumental) (04:27) 1 Tell Mama (06:47) 2 Half Moon (04:38) 3 Move Over (04:41) 4 Maybe (03:56) 5 Summertime (04:39) 6 Little Girl Blue (05:10) 7 That’s Rock ’n Roll (05:03) 8 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (09:11) 9 Kozmic Blues (05:29) 10 Piece of My Heart (05:21) 11 Cry Baby (06:31) 12 Get It While You Can (07:20) 13 Ball and Chain (08:15) |
| Pearl : Allmusic album Review : Janis Joplins second masterpiece (after Cheap Thrills), Pearl was designed as a showcase for her powerhouse vocals, stripping down the arrangements that had often previously cluttered her music or threatened to drown her out. Thanks also to a more consistent set of songs, the results are magnificent -- given room to breathe, Joplins trademark rasp conveys an aching, desperate passion on funked-up, bluesy rockers, ballads both dramatic and tender, and her signature song, the posthumous number one hit "Me and Bobby McGee." The unfinished "Buried Alive in the Blues" features no Joplin vocals -- she was scheduled to record them on the day after she was found dead. Its incompleteness mirrors Joplins career: Pearls power leaves the listener to wonder what else Joplin could have accomplished, but few artists could ask for a better final statement. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 29 Title: Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits Released: 1973 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 2 Summertime (04:01) 3 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 4 Cry Baby (04:00) 5 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 6 Down on Me (03:08) 7 Get It While You Can (03:25) 8 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) 9 Move Over (03:43) 10 Ball and Chain (08:00) 11 Maybe (03:43) 12 Mercedes Benz (01:45) |
| Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : Drawing inspiration from Bessie Smith and Odetta, Janis Joplin developed a brash, uncompromising vocal style quite unlike traditional folk Madonnas. In 1966, Joplin was invited to the Bay Area to front Big Brother & the Holding Company. Cheap Thrills, a joyous celebration of true psychedelic soul, contained two Joplin "standards" in "Piece of My Heart" and "Ball and Chain," but she left the group in November 1968. Electric Flag members Mike Bloomfield, Harvey Brooks, and Nick Gravenites helped assemble a new act, known as the Kozmic Blues Band. I Got Dem Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama! was coolly received, but the set contained several excellent Joplin vocals, notably "Try," "Maybe," and "Little Girl Blue." The singer subsequently dissolved the band and undertook medical advice for drinking and drug abuse. A slimmed-down group, the Full Tilt Boogie Band, was unveiled in May 1970 featuring a tighter, more intimate sound. Sessions for a debut album were all but complete when, on October 4, 1970, Joplin died of a heroin overdose at her Hollywood hotel. The posthumous Pearl proved her most consistent work, with "My Baby," "Cry Baby," and the anthemic "Get It While You Can." The highlight was the chart-topping "Me and Bobby McGee," which allowed Joplin to be both vulnerable and assertive. Joplin knew few boundaries, artistic or personal, and her sadly brief catalog is marked by her bare-nerved honesty. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 29 Title: Janis Released: 1975 Tracks: 30 Duration: 1:27:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mercedes Benz (01:38) 2 Ball and Chain (05:15) 3 Rap On "Try" (01:36) 4 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (04:29) 5 Summertime (04:45) 6 Albert Hall Interview (1969) (01:18) 7 Cry Baby (03:56) 8 Move Over (04:18) 9 Dick Cavett T.V. Interview (1970) (04:17) 10 Piece of My Heart (04:09) 11 Port Arthur High School Reunion (01:44) 12 Maybe (04:08) 13 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 1 Trouble in Mind (01:38) 2 What Good Can Drinkin Do (02:40) 3 Silver Threads and Golden Needles (02:26) 4 Mississippi River (02:29) 5 Stealin (01:50) 6 No Reason for Livin (01:59) 7 Black Mountain Blues (04:27) 8 Walk Right In (02:05) 9 River Jordan (03:53) 10 Mary Jane (02:09) 11 Kansas City Blues (01:47) 12 Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (03:00) 13 See See Rider (02:03) 14 San Francisco Bay Blues (01:48) 15 Winin Boy (01:56) 16 Careless Love (03:06) 17 Ill Drown in My Own Tears (01:41) |
| Janis : Allmusic album Review : This three-CD box set is the most thorough and valuable retrospective of Janis Joplins career. Besides including all of her most essential recordings with and without Big Brother & the Holding Company, this 49-song package features quite a few enticing rarities; 18 of the tracks were previously unissued. These include a 1962 home recording of the Joplin original "What Good Can Drinkin Do," which marked the first time her singing was captured on tape; a pair of acoustic blues tunes from 1965 with backup guitar by future Jefferson Airplane star Jorma Kaukonen, an acoustic demo of "Me and Bobby McGee," a 1970 birthday song for John Lennon, and live performances from her appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969. The real showstopper is the previously unissued, eight-minute version of "Ball and Chain" from Big Brothers first set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival (the cut on the Monterey Pop box set is from their second set). The more forgettable tracks from her solo albums are wisely excised, as are the Big Brother songs which did not feature her vocals. This is the rare multi-disc set of a major artist that manages to cover all the official milestones and present a bounty of worthwhile rarities at the same time. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 29 Title: Anthology Released: 1980 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:21:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 2 Summertime (04:00) 3 Maybe (03:43) 4 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (04:01) 5 To Love Somebody (05:22) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:22) 7 Turtle Blues (04:25) 8 Oh, Sweet Mary (04:19) 9 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 10 Trust Me (03:07) 1 Move Over (03:43) 2 Half Moon (03:55) 3 Cry Baby (04:00) 4 Me and Bobby McGee (04:35) 5 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 6 Down on Me (03:02) 7 Bye Bye Baby (03:47) 8 Get It While You Can (07:15) 9 Ball and Chain (08:00) |
| Anthology : Allmusic album Review : Anthology is an adequate double-disc retrospective of Janis Joplins years with Big Brother & the Holding Company and her solo career, containing most of her best-known songs and a selection of forgotten gems. Its a fine set, but the single-disc Greatest Hits is better suited for casual fans, and the box set Janis serves the needs of collectors much better than this, so the 1997 reissue of this double album is a little puzzling and unnecessary, even if it is an enjoyable listen. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 29 Title: Farewell Song Released: 1982 Tracks: 9 Duration: 32:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tell Mama (05:48) 2 Magic of Love (03:02) 3 Misery’N (04:13) 4 One Night Stand (03:07) 5 Harry (00:57) 6 Raise Your Hand (03:44) 7 Farewell Song (04:37) 8 Medley: Amazing Grace / Hi Heel Sneakers (02:35) 9 Catch Me Daddy (04:51) |
| Farewell Song : Allmusic album Review : A ragtag collection of odds and ends, live and studio, from both the Big Brother and solo era. The best cuts are on the Janis box in different versions, but serious fans will find some interesting items here, especially the Cheap Thrills-era outtakes and live performances; "Misery N," "Farewell Song," and "Catch Me Daddy" were easily good enough to have qualified for inclusion on that album. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 29 Title: The Very Best of Janis Joplin Released: 1988 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 4 Move Over (03:43) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 6 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 7 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 8 Get It While You Can (03:26) 9 Down on Me (live) (03:08) 10 Ball & Chain (live) (07:57) 11 Summertime (04:01) 12 Mary Jane (02:11) |
 | Album: 10 of 29 Title: Highlights Released: 1988 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Cry Baby (03:59) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 4 Move Over (03:43) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:16) 6 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 7 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 8 Get It While You Can (03:26) 9 Down on Me (03:07) 10 Ball and Chain (05:10) 11 Summertime (04:00) 12 Mary Jane (02:11) |
 | Album: 11 of 29 Title: 18 Essential Songs Released: 1995-01-24 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Trouble in Mind (02:56) 2 Down on Me (02:06) 3 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) 4 Ball and Chain (live) (08:15) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 6 I Need a Man to Love (04:53) 7 Summertime (alternate version) (04:07) 8 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 9 One Good Man (04:11) 10 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 11 Raise Your Hand (live) (02:27) 12 Tell Mama (live) (05:48) 13 Move Over (03:43) 14 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 15 Get It While You Can (03:26) 16 Half Moon (03:53) 17 Trust Me (03:17) 18 Me and Bobby McGee (acoustic demo) (03:58) |
| 18 Essential Songs : Allmusic album Review : 18 Essential Songs is a one-disc distillation of the triple-disc Janis box set. Running 70 minutes, it is a more extensive best-of than the ten-track 1973 Janis Joplins Greatest Hits album. But it is denied "first pick" status because, unlike that album, it does not contain the hit version of Joplins only number one single, "Me and Bobby McGee." (It does, however, contain an alternate demo version of that song.) | ||
 | Album: 12 of 29 Title: Absolute Janis Released: 1997-10-10 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:01:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cry Baby (03:58) 2 Get It While You Can (03:26) 3 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:12) 5 Down on Me (03:08) 6 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:58) 7 My Baby (03:45) 8 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 9 Ball & Chain (05:18) 10 Ill Drown in My Own Tears (01:45) 11 Maybe (04:08) 12 To Love Somebody (05:18) 13 Raise Your Hand (live) (03:48) 14 Magic of Love (03:07) 15 Bye, Bye Baby (03:42) 16 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:26) 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Move Over (03:43) 3 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 4 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 5 Work Me, Lord (06:38) 6 Summertime (04:45) 7 Half Moon (03:54) 8 Silver Threads and Golden Needles (02:24) 9 San Francisco Bay Blues (01:50) 10 Trust Me (03:18) 11 Misery N (04:14) 12 One Good Man (04:11) 13 Tell Mama (05:48) 14 Medley: Amazing Grace / Hi Heel Sneakers (02:39) 15 One Night Stand (03:07) 16 Farewell Song (04:37) |
 | Album: 13 of 29 Title: 10 grandes éxitos en versión original Released: 1998 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 2 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 3 Turtle Blues (04:21) 4 I Need a Man to Love (04:54) 5 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 6 To Love Somebody (05:18) 7 Maybe (03:41) 8 One Good Man (04:11) 9 Ball and Chain (07:56) 10 Work Me, Lord (06:33) |
 | Album: 14 of 29 Title: Janis Joplin - Digitally Remastered Released: 1998 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:03:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:25) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:17) 5 Ball and Chain (08:00) 6 Work Me, Lord (06:36) 7 Move Over (03:43) 8 Summertime (04:01) 9 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 10 To Love Somebody (05:18) 11 Cry Baby (04:00) 12 I Need a Man to Love (live) (04:58) 13 Little Girl Blue (03:52) 14 Oh, Sweet Mary (04:15) |
 | Album: 15 of 29 Title: The Ultimate Collection Released: 1998-08-17 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:01:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Move Over (03:43) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:28) 5 Down on Me (03:07) 6 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 7 My Baby (03:45) 8 Ball and Chain (05:15) 9 Ill Drown in My Own Tears (01:45) 10 Maybe (04:02) 11 To Love Somebody (05:18) 12 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 13 Raise Your Hand (03:46) 14 Magic of Love (03:02) 15 Bye, Bye Baby (03:42) 16 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:25) 1 Cry Baby (03:58) 2 Get It While You Can (03:26) 3 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 4 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 5 Work Me, Lord (06:38) 6 Summertime (04:41) 7 Half Moon (03:53) 8 Silver Threads and Golden Needles (02:24) 9 San Francisco Bay Blues (01:50) 10 Trust Me (03:17) 11 Misery N (04:14) 12 One Good Man (04:11) 13 Tell Mama (05:48) 14 Amazing Grace / Hi Heel Sneakers (02:40) 15 One Night Stand (03:07) 16 Farewell Song (04:37) |
 | Album: 16 of 29 Title: Best Of... Released: 1999 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:10:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 5 Try (03:54) 6 Summertime (04:00) 7 Move Over (03:43) 8 Down on me (03:02) 9 Ball and Chain (07:55) 10 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) 11 Get It While You Can (03:26) 12 My Baby (03:45) 13 Trust Me (03:17) 14 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 15 Half Moon (03:53) 16 Kozmic Blues (05:28) 17 Ego rock (07:32) |
 | Album: 17 of 29 Title: MTV Music History: Greatest Hits Released: 2000 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:14:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Summertime (04:04) 2 Cry Baby (04:02) 3 Piece of My Heart (04:16) 4 Try (03:59) 5 Me and Bobby McGee (04:37) 6 Down on Me (03:10) 7 Mercedes Benz (01:49) 8 A Woman Left Lonely (03:33) 9 Move Over (03:46) 10 Ball and Chain (08:01) 11 Bye, Bye Baby (02:39) 12 Half Moon (03:58) 13 My Baby (03:49) 14 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:27) 15 Trust Me (03:21) 16 Get It While You Can (03:29) 17 Little Girl Blues (03:53) 18 Time (04:25) 19 My Own Tears (01:46) 20 Come Back (03:06) |
 | Album: 18 of 29 Title: Super Hits Released: 2000-05-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 2 Cry Baby (03:59) 3 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 4 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:56) 5 One Good Man (04:11) 6 Move Over (03:41) 7 I Need a Man to Love (04:54) 8 Turtle Blues (04:22) 9 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 10 One Night Stand (03:02) |
| Super Hits : Allmusic album Review : Janis Joplin: Super Hits delivers ten of her best-known songs in a budget-priced collection. "Piece of My Heart," "Me and Bobby McGee," "Move Over," "Try," and "A Woman Left Lonely" are some of the highlights of this lean compilation, which provides a concise package of Joplins hits for the casual listener. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 29 Title: Simply the Best Released: 2000-05-15 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 4 Move Over (03:43) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 6 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 7 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 8 Get It While You Can (03:26) 9 Down on Me (live) (03:08) 10 Ball and Chain (live) (08:01) 11 Summertime (04:00) 12 Mary Jane (02:11) |
 | Album: 20 of 29 Title: Janis Joplin Released: 2001 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cry Baby (03:58) 2 Me and Bobby McGee (04:30) 3 I Need a Man to Love (04:57) 4 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 5 Mercedes Benz (01:48) 6 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:58) 7 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 8 To Love Somebody (05:18) 9 Combination of the Two (05:51) 10 Little Girl Blue (03:51) 11 Summertime (03:59) 12 Work Me, Lord (06:34) 13 Move Over (03:43) 14 As Good as Youve Been to This World (05:24) |
 | Album: 21 of 29 Title: The Essential Janis Joplin Released: 2003-01-14 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:05:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Down on Me (02:06) 2 Coo Coo (01:58) 3 Women Is Losers (02:05) 4 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) 5 Ball and Chain (live) (08:04) 6 Roadblock (05:32) 7 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 8 Miseryn (04:10) 9 I Need a Man to Love (04:53) 10 Summertime (04:00) 11 Flower in the Sun (live) (03:11) 12 Farewell Song (live) (04:58) 13 Raise Your Hand (live) (02:27) 14 To Love Somebody (live) (05:14) 15 Kozmic Blues (live) (05:05) 1 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 2 Maybe (03:41) 3 One Good Man (04:11) 4 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 5 Work Me, Lord (06:33) 6 Tell Mama (live) (06:39) 7 Move Over (03:43) 8 Cry Baby (03:58) 9 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 10 Half Moon (03:53) 11 My Baby (03:45) 12 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 13 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 14 Trust Me (03:17) 15 Get It While You Can (03:26) 16 Mercedes Benz (remix) (03:45) |
| The Essential Janis Joplin : Allmusic album Review : Columbia has managed to squeeze an impressive, perhaps excessive, number of compilations out of Janis Joplins relatively slim body of recordings. With this two-CD set, The Essential Janis Joplin, the labels at it again, though its a good one to get if you dont want to collect all the Joplin releases, and certainly dont want to get the expensive Joplin boxes, but want more than what fits onto a single disc. Including both solo recordings and highlights of her stint with Big Brother & the Holding Company, it has all the songs fans and critics would consider milestones in her career: "Ball and Chain" (a version recorded live in 1967 at the Monterey Pop Festival, not the more familiar one from Cheap Thrills), "Piece of My Heart," "Down on Me," "Summertime," "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)," "Tell Mama" (the live 1970 performance from the expanded edition of Pearl), "Get It While You Can," "Mercedes Benz," and "Me and Bobby McGee." And there are also good tracks that arent as overly familiar, like "Coo Coo," "Miseryn," "Maybe," "Work Me, Lord," and "A Woman Left Lonely." The substitution of the less familiar renditions of "Ball and Chain" and "Tell Mama" might rankle some consumers expecting to hear the more common ones, but thats frankly unlikely. So what does the set offer to those Joplin fans who already have a lot of her material? Well, not much, but in the time-honored manner of attaching bonus tracks to oft-recycled material, this does have a couple of previously unissued live cuts ("Kozmic Blues" and the Bee Gees "To Love Somebody") from her 1969 set at Woodstock. Those songs are actually reasonably good, but arent worth buying the whole set for. They would have been a better deal if served out as part of a legit collection of her Woodstock performances, or as a collection of previously unreleased live Joplin performances, if enough high-caliber stuff of the sort was available. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 29 Title: The Collection: Presenting 3 Original Album Classics Released: 2004 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:45:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Combination of the Two (05:48) 2 I Need a Man to Love (04:54) 3 Summertime (04:01) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 5 Turtle Blues (04:22) 6 Oh, Sweet Mary (04:16) 7 Ball and Chain (09:37) 8 Roadblock (studio outtake) (05:33) 9 Flower in the Sun (studio outtake) (03:05) 10 Catch Me Daddy (live) (05:31) 11 Magic of Love (live) (03:58) 1 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 2 Maybe (03:41) 3 One Good Man (04:11) 4 As Good as You’ve Been to This World (05:26) 5 To Love Somebody (05:18) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 7 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 8 Work Me, Lord (06:45) 9 Dear Landlord (session outtake) (02:32) 10 Summertime (live at Woodstock) (05:04) 11 Piece of My Heart (live at Woodstock) (06:31) 1 Move Over (03:43) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 4 Half Moon (03:53) 5 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:27) 6 My Baby (03:45) 7 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 8 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 9 Trust Me (03:17) 10 Get It While You Can (03:26) 11 Tell Mama (live) (06:32) 12 Little Girl Blue (live) (03:56) 13 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (live) (06:52) 14 Cry Baby (live) (06:30) |
 | Album: 23 of 29 Title: Hit Collection Released: 2007-12-28 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 4 Move Over (03:43) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 6 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 7 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 8 Get It While You Can (03:26) 9 Down on Me (live) (03:08) 10 Ball and Chain (live) (08:01) 11 Summertime (04:00) 12 Mary Jane (02:11) |
| Hit Collection : Allmusic album Review : Hit Collection spotlights material by Janis Joplin originally released on Columbia in the 60s, including "Me and Bobby McGee," "Piece of My Heart," and "Ball and Chain." While this is a decent single disc, it does not contain a majority of hits. Casual listeners will want to stick with 18 Essential Songs on Columbia. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 29 Title: The Woodstock Experience Released: 2009-06-30 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:35:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 2 Maybe (03:41) 3 One Good Man (04:11) 4 As Good as You’ve Been to This World (05:26) 5 To Love Somebody (05:18) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 7 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 8 Work Me, Lord (06:33) 1 Raise Your Hand (05:31) 2 As Good as Youve Been to This World (06:25) 3 To Love Somebody (05:16) 4 Summertime (05:05) 5 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (05:13) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:56) 7 Cant Turn You Loose (04:25) 8 Work Me, Lord (08:42) 9 Piece of My Heart (04:57) 10 Ball and Chain (07:42) |
| The Woodstock Experience : Allmusic album Review : Sony/BMGs Legacy imprint decided to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock by issuing a slew of double-disc deluxe packages by catalog artists who played the festival. Each slipcase contains the featured artists entire performance at Woodstock, and as a bonus, an LP sleeve reproduction of a classic album issued near the time the festival, as well as fine, individually designed double-sided posters. The Janis Joplin package contains the remastered version of I Got Dem Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!, and the complete ten-song performance from Sunday, August 17, 1969. Much of this has been issued before either as bonus material on catalog reissues, or as part of her box set retrospective. That said, there are three totally unreleased performances, including the first two tunes of her show: the funky "Raise Your Hand" and "As Good as You Been to This World," and the Snookey Flowers fronted "Cant Turn You Loose." The concert was one of the first featuring her new Kozmic Blues Band, with a complete horn section. Whether it was the weather or the bands newness as a stage entity, the performance is certainly rough and ragged in places, and the sound leaves something be desired despite valiant efforts by Eddie Kramer to restore and remaster it. Its more than acceptable, but far from the pristine sound of 21st century live recordings. It is more than worthwhile, however. First of all, its great to have a document presented in its original context. Secondly, Joplin is in terrific voice -- there were times in that last year-and-a-half when she wasnt, and this isnt one of them. Her energy, spontaneity, and sense of musical adventure here are astonishing. She is truly inspired -- despite waiting ten hours after her originally scheduled showtime to go on. The band, for all its looseness -- particularly the guitars -- picks up on her fire and doesnt let the adversarial conditions get them down, which makes for an excitingly roughshod unit. Standouts are the burning "Try," "To Love Somebody," the aforementioned Nick Gravenites-penned "As Good as Youve Been to This World," and the overdriven encore "Ball and Chain." | ||
 | Album: 25 of 29 Title: I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! / Love, Janis Released: 2010-10-05 Tracks: 34 Duration: 1:56:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 2 Maybe (03:41) 3 One Good Man (04:11) 4 As Good as You’ve Been to This World (05:26) 5 To Love Somebody (05:18) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:24) 7 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 8 Work Me, Lord (06:45) 9 Dear Landlord (session outtake) (02:32) 10 Summertime (live at Woodstock) (05:04) 11 Piece of My Heart (live at Woodstock) (06:31) 1 What Good Can Drinkin Do (02:49) 2 (I Bring the News) (02:43) 3 Down on Me (02:06) 4 (Im Somebody Important) (01:39) 5 Women Is Losers (02:05) 6 (Our First Record Is Finally Out) (01:11) 7 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 8 (Im Sorry, Sorry) (00:51) 9 (A Happening) (02:02) 10 Summertime (04:01) 11 (Hes a Beatle, Mother) (01:35) 12 Ball and Chain (09:26) 13 (I May Be a Star Someday) (02:01) 14 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 15 (Twenty-Five) (01:29) 16 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 17 (Did I Tell You About My Reviews?) (01:06) 18 Little Girl Blue (03:50) 19 (Twenty-Seven) (02:18) 20 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 21 Mercedes Benz (02:12) 22 The Last Letter (Really Rushin Through) (01:44) 23 Get It While You Can (03:26) |
 | Album: 26 of 29 Title: The Pearl Sessions Released: 2012-04-17 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:13:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Move Over (03:43) 2 Cry Baby (03:58) 3 A Woman Left Lonely (03:29) 4 Half Moon (03:54) 5 Buried Alive in the Blues (02:27) 6 My Baby (03:45) 7 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 8 Mercedes Benz (01:47) 9 Trust Me (03:17) 10 Get It While You Can (03:28) 11 Me and Bobby McGee (mono single) (04:11) 12 Half Moon (mono single) (03:56) 13 Cry Baby (mono single) (04:00) 14 Get It While You Can (mono single) (03:30) 15 Move Over (single version) (03:43) 16 A Woman Left Lonely (mono single) (04:49) 1 Overheard in the Studio... (00:40) 2 Get It While You Can (take 3) (03:39) 3 Overheard in the Studio... (01:39) 4 Get It While You Can (take 5) (03:46) 5 Overheard in the Studio... (02:30) 6 Move Over (take 6) (04:06) 7 Move Over (take 13) (04:38) 8 Move Over (take 17) (04:08) 9 Me and Bobby McGee (demo version) (04:48) 10 Me and Bobby McGee (take 5) (04:51) 11 Cry Baby (alternate version) (04:59) 12 A Woman Left Lonely (alternate vocal) (03:36) 13 Overheard in the Studio... (02:28) 14 My Baby (alternate take) (03:56) 15 Overheard in the Studio... (02:34) 16 Get It While You Can (take 3) (03:33) 17 My Baby (alternate version) (04:01) 18 Pearl (instrumental) (04:32) 19 Tell Mama (live version) (06:38) 20 Half Moon (live From "The Dick Cavett Show") (04:07) |
| The Pearl Sessions : Allmusic album Review : Not to state the obvious, but the reality is that The Pearl Sessions by Janis Joplin is primarily for completists and musical historians. Thats fine; given its design and contents it appears it was meant to be. The two-disc package includes the original album and mono 45 masters of six of its tracks -- including "Me & Bobby McGee," "Move Over," and "Get It While You Can." These are interesting, but they dont hold a candle to the stereo album mixes. Its the second disc that holds the fan treasures. The studio banter by Joplin, producer Paul A Rothchild, and the Full-Tilt Boogie Band is priceless. It offers proof of Joplins exacting standards when it came to getting across the maximum emotional impact of a song, as well as her vulnerability -- asking for guidance from Rothchild as to how to approach a particular take (he hands control right back to her). There is also plenty of humor, including comments about Richard Nixon and an unnamed rock star that Joplin claims she wouldnt bed because hes boring and a nerd. The genuine camaraderie between her, her band, and her producer offers ample evidence that these sessions were as much fun as they were work. Musically, there are multiple alternate takes of some album cuts. Sometimes they rival or even surpass versions that ended up on the final product: the fifth take of "Get It While You Can" (there are three here) and the demo of "Me & Bobby McGee," where she is accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. There are three takes in a row of "Move Over." The alternate of "Cry Baby," while inferior to the album take, reveals the songs deep emotional attraction for Joplin. Alternate takes of "Cry Baby" and "My Baby" are compelling. In addition, there is an instrumental version of "Pearl" (that could have been left off as it reveals nothing and is wholly uninteresting), a live version of "Tell Mama," with a breakneck tempo that makes one wonder why it was chosen, and a performance of "Half Moon," from the Dick Cavett Show in 1970. Add to this Rothchilds own remembrances from and observations about these sessions, Holly George-Warrens excellent liner notes, some rare photographs, and hardcore Joplin fans and historians have an excellent retrospective package which, while illuminating the process of the creation of Pearl, doesnt replace it in the canon. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 29 Title: The 60s: Janis Joplin Released: 2013-09-16 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Down on Me (02:06) 2 Coo Coo (01:58) 3 Bye, Bye Baby (02:38) 4 Piece of My Heart (04:15) 5 Summertime (04:00) 6 Kozmic Blues (04:23) 7 Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) (03:57) 8 Maybe (03:41) 9 Me and Bobby McGee (04:31) 10 Mercedes Benz (01:47) |
 | Album: 28 of 29 Title: Janis - Little Girl Blue Released: 2016 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:18:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Careless Love (03:09) 2 Down on Me (02:04) 3 Women Is Losers (Live) (05:07) 4 Ball and Chain (Live) (08:11) 5 Piece of My Heart (04:18) 6 Catch Me Daddy (Live) (05:32) 7 Magic of Love (Live) (03:04) 8 Summertime (03:59) 9 Raise Your Hand (Live) (03:45) 10 Maybe (03:40) 11 Work Me, Lord (Live at The Woodstock Music, Art Fair, August 16, 1969) [402913501] (08:07) 12 Trust Me (03:18) 13 Cry Baby (Live) (06:27) 14 Tell Mama (Live) (06:33) 15 Get It While You Can (03:27) 16 Me and Bobby McGee (04:32) 17 Little Girl Blue (03:45) |
 | Album: 29 of 29 Title: Sex, Dope & Cheap Thrills Released: 2018-11-30 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:18:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Combination of the Two (take 3) (05:33) 2 I Need a Man to Love (take 4) (08:05) 3 Summertime (take 2) (04:10) 4 Piece of My Heart (take 6) (04:55) 5 Harry (take 10) (01:12) 6 Turtle Blues (take 4) (04:47) 7 Oh, Sweet Mary (04:23) 8 Ball and Chain (07:28) 9 Roadblock (05:43) 10 Catch Me Daddy (take 1) (05:34) 11 It’s a Deal (take 1) (02:42) 12 Easy Once You Know How (take 1) (04:35) 13 How Many Times Blues Jam (05:26) 14 Farewell Song (take 7) (05:02) 15 Flower in the Sun (take 3) (03:14) 16 Oh Sweet Mary (06:55) 17 Summertime (take 1) (03:14) 18 Piece of My Heart (take 4) (04:07) 19 Catch Me Daddy (take 9) (03:15) 20 Catch Me Daddy (take 10) (04:22) 21 I Need a Man to Love (take 3) (07:08) 22 Harry (take 9) (01:11) 23 Farewell Song (take 4) (04:27) 24 Misery’n (takes 2 & 3) (03:57) 25 Misery’n (take 4) (04:58) 26 Magic of Love (take 1) (03:19) 27 Turtle Blues (take 9) (03:59) 28 Turtle Blues (last verse takes 1 - 3) (04:35) 29 Piece of My Heart (take 3) (04:32) 30 Farewell Song (take 5) (05:12) |