Summertime

Janis Joplin became well known during the incredible 60's while playing with a band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. She started out in Texas, singing the blues. She recalls the pain and loneliness of growing up an "outsider" in several published interviews and quotes. In the very early 60's, you would find Big Brother and the Holding Company playing free concerts in 19th Street Park, better known as Golden Gate Park. Janis would be singing her heart out, back then "Pig Pen" was playing drums, (I think he was 1st drummer for band). She sang from within herself. A voice, while deep, was very moving and intense, a part of her coming out only in song. She was a free spirit, a very young woman looking for love and acceptance. She wanted to sing when she felt like singing, that is where the "song" comes from, the wanting to share through voice the things she could not share through common communication. Music became business instead of her "feelings" and her art. Gone was the freedom to roam, to find the motivation that was needed to make her want to "sing". It became appointments, deadlines, deals about money and what the "public" wanted. Janis the beautiful songbird had been caged by her fame. She drank too much to fill the loneliness, took drugs for the same reason. She just wanted to sing and to be loved. Janis Joplin was a small town girl with a huge voice and heart to match. All she ever wanted was one man, one good man to love her. She would be alive today if she had found him.

Summertime, time, time Child, the living's easy Fish are jumping out And the cotton, Lord Cotton's high, Lord, so high Your daddy's rich And your ma is so good-looking, baby She's looking good now Hush, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby No, no, no, no, don't you cry Don't you cry! One of these mornings You're gonna rise, rise up singing You're gonna spread your wings And take, take to the sky Lord, the sky But until that morning Honey, n-n-nothing's going to harm ya No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no Don't you cry Cry