Buried Alive in the Blues

Janis Joplin was born on January 19, 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas. Of course everyone knows her for Bobby McGee...
yet she didn't live to see the song, and that last album Pearl, make it really big. The album went to #1. The track Buried Alive in the Blues was to be recorded on October 5, 1970. She died the night before.

I can sing every nuance of every song on that album. Okay, well.... I USED to be able to. Some of the high notes elude me now.

The Tee shirt above was my favorite birthday present in 1985.


Sometimes I'll fire up the turntable... ( yes, I have a working turntable) and play that last song, which the band kept on as an instrumental, and wonder what the song was supposed to sound like with Janis singing a vocal part. I suppose I could search around and look to see if anyone has ever posted the words to that ill-fated song. Then again.... sometimes I think I don't want to know.

If you have a few minutes... here is a nice little Youtube video I found featuring Janis's life. The doodle portrait was done by Janis.