Song #250: "Me And Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin

Date: Mar 20, 1971
Weeks: 2

For a song that starts out like a simple guitar-and-vocals tune, this song manages to build into something pretty intense by the end. Near the end I can hear drums, banjo, piano, organ, guitars. It's just a big, fun bash.

Janis Joplin is often mentioned when people are discussing rock stars who can't sing very well. But her voice is not that bad. She doesn't have any trouble with pitch, and she's not trying to sing better than she's capable of. She's sings passionately, and doesn't hold anything back, so her voice breaks a lot as a result, which I think is why people criticize her vocal talent. Personally, I think pop music could use more of this sort of singing.

The music isn't very memorable. It feels like someone recorded a jam session with some vague bass chords planned out. Compare this to the catchy hook in the chorus of the Janis Joplin song "Piece Of My Heart." After listening to that song, can a person even remember the music to "Me and Bobby McGee" any more? So it may not be catchy, but it's sufficiently enjoyable.

The lyrics are okay. It feels like a country song at the core, telling a pretty typical lost love story. According to Wikipedia, the song was originally written from a male perspective, and Bobby McGee was a woman. In fact, I found a video of Johnny Cash singing this song. Janis Joplin changed Bobby McGee to a man, and this song is probably best remembered as her song. This song is also where the line "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose" comes from, which is a memorable line to be sure. I think it was a popular pick for quote in my high school yearbook.

This is also one of those pop songs that has about 2 minutes of lyrical content, and then fills it out with 2 more minutes of instrumental jam session while the singer goes "la la la." The jam session is fun, to be sure, but this song is anything but a tightly composed tune. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not quite typical of pop music.

My verdict: Like it. I'm not sure the song actually belong on the pop charts, but it's interesting and fun by the end. Good enough for me.

P.S. It's also worth mentioning that this is Janis Joplin's only No. 1 hit, and it reached the top of the charts roughly six months after her death.