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Janis Joplin's PEARL, from 1971, is a bluesy, organ-drenched benediction for the flower-child sound of the free-and-easy 60's. It is also one of great singer's most consistent and representative efforts. Gone are the ear-shattering sonics of Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Full Tilt Boogie, the backing band here, steps in to offer a degree of polish and control that frames Joplin's vocals nicely. Yet the band still grooves hard with the fierceness her voice demands. Guitarist John Till's riffs, chords, and solos, in particular, are exciting and tightly executed.
"A Woman Left Lonely" and Bobby Womack's "Trust Me" are rain-on-the-windows ballads that come alive with Joplin's gritty vocal brilliance, while the burbling "Move Over" and "Half Moon" are among her funkiest, most driving cuts. The dramatic "Cry Baby" is offset by the tongue-in-cheek a cappella number "Mercedes Benz," while Joplin's version of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee" went on to become her signature song. Joplin died during the sessions for PEARL, making these tracks the final word on her towering talent and a superb addition to her enduring legacy.
Additional Tracks
2 LPs on 1 CD: GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTS (1988)/PEARL (1970).
Personnel: Janis Joplin (vocals, acoustic guitar); John Till (guitar); Bobby Womack (acoustic guitar); Richard Bell (piano); Ken Pearson (organ); Brad Campbell (bass instrument); Clark Pierson (drums); Bobbye Porter (congas, bongos); Sandra Crouch (tambourine).
Liner Note Author: John Byrne Cooke.Rolling Stone (10/31/02, p.135) - Ranked #7 in Rolling Stone's "Women In Rock: The 50 Essential Albums" - "...Joplin helped invent modern country rock..."
Rolling Stone (2/18/71, p.48) - "...The voice cut off was clearly in its prime...there is every indication that Janis was working toward a new maturity and confidence....With PEARL it's a case of a conscious attempt to make something of Janis' talent; simply having it won't do anymore..."
Rolling Stone (9/30/99, p.90) - 4.5 stars out of 5 - "...a poignancy that is as undeniable now as it was upon its posthumous release....'Me and Bobby McGee' is her greatest studio recording....frightening beauty..."
Q (11/99, p.156) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...her most fully formed [album]. Joplin was working with excellent musicians who raised her game accordingly....her voice has a new control and fluidity..."
Uncut (p.128) - 4 stars out of 5 - "PEARL was Joplin's most mature and diverse collection and suggested there was no limit to where she might have taken that extraordinary voice."
Dirty Linen (p.55) - "[A]n instant classic, featuring some of Joplin's most mature and well-played material..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.122) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[With] tight, Stax-influenced arrangements."
Janis Joplin & the Full Tilt Boogie Band / Janis Joplin - Pearl Songs
| 1 | Move Over
Janis Joplin | 3:40 | $0.99 | |
| 2 | Cry Baby
Janis Joplin | 3:56 | $0.99 | |
| 3 | Woman Left Lonely
Janis Joplin | 3:28 | $0.99 | |
| 4 | Half Moon
Janis Joplin | 3:52 | $0.99 | |
| 5 | Buried Alive In the Blues
Janis Joplin | 2:25 | $0.99 | |
| 6 | My Baby
Janis Joplin | 3:45 | $0.99 | |
| 7 | Me and Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin | 4:30 | $0.99 | |
| 8 | Mercedes Benz
Janis Joplin | 1:46 | $0.99 | |
| 9 | Trust Me
Janis Joplin | 3:15 | $0.99 | |
| 10 | Get It While You Can
Janis Joplin | 3:23 | $0.99 | |
| 11 | Tell Mama
Janis Joplin | 6:38 | $0.99 | |
| 12 | Little Girl Blue
Janis Joplin | 3:55 | $0.99 | |
| 13 | Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)
Janis Joplin | 6:52 | $0.99 | |
| 14 | Cry Baby
Janis Joplin | 6:30 | $0.99 | |
Pearl Music Review
Average Rating: (4.4 out of 5 stars)    List All 7 Reviews one of her best
I love this alblum, it brings back so many memories of my high school years. It's surpreme.
Submitted by cdmc8s (vancouver washington)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Janis's wonderful album from 1971....
This title by Janis Joplin, "Pearl" was released in 1971, about a matter of months after her untimely death from a heroin overdose back in the fall of '70. She was still working on this title when she passed on. Some people would think of this album as a "tribute" to her, because I assume that "Pearl" might have been her nickname (from what I learned, I guess). Anyway, this title has some neat tracks. Cry Baby, Half Moon, A Woman Left Lonely, Me and Bobby McGee, Move Over, and Mercedes Benz are all neat to listen to. The song Mercedes Benz is fun to listen to because Janis first talks by saying she was "going to do a song of great social and political import", and said "It goes like this." There is no instrumentation in this song because she's only slapping her leg and singing the lyrics and when she is done, she says, "That's it." and starts laughing (the entire song lasting about 1 minute). Very comical. My mother had this album years ago on LP (but gave it away) and now, I have it on LP and CD. I used to have the tape of it, but I might have lost it or thrown it away. This is a wonderful album that will always be dedicated to a wonderful person who was taken from the world and the entertainment industry too soon. God bless you, Janis!!!
Submitted by Matt (Macomb, IL, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 3 found this helpful. Janis at her best
A hippy classic, everybody owned this lp. Janis had left big brother at this point. Every body hated Big brother and the holding company at this point and accused them of being a bad back up band, too much distortion, fuzz guitar, and out of tune often. Janis has a solid band here and great tunes.
Submitted by lolly (nyc,ny,usa)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 0 of 1 found this helpful. Mr. Shaft says...
Brilliant!! A masterpiece!! Even the bonus tracks are excellent!! SUPERB mastering job!! BUY THIS!!!
Submitted by a reviewer (Milwaukee, WI)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 0 of 1 found this helpful.  Joplin superb - sound quality iffy.
This re-issue gets a mixed review. Joplin's voice is great as ever, but for a re-issued disc the sound is second rate with the band overpowering the vocals believe it or not. The sound quality of the second live CD is actually better than the Pearl re-issue. Also, Janice never had a band that was really up to her talents. The so-so bar band abilities really are evident here. Joplin's voice deserved better but, alas, it was not to be.
Submitted by Michael R-L (Toronto, Canada)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful.
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