Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Down On Me
2. Coo Coo
3. Women Is Losers
4. Bye, Bye Baby
5. Ball And Chain (Live)
6. Roadblock
7. Piece Of My Heart
8. Misery'n
9. I Need A Man To Love
10. Summertime
11. Flower In The Sun (Live)
12. Farewell Song (Live)
13. Raise Your Hand (Live)
14. To Love Somebody (Live)
15. Kozmic Blues (Live)

Disc 2:

1. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
2. Maybe
3. One Good Man
4. Little Girl Blue
5. Work Me, Lord
6. Tell Mama (Live)
7. Move Over
8. Cry Baby
9. A Woman Left Lonely
10. Half Moon
11. My Baby
12. Me And Bobby McGee
13. Mercedes Benz
14. Trust Me
15. Get It While You Can

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24286 in Music
• Released on: 2003-01-14
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com
Such was the visceral power of Janis Joplin's voice that her enduring legend as '60s rock icon was based on just a pair of solo albums and the two releases with her fronting Big Brother and the Holding Company that she recorded before her death in 1970 of a drug overdose. This 30-track double-disc anthology offers a concise introduction to the incendiary talents of a singer whose tortured blues seemed no mere affectation; being cruelly voted "Ugliest Man on Campus" during her tenure at the University of Texas barely hinted at the depth of Joplin's personal demons. Organized chronologically with its discs split between her band and solo careers, the anthology documents the story of a raw, riveting talent that carried the often slovenly psychedelic blues of Big Brother to stardom via "Down on Me" and "Piece of Heart," stumbled only slightly on her solo debut (I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama), and then reached full, ragged glory on the quintessential Pearl with tracks like her posthumous hit "Me and Bobby McGee" and the playful "Mercedes Benz." The collection also features a pair of previously unreleased live Big Brother tracks ("To Love Somebody," "Kozmic Blues") recorded at Woodstock '69. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Excellent overview of Janis on stage and in the studio!
With the release of the 2-CD ESSENTIAL, interested listeners can now sample Janis' career in either 1, 2, or 3 disc sets. Although those who just want the major moments may still want to opt for a single package, ESSENTIAL is an excellent choice for those who want a bit more perspective on the entirety of Janis' brief career...I'd recommend this over the 3-disc boxed set to everyone except collectors.

Disc one starts with Janis' breakthrough hit DOWN ON ME, offers a few additional quality tracks from the same sessions (12/66), then gets into three key tracks from the classic 1968 album CHEAP THRILLS. From there disc one takes it to the stage for a selection of live cuts from such major gigs as Monterey, Woodstock, and Winterland. Previously these Sony ESSENTIAL sets tended to avoid concert tracks, but Janis' legendary, energetic live performances were obviously too compelling to ignore.

Except for a live version of `Tell Mama,' disc two focuses on tracks from Janis' last two studio albums: 1969's KOZMIC BLUES (5 tracks) and the posthumously-issued 1971 PEARL (9 tracks--i.e., EVERY vocal track from the original album...and all the original masters, no alternate takes!). MERCEDES BENZ was recorded just three days prior to her passing. At the time of her death, Janis seemed to be in transition, singing with a bit less volume...but no less passion or feeling. One cannot help but wonder where Joplin's obvious desire to create music would have taken her had she lived.

We Miss This Voice
Aside from the absence of her great little birthday tribute to John Lennon, this is a wonderfully comprehensive collection of Janis Joplin's work, ranging from her days with Big Brother & the Holding Company to her last recordings, and including all her most popular songs. The sound quality is excellent. Many have designated her performance of "Ball and Chain" at Monterey as her defining moment (and it is included here), but her soaring performances of "Work Me Lord," "Little Girl Blue," and "My Baby" may make you question that. All told, a fabulous retrospective on a magnificent voice that was silenced too soon.

All you'll ever need........
This is the best Joplin CD to get for both novice and true fan. It covers all the bases in a nice chronological order, and gives a great overview of what all the shouting is about. Note to Jerry McCulley: Big Brother was NOT her band at Woodstock! Put down the bong next time you write an intro and do a little fact-checking.........