Greatest Hits: Remastered

Luckily there are more comprehensive compilations available, and this album would do as an introduction to the Joplin novice. It contains the impressive acid rock onslaught of Piece Of My Heart, the original version of the timeless Me And Bobby McGee (a huge posthumous hit for her in 1971), the wrenching Maybe from Kozmic Blues and her popular novelty song Mercedes Benz.

Most of the tracks are from Pearl and while I love all of them, especially Cry Baby, Move Over and Get It While You Can, one must never forget her lesser known albums that contain many gems. The obscure Farewell Song, for example, has brilliant tracks like The Magic Of Love, One Night Stand and the title track.

For Joplin completists and those who would like to get more of her best in one place, there are The Essential Janis Joplin, a 2-CD set with 30 tracks, and The Janis Joplin anthology, a brilliant compilation of 19 of her very best performances.


A voice that makes you shiver   February 8, 2004
Dr. M. Ford
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Janis Joplin was a force of nature and this collection is a useful, if limited, introduction to her awesome power. Janis had a voice that will literally send shivers through your spine as she rips out of the very depths of her being: I am not exaggerating, the pain, the power and the passion of her music comes from the enormous part of herself she threw into every recording.

Janis was famous for power blues-rock and this collection will give you a flavour of this. Standouts? Her reworking of the Gershwin's Summertime from Porgy and Bess is an atmosphere drenched (you can smell the cigarette smoke!) crawl through the song, heavy with distorted guitars and a persistent bass. Try (just a little bit harder) from the career high of 'Got Dem Old Kozmic Blues Again Mama' is a more upbeat song featuring a prominent brass section that gives it an almost old soul feel. And her reworking of the Kris Kristofferson track 'Me and Bobby McGee' is a beautiful ballad that shows Janis' vocal talents to the full.

It is sad then that for many people the only track that they will know of Janis is the comical Mercedes Benz as it was used in an advert for the company. If you are one of the people buy this or better still '18 Essential Songs' and find out what Janis was really about.


It'll do......   January 9, 2004
R Jess (Limerick, Ireland.)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

This album may have been a big hit back when it was released in 1973 but time and a growing appreciation of Janis Joplin's talent hasn't been kind to it's choice of tracks. Nearly half the tracks chosen here are from the 'Pearl' album and indeed it was with the Full Tilt Boogie Band that Janis's voice could come to the fore, not having to compete with the spaced out acid rock of Big Brother & The Holding Company and the soul-influenced horns of the Kozmic Blues Band. Her seminal live performance of 'Ball & Chain' from the 1967 Monterey Festival was ignored for the lacklustre performance featured here. Ironically this is the best selling and least satisfying of all the Janis compilations out there.

Having said that there are some great Janis moments on this album. Her vocal performances on the Big Brother tracks are powerful and unrelenting. 'Cheap Thrills' was recorded in a way that would capture some essence of their intense live act. Although Janis's live shows with the Kozmic Blues Band never reached the same level of intensity, the album 'I Got Dem 'Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama' proved she could adapt her vocal style to soul-influenced riffs with veritable ease. 'Move Over' was an indication that she was also a pretty handy songwriter. A talent which unfortunetly never came to full fruition.

An average compilation in the end that needed an inspired compiler brave enough to make some track changes (or at least insightful enough to add 4 or 5 more bonus tracks).


janis' singing is gritty and full of blues.   July 4, 2000
bridgetwollaston@connectfree.co.uk (england)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

this albumn is deep and blusey, even more so with janis' history. she sings from the heart and the lungs, with backing to add to the general 'get on down' tone.

I think summertime is the most haunting piece,guitars flow under the rough deep purple voice,an equal duet of voice and guitar. with the guitar yeilding to janis' voice.

the whimsical me and bobby mcgee is an antidote and almost quaint (for janis)in the general goings on in this CD.

not unlike other tourtured female singers not an easy listen, but great for a drink and a think.

one down side i miss the crackles of the vinyl or if live the talk and the smells, hence the 4 out of five!