Pearl (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Pearl
Type = studio
Artist = Janis Joplin and the Full Tilt Boogie


Released = Startdate|1971|02|01
Recorded = September-October 1970
Genre = Blues-rock
Length = 34:10
Label = Columbia
Producer = Paul A. Rothchild
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ctx8b594bsqh link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Janis+joplin link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/janisjoplin/albums/album/187603/review/7371337/pearl link]
Last album = "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!"
(1969)
This album = "Pearl"
(1971)
Next album = "In Concert"
(1972)

"Pearl" is an album by Janis Joplin, released on February 1, 1971 - four months after her death from a heroin overdose. It is her fourth album and the only album she recorded with Full Tilt Boogie.

History

The album has a more polished feel than the albums she recorded with Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Kozmic Blues Band due to the expertise of producer Paul A. Rothchild and her new backing musicians. Rothchild was best known as the producer of The Doors, and worked well with Joplin. Together they were able to craft an album that showcased her extraordinary vocal talents. The Full Tilt Boogie were the musicians who accompanied her on the famous Festival Express in the summer of 1970, and many of the songs on this album were introduced on the concert stage in Canada.

"Pearl" features the hits "Me and Bobby McGee," (commercially released with "Half Moon", another album cut, on the flipside) written by Kris Kristofferson (her lover at the time) and Fred Foster, and "Move Over," which she penned herself. Joplin sings on all of the tracks except for "Buried Alive in the Blues." which remained an instrumental because Janis died before being able to add her vocals. The recording sessions, which began in early September, ended with Joplin's untimely death on October 4, 1970. The iconic album cover shows Joplin reclining on her Victorian loveseat with a drink in her hand, conveying that this is Janis Joplin as she really is. [http://thegazz.com/gblogs/newsounds/2005/07/]

Track listing

#"Move Over" (Janis Joplin) - 3:43
#"Cry Baby" (Jerry Ragovoy, Sam Bell) - 3:58
#"A Woman Left Lonely" (Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham) - 3:29
#"Half Moon" (John Hall, Johanna Hall) - 3:53
#"Buried Alive In The Blues" (Nick Gravenites) - 2:29
#"My Baby" (Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman) - 3:26
#"Me and Bobby McGee" (Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster) - 4:33
#"Mercedes Benz" (Janis Joplin, Bob Neuwirth) - 1:48
#"Trust Me" (Bobby Womack, Michael MClure) - 3:17
#"Get It While You Can" (Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman) - 3:27

1999 remastered edition bonus tracks

A remastered edition of "Pearl" with extra tracks was released August 31, 1999. All tracks are previously unreleased live recordings.

#

"Tell Mama" - 6:32
#"Little Girl Blue" - 3:50
#"Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" - 6:52
#"Cry Baby" - 6:29

2004 legacy edition bonus tracks

#

"Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails)" - 1:48
#"Me and Bobby McGee" [Demo Version] - 7:26
#"Move Over" [Alternate Version] - 7:05
#"Cry Baby" [Alternate Version] - 7:36
#"My Baby" [Alternate Version] - 5:58
#"Pearl" [Instrumental tribute to Janis by the Full Tilt Boogie] - 7:06

CD2 : Live Festival Express Tour, Canada, recorded between June 28 and July 4, 1970
#"Tell Mama" - 10:47
#"Half Moon" - 7:18
#"Move Over" - 7:22
#"Maybe" - 5:57
#"Summertime" - 7:20
#"Little Girl Blue" - 8:30
#"That's Rock 'N Roll" - 8:24
#"Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" - 15:11
#"Kozmic Blues" - 8:49
#"Piece Of My Heart" - 8:42
#"Cry Baby" - 10:32
#"Get It While You Can" - 12:01
#"Ball and Chain" - 13:35

Chart positions

succession box
before = "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Original Cast
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = February 27–April 30, 1971
after = "4 Way Street" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Youngsuccession box
before = "All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = May 17–June 20, 1971
after = "In Rock" by Deep Purple