Everyone gets songs stuck in their heads that just won’t go away. They sneak into your subconscious. They are epic earworms that you find yourself humming uncontrollably, singing in the shower, or tapping the beat to with your foot or ballpoint pen when you should be working. Sometimes they even keep you awake at night. Whether they are current hits, one-hit wonders, movie soundtrack gems, holiday favorites, or songs from your youth, their catchy vocals, riffs, hooks, and choruses seem to linger for days.
Here, those songs find a home, no matter the genre. Here, those epic earworms are revisited, explained, and celebrated. Here, you may find the song that haunts you tomorrow. Here is today’s unescapable song of the day…and the story behind it.
Today’s Epic Earworm: Big Brother & The Holding Company, Featuring Janis Joplin — “Piece of My Heart”
Who can forget Janis Joplin wailing away on “Piece of My Heart” during her short stay in Big Brother & The Holding Company? The epic earworm was the band’s trademark single, their biggest hit. The song peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and was certified platinum. It remains the band’s only Top 40 hit.
Who Did It Better?
What many people don’t realize is that this song dates back to before Janis Joplin‘s 1968 version. The song was written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns. The original version of the song was recorded by Erma Franklin, Aretha Franklin’s older sister, in 1967 for Berns’ record label, Shout Records.
Franklin’s version of “Piece of My Heart” reached #10 on the U.S. R&B chart, #3 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart, and #5 on the UK R&B chart. It also earned Franklin a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, although the award ultimately went to her sister for “Chain of Fools.”
Despite Franklin’s success with the song, Berns shopped it around. Van Morrison turned it down, but Dusty Springfield and Joplin’s band did not. Joplin’s version, though, is the one everyone remembers. Well, everyone, but Berns. Ironically, Berns passed away before ever hearing Joplin‘s version of his song. The song would go on to be covered by everyone from Faith Hill to Shaggy to the duo of Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone.
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