I spent 60
bucks today and
bought 6
Janis Joplin
CDs. And I didn't get the one song I
need (or
want -
I think I sometimes confuse the two).
I am looking for the version of Summertime that is the
perfect/ultimate/best version. I know this because I
already have it ... on tape. I need it on CD so
I can make a mix of a bunch of songs I have had running
through my head the last several weeks. The tape I
have is titled Janis and it is the soundtrack
of a documentary movie made many years ago about
her. They do
not release this soundtrack on CD or any other form than
cassette. I know this because I have looked
(more than a few times) in the
databases and books that you sometimes see at
record stores with info about artist/title/song
in various genres and media formats. I didn't
own any Janis CDs before today - just
this tape1.
I suspected and hoped that the same version would
be on one of these CDs. I now have five different
versions of Summertime (one of the CDs didn't have
the song but it was part of a box-set of three CDs
and the other two had it) and none of them is the
one I want.
By the way,
Janis is actually great in every version. It's the
guitar that isn't right. He
either fucks up or just doesn't
go for it. If you hear them all (as I just have)
you will see what I mean.
(Update on
May 3, 2001) I didn't have time to write
this before, but here are the 5
CD versions of
Summertime that I now have along with a few notes
I made about them:
- studio version from Cheap Thrills -
I thought this one was the best. There are a few
mistakes and screechy parts. But overall high
quality (what you would expect from the studio). Tone
is mellow and they nailed the ending.
- alternate studio version from
Janis Joplin 18 Essential Songs -
Nice guitar harmony (beginning). Guitar solo sucks.
Alternate ending.
- Live At Winterland '68 - Nice into. The levels
are way off, especially with respect to the guitar. You
can hear the crowd (a plus for me).
- Joplin In Concert - Nice guitar intro, but the
level is way too low. Guitar solo sucks. Weak ending.
Everyone sounds a little tired.
- I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! -
This was recorded at Woodstock. It's definitely
the worst though. The guitar totally, totally sucks.
It not only sounds like the guy is drunk but that he's
playing on a crappy guitar. Still it would have been
nice to be there and experience it, crappy guitar
and all. The one redeeming thing about this cut
is the intro. It's the same little renaissance festival
sounding horn ditty (is that somehow related to
the Gershwin version?) as on my favorite version (the
one on tape discussed above).
1. True story: I have actually bought this tape
three separate times. Friends keep borrowing it and
not returning it, or conveniently "loosing" it. It
is really good! Why the morons who decide these
things don't put it on CD is
a complete mystery, especially given the other Janis
CDs out there which are not as good.