#259 Janis Joplin, 'Pearl' (1971)
Previously #125
This is such a bittersweet album. Released 3 months after the untimely death of Janis Joplin at the age of (you guessed it) 27 years old, ‘Pearl’ truly showcased the incredible voice of Janis Joplin; gritty, raw and bluesy contrasting with the polished sound of her backing band and slick production by Paul Rothchild, who produced the first 5 records by The Doors.
The album features 10 tracks, 2 of which were penned by Joplin, and one instrumental, ‘Buried Alive In The Blues.’ As Joplin passed away before vocals could be completed for the song, it was decided to be left as an instrumental. Nick Gravenites, the man that wrote the song, was offered the opportunity to sing it in tribute to her but declined. The album also includes Joplin’s only career #1 single, ‘Me and Bobby McGee,’ a track written by Kris Kristofferson featuring the iconic line “Freedom’s just another word for nothing’s left to lost,” delivered in only a way that Janis Joplin could. The most chilling song on the album is ‘Mercedes Benz.’ “I'd like to do a song/Of great social and political import/It goes like this,” Joplin sings. The song was recorded a cappella on Thursday 1 October 1970, 3 days before her death from a heroin overdose on Sunday 4 October 1970. It’s the most raw we ever hear Joplin. Her voice is perfectly imperfect. Cracking when she goes full tilt, yet still powerful. This song was to be the last song Joplin would ever record. It’s almost as if she knew. She ends the song by saying “That’s it!” followed by a throaty giggle. That’s not even the end of the album, but it should be. It just leaves me cold. Joplin died just 16 days after Jimi Henrix, who also famously died at 27 years old. What a time to be a music fan. I always wondered how George Harrison, who was too aged 27 years old in 1970 felt. Janis Joplin’s influence is felt to this day. She was the first of her kind, and in many ways the last. She opened so many doors for female musicians breaking down barriers and destroying ideals of what a female music should be and proved what a female musician could be.
#rs500albums