I remember the first time I listened to
Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits back when I was in high school.
I had picked up a used copy of the record for about a dollar and,
having known Joplin only for “Me And Bobby McGee” and “Piece Of My
Heart,” decided it was worth the investment. But after one listen,
I wondered what the big deal was, and I shelved the album.
Long-time readers will know that I got a crash course in
“Joplin-ology” a few months ago when I reviewed the
Box Of Pearls set, which included all four studio albums
Joplin recorded, both as a solo act and with Big Brother And The
Holding Company. After that, things seemed a little clearer – and
with that new knowledge, I felt comfortable to give
Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits – now in a remastered, expanded
CD edition – another try. Guess what – things seemed much clearer
this time around.
The thing about Joplin is that it’s very difficult for someone
who doesn’t know much about her or her musical background to come
into her catalog stone cold; it’s almost like you have to build up
a rapport with her, much like you have to season a cast iron
skillet. If all you know are the songs that radio plays, you might
not understand how Joplin got to a musical level in her career that
would have led to her doing songs like “Cry Baby” and “Move
Over”.
With that in mind – yes, the two major hits that Joplin had are
included on this disc. “Piece Of My Heart” captures Joplin at both
her most gentle in vocal style as well as her roughest – and that’s
what I think endured her to her fans. Likewise, “Me And Bobby
McGee” gave Joplin a chance to demonstrate her vocal talents
without having to constantly resort to the gymnastics she put her
vocal cords through.
But Joplin was more than these two songs, as
Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits goes out of its way to prove.
Songs like “Try (Just A Little Bit Harder),” “Down On Me” and “Move
Over” all show that Joplin could well be one of the most
underappreciated musicians from this particular period in music
history.
A long-standing error is corrected with this expanded release,
as the a capella number “Mercedes Benz” finally makes the cut.
(Just wondering, though: why wasn’t “Combination Of The Two” also
included? There’s plenty of space on the CD, and it’s very much
worthy of the distinction.)
The only track I still cannot warm up to is the version of “Ball
And Chain” that is featured, a number that segues into a two-minute
diatribe and vocal calisthenics that seems to drag on forever. The
one thing I do like, though, is how Joplin chooses to end the song
with her vocals fading out gently, instead of allowing the band to
power-chord through an ending like every other group alive probably
would have.
Granted, Joplin’s sound and style are acquired tastes, and it
may seem odd that the people who could appreciate a greatest hits
album like this one are those who have heard most of (if not all)
of her previous releases. But
Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits – a good album, mind you – is
that kind of a disc.
