Bobby McGee

oldrocker · #1 09-06-2009, 06:43 PM

What is it about Bobby McGee?

I've played in bands with female singers and went and seen many bands with female singers, but I've never heard a version of "Me and Bobby McGee" that could hold a candle to Janis' original version.

No disprepect and I love Janis and I love bands with female singers, but i've never heard a band who could pull this one off.

zillo · #2 09-06-2009, 06:47 PM

No kidding. That's a perfect world weary emotional vocal meeting the perfect lyric for the voice, and just rock solid bandwork behind it. Lightning doesn't strike that often, and that tune goes way beyond professionalism.

Deluge Of Sound · #3 09-06-2009, 06:48 PM

Janis's original?

jgroh · #4 09-15-2009, 12:50 PM

We actually do this song in my cover band. My singer can definitely do it justice. The backing music is another story lol. Actually we do it fine but its one of those songs I forget about working on while at home (we have our first gig coming up in a couple of weeks). So I usually just go on memory and improvise a little.

RustyAxe · #5 09-15-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldrocker

No disprepect and I love Janis and I love bands with female singers, but i've never heard a band who could pull this one off.

Me either. But then, I never was crazy about Janis' version ... whole lot of screamin' for nothin'.

Listen to Kristofferson's or Gordon Lightfoot's (my favorite) versions. THAT is the soul of the song.

rcarraher · #6 09-15-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Me either. But then, I never was crazy about Janis' version ... whole lot of screamin' for nothin'.

Listen to Kristofferson's or Gordon Lightfoot's (my favorite) versions. THAT is the soul of the song.

There were probably 10-12 artists that did the tune before Janis, country, folk, soft rock. Janis OWNS that tune.

Eveybody forgot about the other versions, even the ones that charted after she did it.

nitewalker · #7 09-15-2009, 06:35 PM

first - Bobby McGee was a girl. Gordon Lightfoot's version is the first that I knew. Good version.

rcarraher · #8 09-15-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitewalker

first - Bobby McGee was a girl. Gordon Lightfoot's version is the first that I knew. Good version.

Roger Miller was actually the first to record it, the Lightfoot, Kris Kristopherson did it on an album (he wrote it). The Statler Brothers were supposed to get it first and later put it on an album. Kenny Rogers & The First Edition did it in 69, Ramblin' Jack Elliott in 70 or so even Bill Haley and Sam The Sham and the Pharos did it before Janis (who was Kristophersons lover from time to time to time).

Jim Campbell · #9 09-15-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarraher

Roger Miller was actually the first to record it, the Lightfoot, Kris Kristopherson did it on an album (he wrote it). The Statler Brothers were supposed to get it first and later put it on an album. Kenny Rogers & The First Edition did it in 69, Ramblin' Jack Elliott in 70 or so even Bill Haley and Sam The Sham and the Pharos did it before Janis (who was Kristophersons lover from time to time to time).

i always liked kristoffersons version best,and though im a huge big brother fan i really never connected with the kosmic blues /full tilt boogie stuff.....it's been said that joplin had lost nearly half her power before cheap thrills was recorded....for that stuff lydia pense could really belt 'em out

rcarraher · #10 09-15-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

i always liked kristoffersons version best,and though im a huge big brother fan i really never connected with the kosmic blues /full tilt boogie stuff.....it's been said that joplin had lost nearly half her power before cheap thrills was recorded....for that stuff lydia pense could really belt 'em out

Its rumored that Kristopherson wrote the song for Janis or about Janis to be more precise. He denies it, but that line "Somewhere near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away." makes you wonder who he was writing about. I still love Janis stuff, she could belt the blues, but when she went back to the horse after Cheap Thrills it did get sloppy. My "bass mentor". Bugsy Maugh (I played bass in his band in the late 80's through the 90's) most famous as Paul Buttersfield Blues Band bassist, played live for her and also Big Brother, and had a fling with her. He couldn't say enough about her stage presence and her power as a performer. I don't think he ever got over her. They did that Rock n Roll tour on a train through Canada (along with the Dead and a dozen or so other bands)and he was hooked, moved to the west coast and persued her.

Jim Campbell · #11 09-15-2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarraher

Its rumored that Kristopherson wrote the song for Janis or about Janis to be more precise. He denies it, but that line "Somewhere near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away." makes you wonder who he was writing about. I still love Janis stuff, she could belt the blues, but when she went back to the horse after Cheap Thrills it did get sloppy. My "bass mentor". Bugsy Maugh (I played bass in his band in the late 80's through the 90's) most famous as Paul Buttersfield Blues Band bassist, played live for her and also Big Brother, and had a fling with her. He couldn't say enough about her stage presence and her power as a performer. I don't think he ever got over her. They did that Rock n Roll tour on a train through Canada (along with the Dead and a dozen or so other bands)and he was hooked, moved to the west coast and persued her.

the festival express it was,but i spent that summer in cali......just picked up butterfield at rockpalast on dvd......if i could go back and purge all those syruppy strings from kristoffersons "silver tongued devil" album i would have to rate it as desert isle stuff......

rcarraher · #12 09-15-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

the festival express it was,but i spent that summer in cali......just picked up butterfield at rockpalast on dvd......if i could go back and purge all those syruppy strings from kristoffersons "silver tongued devil" album i would have to rate it as desert isle stuff......

Whiney strings

Hammertime3 · #13 09-17-2009, 04:52 PM

Kristofferson never could, and still can't, sing a lick! If anyone evere needed pitch correction, it's him. Great writer, but he should leave the guitar at home, IMHO.

Deluge Of Sound · #14 09-17-2009, 05:08 PM

Disagree--but I would put him in the same category as Dylan, Young, and others--the voice is unique, and it either works for you or doesn't.

walknbluez · #15 09-17-2009, 10:19 PM

The Grateful Dead did a really nice version.....great vocal harmonies. Clip here: http://www.amazon.com/Me-Bobby-Mcgee.../dp/B00123M6HE