Cheers to 50 Years - A Celebration of Janis Joplin’s Pearl

October 4, 1970 is known as a devastating day for rock and roll fans all over. After losing Jimi Hendrix just 16 days before, the world then endured the loss of the rock and blues powerhouse that was Janis Joplin. At the time of her untimely death, Janis was working on an album with the Full Tilt Boogie Band, who she had been touring with during the Festival Express. And while her death came in the middle of her work on the album, those who were mourning the loss of such an icon in the music world were soon blessed with her most polished record to date, Pearl.

Paul Rothchild, who had also worked closely with The Doors, worked with Janis to produce Pearl and he considered Janis to be a “producer’s dream.” The album was released on January 11, 1971, just three months after her death. After its release, Pearl sat at the number one spot of the Billboard 200 for nine weeks. And while Pearl came as such a surprise to those who were fans of Janis due to its posthumous release, it also is simply a phenomenal record that really showcases her full range of vocal talent. That being said, let’s dig a little deeper into its contents and get acquainted with all this album has to offer.

At its original release, the album consisted of 10 tracks, which includes one of her most popular songs to date, “Me and Bobby McGee” (originally written by Kris Kristofferson). Later releases of the album would include live versions of performances from the Festival Express, other demos, and even a Happy Birthday song to John Lennon for his 30th birthday. However, for this particular post I want to focus on the original 10.

The first track titled “Move Over” really kicks off the record with a beat that makes it almost impossible not to dance to. This track is also the perfect song to lure listeners in and provide an upbeat listening experience. Following “Move Over” is the track titled “Cry Baby,” which happens to be one of my favorite Janis songs. This song really highlights her vocal range as well as giving us some raw emotion as she pours herself into this song. The third track, “A Woman Left Lonely” allows us experience more of Janis’ soulful sound as she offers another emotional experience. The next track is titled “Half Moon” and happens to be another one of my favorites and a very underrated track of hers, in my opinion. “Half Moon” is honestly such a groovy song and another that really makes you want to move around. It also makes for a perfect driving song. The fifth song, and the last song of side one, is “Buried Alive in the Blues.” This track is an instrumental due to the unfortunate fact that Janis was scheduled to record vocals the day after she was found dead. The idea of having the song’s writer, Nick Gravenites, sing the vocals as a tribute to Janis was offered but he turned it down and decided to leave it as an instrumental. Weirdly enough, I like that they made that decision because it gives the song an extra eerie feeling knowing that it was destined for a different fate. 

For side two of the record, it starts out strong with the track “My Baby.” “My Baby” is a song that showcases Janis’ bluesy side so well and is another favorite of mine. Next up is the iconic “Me and Bobby McGee” which became the star of the album. This song is just overall amazing. And while I love Kris Kristofferson, her cover of it just takes it up a notch and makes for a complete masterpiece. This song is another great driving song, a fun karaoke song, and even acts as a lovely example of hippie life. The track following it, titled “Mercedes Benz” is another special song. This song was the very last recording Janis did, recorded on October 1, 1970, and provides a fun a cappella experience. This song makes you feel like you are just sitting around in a circle hanging out and then Janis just starts singing out of nowhere. She also ends the song with a fun little laugh which makes me happy knowing it was her last recording. Huge Janis fans I have talked to always bring this song up as well so I can imagine they feel the same way I do about it. Following “Mercedes Benz” is the track titled “Trust Me.” This track is another bluesy, soulful work of art, and another that I think is underrated. And finally, the last track of the original 10, “Get It While You Can.” “Get It While You Can” makes for a perfect closing track to this album. This song sends the message of taking advantage of love when it comes your way, even if it may not work out. It even includes the lyric “cause we may not be here tomorrow, no” giving this song an eerie feeling as well. Overall, I know this record wasn’t intended to be a posthumous release but man, the tracks chosen really add that extra bitter sweet feeling while listening to this record and I can’t even imagine the feeling of those listening to it when it was first released.

Now that I have basically broken down each track, we cannot consider this a celebration of Pearl without discussing the cover art. Photographed by Barry Feinstein, Janis is shown in classic Janis attire: feathers in her hair, funky clothes, eclectic jewelry, with a cigarette and drink in hand all while reclining in a Victorian era loveseat. I can’t imagine a photo that could embody Janis better than that! This album cover was also listed as number 27 on Billboard’s 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time. And while I absolutely love the choice for the cover photo, the other photos from the shoot with Barry Feinstein are so cute and show us a fun and goofy Janis.

Although this record is now 50 years old, it is wild to know that people are still listening to and loving this album to this day. As someone who credits Janis Joplin as my introduction to classic rock, this album was fundamental in cultivating my taste in music. So many of these songs have followed me through several different phases of life and continue to be in my music rotation today. I know that I was nowhere close to being born when this album came out, but I still appreciate every bit of work Janis put into it for her to unknowingly leave the world with such a masterpiece after the devastating shock of her death.

Of course, I could go on and on about all things Janis Joplin, but I will save my ramblings for another post. Right now we can just celebrate and be thankful for such a wonderful piece of art that has stood the test of time and continues to inspire people even in the 21st Century. Cheers to 50 years, Pearl!