Arachnophonia: Janis Joplin

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Amy (class of 2025) and features two CDs featuring music by Janis Joplin (1943-1970). Thanks, Amy!

Janis JoplinPearl and Greatest Hits

Janis Joplin - Pearl (1971) album cover

As a girl whose father crafted her music taste, you would think my favorites would be The Beatles or The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix, or even Led Zeppelin. Instead, my father decided to raise a young girl who only listened to melodramatic psychedelic rock music like Janis Joplin.

Sitting in the back of my dad’s car, he slipped his Pearl CD into the player and told me, “This is what good music is, so, listen closely.”

The raspy and powerful voice of Janis shook my world, and I couldn’t get enough. We listened to the entire album and I knew Janis was the perfect artist for me. I even started dressing like her. I had just gotten glasses and was admittedly embarrassed, but once I saw the funky big frames Janis had, I got myself a pair and didn’t feel as worried about how I looked.

The last song my dad showed me was “Mercedez Benz.” The song was a stark difference from everything else on the album-it seemed more casual, and it was a cappella; every other song had a backing band.

After the song was over, my dad told me the horrid news: Janis died of a heroin overdose three days after this first and only recording of “Mercedez Benz.” Three months after her death, her album Pearl was released, her second solo album.

Despite the unfinished nature of the album, it does not even begin to sound that way. Her confidence and remarkable songwriting skills take her far in the album.

The opening of the album “Move Over” is a funky welcome to the album but fits the band (the Full Tilt Boogie Band) and Janis well. The song may be about a breakup but it’s also a song of female empowerment, she’s taking back the reins of her own romantic life.

One of my other favorites on this album is “Cry Baby.” It’s dramatic and passionate and just shows off her voice so well. The song is loud and head-banging at times, but it’s also sorrowful. That’s the power of Janis, she may be the queen of rock, but she’s also the queen of the blues.

Pearl and Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits are both available as CDs in Parsons Music Library. I highly recommend picking up both as her Greatest Hits also includes music from her first two albums with Big Brother & The Holding Company.

Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits - Album cover

Arachnophonia: The Beach Boys “Smile”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student assistant Amy (class of 2025) and features The Beach Boys’ unfinished album Smile. Thanks, Amy!

The Beach Boys

Smile

The Beach Boys - Smile

Referred to as the most renowned unreleased album in pop music history, Smile was supposed to be the 12th studio album by the American band the Beach Boys, projected to be released after their album Pet Sounds. However, they did not officially release the album, potentially because of legality issues with Capitol Records and the producer and composer of the album – Brian Wilson’s – rocky emotional state.

The album had fully completed musical tracks, but only a few of the songs have vocal recordings. Potentially because of his fear of ridicule, Brian Wilson refused to finish the album, but when bootleg versions of the album became popular among the Beach Boys’ audience in the 80s, Capitol Records released a portion of the album to the public in the 90s.

Wilson drew inspiration from astrology, numerology, and the occult when composing Smile. He also became fascinated with religion, even adopting meditation and vegetarianism. Wilson wanted this album to be a “teenage symphony to God.” The group named the album Smile because it focused on good thought and happiness.

You can find the Beach Boys Smile album at the Parsons Music Library. The box set includes 40 tracks, many of which are unfinished but include parts of the structure of the original Smile album. The box also includes a small book of notes from Wilson and photos from the recording sessions.