50 Years ago and the year 1970.
That September is a eventful month during a very musical year. On September 6 – During his final European tour, guitarist Jimi Hendrix is greeted by booing and jeering by German fans as a result of his late appearance on stage and incoherent stage performance. Bassist Billy Cox quits the tour and returns to the United States. September 17 – Jimi Hendrix makes his last appearance, with Eric Burdon & War jamming at Ronnie Scotts Club in London. Hendrix, aged 27, dies the following day from a barbiturate overdose at his London hotel. On October 4 – Janis Joplin is found dead in her bedroom in the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood. She died from a heroin overdose, at the age of 27. So today's tune is dedicated for her.
During September there was a few bands that got disbanded over various cercumstances. THE BEATLES breaka up permanently. THE NICE got disband. BONZO DOG DOO-DAH BAND splits, with reunions in 1972, 1988, and 2006. Simon & Garfunkel – both members of the duo go on to solo careers, although they have reunited and performed together numerous times since breaking up. THE TURTLES disbands (reform in 1983). Dave Clark 5 Many members would leave and new members formed 'Dave Clark & Friends' which lasted until 1973.
September was a great month for album releases.
"Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!" with THE ROLLING STONES, "Third Album" with THE JACKSON 5 got released on the 4th. "Encouraging Words" with Billy Preston, "The Byrds" with THE BYRDS, "Kiln House" with FLEETWOOD MAC, "Paranoid" with BLACK SABBATH, "After the Gold Rush" with Neil Young, "Abraxas" with SANTANA, "Idlewild South" with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, "Beaucoups of Blues" with Ringo Starr, "Leftover Wine" with Melanie and "A Pocket Full of Miracles" with THE MIRACLES among many others.
Today's tune "Piece Of My Heart" is a romantic funk/soul love song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song became a bigger pop hit when recorded by BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY in 1968 with lead singer Janis Joplin. The song was taken from the group's album "Cheap Thrills", recorded in 1968 and released on Columbia Records. This four-minute, 15-second rendition made it to #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album release was the culmination of a hugely successful year for Joplin with acclaimed performances at the Monterey Pop Festival, Anderson Theater in New York, Wake For Martin Luther King Jr. (with Jimi Hendrix) in New York and on TV's prime-time The Dick Cavett Show.
The song's instrumentation was arranged by Sam Andrew, who also performed three distorted, loud guitar solos giving the song a psychedelic touch. The B-side was "Summertime". Another version had the B-side "Turtle Blues".
Franklin said in an interview that when she first heard Joplin's version on the radio, she didn't recognize it because of the vocal arrangement.[17] Noted cultural writer Ellen Willis wrote of the difference: "When Franklin sings it, it is a challenge: no matter what you do to me, I will not let you destroy my ability to be human, to love. Joplin seems rather to be saying, surely if I keep taking this, if I keep setting an example of love and forgiveness, surely he has to understand, change, give me back what I have given". In such a way, Joplin used blues conventions not to transcend pain, but "to scream it out of existence".
Until her death in 1970, "Piece of My Heart" was Joplin’s biggest chart success and best-known song. ("Me and Bobby McGee”, which Kris Kristofferson wrote, eclipsed "Piece of My Heart" when it appeared after her death in 1970. It went to #1 in 1971). "Piece Of My Heart" remains most associated with Joplin and continued to get airplay long after her death. Berns never got to hear Joplin's version, dying of a heart attack on December 30, 1967.
Enjoy today's tune and have a great Sunday!
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