Janis Joplin's "Pearl": 54 Years Later...
Happy anniversary to the iconic "Pearl" album, the second and final studio album from singer Janis Joplin. Let's take a deeper look!
The album was released three months after Joplin's death on October 4, 1970
It was the final album with Joplin's direct participation, and her only album recorded with the Full Tilt Boogie Band, her final touring unit.
"Pearl" peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, holding that spot for nine weeks.
lt has also been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Producer Paul A. Rothchild, helped the album have a more polished sound
Rothchild was best-known as the recording studio producer of The Doors. He reffered to Joplin as a "producer's dream". "Pearl" also featured new backing musicians. Joplin herself arranged all nine tracks on the album.
Buried Alive in the Blues
Joplin sang each song on the album except 'Buried Alive in the Blues', a backing track on which she had not yet recorded vocals. The song's writer Nick Gravenites was offered the chance to sing it as a tribute to Joplin but turned it down. Thus, the song ended up as an instrumental. He later sang it with Joplin’s former band Big Brother and the Holding Company for their 1971 album "How Hard It Is."
Mercedes Benz
'Mercedes Benz' was the last song Joplin recorded before her death. Her final session took place on Thursday October 1.
Me And Bobby McGee
Originally written by Kris Kristofferson, "Me And Bobby McGee" was recorded by Janis Joplin only a few days before her death in October 1970. Singer Bob Neuwirth taught it to her while Kristofferson was in Peru filming "The Last Movie" with Dennis Hopper. Kristofferson did not know she had recorded the song until after her death; furthermore, the first time he heard her recording of it was the day after she died.
Legacy Edition
A two-disc Legacy Edition of "Pearl" was released on June 14, 2005, with six bonus tracks including a birthday message to John Lennon of 'Happy Trails,' and a reunion of the Full Tilt Boogie Band in an instrumental tribute to Joplin.
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