50 albums: 1969 - I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! by Janis Joplin

The first song is called Try (a Little Bit Harder) and therein lies the problem I've always had with Janis, she's always been trying a little bit to hard. Both in the pushing of her voice to its limits, and (more noticeably on this album than any other records of hers I've heard) the wanting to be Otis Redding.

Having said that, while this album does rather chug along at times, Janis's Otis-at-Monterey act does seem strangely affecting. The band seem a little removed from the groove but Janis is giving it her all, and even trying a little bit harder than that.

(play on YouTube)

The album I listened to from Spotify had a rather fab bonus track of Janis doing a live version of Piece of my Heart at Woodstock, which starts with such a lovely/hilarious Woddstock-y intro.

How are you out there? Are you are you okay? You're staying stoned and you got enough water and you got a place to sleep and everything? ... music's for grooving, man and music's not for putting yourself through bad changes, you know, I mean you don't have to go take any body's shit man, just to like music, you know what I mean? ... music's supposed to be different than that

She sounds so sweet and, to be honest, fragile - and then she starts singing and she's the total opposite of fragile... hard as nails.

(play on YouTube)