Janis Joplin – “Pearl”

The Sleeve:

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
None.

Personal Review:
Janis Joplin is one of the many artists I grew up listening to on a daily basis, and one of the many reasons of my eclectic music tastes.

The album opens with Janis singing “Move Over” which is one of Janis’ finest hits. The musicianship, the vocals, the everything is absolutely great. Janis was one of the most talented artists of her generation. After that comes another one of Janis’ greatest songs, “Cry Baby” – which I remember hearing along time ago in that John Travolta movie, I think it was “Look Who’s Talking” (That was a good movie.) anyways, Janis is amazingly talented, as it can be heard in this song, as she goes from singing at a normal level, to hitting high notes so amazingly. Then comes “A Woman Left Lonely” – which is a slower and quieter song, but Janis is so talented it just doesn’t matter how slow or quiet the song is because Janis just makes it work so well. I feel with each song Janis sings, she tells some sort of a story. After that comes “Half Moon” – which definitely opens with that bluesy sound to it, it’s well worth the listen simply for the musicianship, and Janis’ vocals are beyond superb. The A-Side ends with the track “Buried Alive in the Blues” is a pretty good instrumental track and a nice way to end the A-Side. Though, I definitely prefer vocal tracks.

“My Baby” opens the B-Side, and what an opening track it is! Janis just belts out one hell of a track and it’s honestly so great. After that comes the very first Janis Joplin song I ever heard, and still love to this day, almost a whole 17 years later – “Me and Bobby McGee” – it is absolutely one of the greatest songs of the 1970’s, the musicianship, the vocals, the lyrics – absolutely everything about this song is amazing. “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose” – that line right there is one of the strongest lines I’ve ever heard in a song. The ending musicianship is pretty amazing. Then comes “Mercedes Benz” which is a nice little vocal track, about Janis wanting a Mercedes. Anyways, it’s followed by “Trust Me” – and it’s a pretty good track, definitely loving the vocals and musicianship. The album ends with the song “Get It While You Can” and it makes for a pretty good closing track to a pretty solid album. Janis was a great artist, who went too soon, and this album right here shows that.

Interesting Facts:
None.

Track Listing:
A1 – Move Over
A2 – Cry Baby
A3 – A Woman Left Lonely
A4 – Half Moon
A5 – Buried Alive in the Blues

B1 – My Baby
B2 – Me and Bobby McGee
B3 – Mercedes Benz
B4 – Trust Me
B5 – Get it While You Can

Label:
Columbia

Catalog Number:
KC 30322

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Vocals – Janis Joplin
Bass – Brad Campbell
Drums – Clark Pierson
Organ – Ken Pearson
Guitar – John Till
Piano – Richard Bell
Tambourine – Sandra Crouch
Conga / Bongos – Bobbie Hall
Acoustic Guitar – Bobby Womack & Pearl
Chorus Voices – Pearl, Full Tilt Boogie, Vince Mitchell, Phil Badella & John Cooke

Other Albums I Own by Janis Joplin:
None.

Released:
1971

Related Vinyls:

Robert Lee Kolb – “Take Off Your Clothes” The Edgar Winter Group – “They Only Come Out at Night” Rod Stewart – “A Night On the Town” Roger Daltrey – “Ride a Rock Horse”