Today, January 19, would have been rock singer/songwriter
Janis Joplin’s 74th birthday. Though her life and career were cut
short in 1970 by a drug overdose at age 27, her work is still a defining force
in rock music today.
Joplin first came to prominence as the lead singer of Big
Brother and the Holding Company from 1966 to 1968. With her raspy vocals and commanding
stage presence, she helped bring the band break into the mainstream. Recording
two albums with the band, both peaked in the top 100, with their second album, ‘Cheap
Thrills,’ hitting number one. Joplin was able to channel that success into a
solo career when she left the band and released ‘I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues
Again Mama!,’ which peaked at number five in the United States. Her posthumous
second album, ‘Pearl,’ was an even bigger hit, reaching number one upon its
release in 1971.
To celebrate the singer’s life and career, Vinyl Bay 777,
Long Island’s top music outlet, is taking a look back at the seven
highest-charting singles of Janis Joplin’s career.
1.
“Me And Bobby McGee”: Originally performed by
Roger Miller and penned by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster in 1969, Joplin’s
version of “Me And Bobby McGee” became the most well-known. When it was
released as the first single off her posthumous album, ‘Pearl,’ in 1971, the
song would become a number one hit for her in the US and Australia.
2.
“Piece of My Heart”: Despite this song’s continued
popularity today, “Piece of My Heart” only peaked at number 12 on the Hot 100
chart. This was a defining song for both Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding
Company. It was the band’s highest charting song from their highest charting
album. After its release, Joplin left Big Brother and the band wouldn’t see
success like that again.
3.
“Kozmic Blues”: Joplin’s first single as a solo
artist, it became a big hit with fans after she performed it during Woodstock. “Kozmic
Blues” would end up peaking at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.
4.
“Cry Baby”: Another cover that Joplin brought to
the charts, “Cry Baby” was originally an R&B song recorded by Garnet Mimms
and the Enchanters. Adding her own blues-rock spin to it, Joplin released it as
the second single from ‘Pearl.’ It would go on to peak at 42 on the Hot 100
chart.
5.
“Down on Me”: “Down on Me” was Big Brother and
the Holding Company’s first charting single. Originally an early 20th
century freedom song, Joplin changed the words to give it a lighter mood and it
ultimately became a hit. Their version peaked at number 43 when it first came
out in 1967. Joplin had a hit with the song again in 1972 when a live version
of the song was released on the album ‘Joplin In Concert,’ this time only
making it to number 91.
6.
“Get It While You Can”: Originally sung by Howard
Tate in 1966, Joplin once again made the song even more popular. The original
charted at 134 in the United States, while Joplin’s peaked at 78.
7.
“Coo Coo”: Recorded during the sessions for their
debut album but not included on the original track list, Big Brother and the
Holding Company released “Coo Coo” as a separate single in 1968, just before
the release of their second album. The song would peak at 84 in the US.
Whether she wrote them, rearranged them or covered them, Janis Joplin had a way of
taking a song and making it a hit. Her distinct voice and charm made her a rock
star and an influence for female singers for decades to come. Though she died
young, her music is still some of the most highly regarded in the rock genre
today.
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Find music from iconic music figures like Janis Joplin and
more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com. As Long Island’s top new independent
record shop, we have a wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs,
cassettes and DVDs, as well as pop culture collectables and memorabilia. Browse
thousands of titles from an eclectic array of artists in store and online. More
titles are being added daily, so come down and check out what’s new!
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