Saturday, March 12, 2011

A Record a Week: Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills



SIDE 1.
COMBINATION OF THE TWO
I NEED A MAN TO LOVE
SUMMERTIME
PIECE OF MY HEART

SIDE 2.
TURTLE BLUES
OH, SWEET MARY
BALL AND CHAIN

Oh Janis Joplin, how I wonder if you knew that the phrases 'Big Brother' and 'Cheap Thrills' would go so well together in the future.

This album was the last by Big Brother before Joplin's brief solo career, and has some great stuff on it. Edgy, throaty rock vocals and guitar solos fitting of the era coupled with hippie-type songs. The classic Summertime and Piece of My Heart round out a terrific opening side and the epic Ball and Chain, originally by Big Mama Thornton, but made famous by Joplin.

Her singing style was so unique and her influence as a female rock singer was and has since rarely been matched. Like many others, nobody knows if she would have been able to maintain her status and popularity as she died far too young. As sad as their passings are, celebrities that die at the peak of their careers are eternally enshrined as they were at the time of their death.

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