Customer Reviews
Incomplete - By: Pieter, 24 Oct 2004 
Although Janis Joplin's genius shines through all of these tracks, the selection is inadequate. An album with a title like greatest hits needs to contain Combination Of The Two (from Cheap Thrills, with Big Brother & the Holding Company) & Joplin's version of the Bee Gees' To Love Somebody (from Kozmic Blues).
Luckily there are more comprehensive compilations available, & 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 herin 1971), the wrenching Maybe from Kozmic Blues & her popular novelty song Mercedes Benz.
Most of the tracks are from Pearl & while I love all of them, especially Cry Baby, Move Over & 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 & the title track.
For Joplin completists & those who would like to get more of her bestin one place, there are The Essential Janis Joplin, a 2-CD set with 30 tracks, & The Janis Joplin anthology, a brilliant compilation of 19 of her very best performances.
A voice that makes you shiver - By: Dr. M. Ford, 08 Feb 2004 Janis Joplin was a force of nature & 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 & the passion of her music comes from the enormous part of herself she threw into every recording.
Janis was famous for power blues-rock & this collection will give you a flavour of this. Standouts? Her reworking of the Gershwin's Summertime from Porgy & Bess is an atmosphere drenched (you can smell the cigarette smoke!) crawl through the song, heavy with distorted guitars & 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 & 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 usedin an advert for the company. If you are one of the people buy this or better still '18 Essential Songs' & find out what Janis was really about.
It'll do...... - By: R Jess, 09 Jan 2004 
This album may have been a big hit back when it was releasedin 1973 but time & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & unrelenting. 'Cheap Thrills' was recordedin 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 compilationin 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. - By: bridgetwollaston@connectfree.co.uk, 04 Jul 2000 this albumn is deep & blusey, even more so with janis' history. she sings from the heart & 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 & guitar. with the guitar yeilding to janis' voice.
the whimsical me & bobby mcgee is an antidote & 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 & a think.
one down side i miss the crackles of the vinyl or if live the talk & the smells, hence the 4 out of five!
Janis RULES! - By: , 13 Oct 1999 
Janis fasinated me from the moment I heard this album as ateenager I fellin love with that gravily voice which as you may not know was acctually trainedin opera at school, so you know despite what alot of people think this woman can sing! As like many of my favourite artists she sings very openly & honestly. My favourite songs on this are Ball & Chain, Me & Bobby McGee! Fantastic.
