Personnel includes: Janis Joplin (vocals).
Big Brother And The Holding Company: Sam Andrew, James Gurley (guitar); Peter Albin (bass); Dave Getz (drums).
Full Tilt Boogie Band: John Till (guitar); Richard Bell (piano); Ken Pearson (organ); Brad Campbell (bass); Clark Pierson (drums).
Kozmic Blues Band: Sam Andrew (guitar); Terry Clements (tenor saxophone); Cornelius "Snooky" Flowers (baritone saxophone); Luis Gasca (trumpet); Richard Kermode (organ); Brad Campbell (bass); Roy Markowitz (drums).
Additional personnel: Denny Seiwell, Chrissy Stewart, Mick Weaver, Elliot Mazer, Roy Markowitz, Peter Stroud, Vinny De La Rocca.
Producers: Elliot Mazer, John Simon, Todd Rundgren.
Engineers include: Larry Keyes, Elliot Mazer, Fred Catero
Recorded at Columbia Studio E, New York, New York on April 1 and in June 1968; Columbia Studio D, Los Angeles, California on March 28, 1970; Grande Ballroom, Detroit, Michigan on March 1, 1968; Winterland, San Francisco, California on April 13, 1968; The Matrix, San Francisco, California on January 31, 1967; Frankfort, West Germany on April 12, 1969; Toronto, Canada on June 28, 1970. Includes liner notes by Country Joe McDonald.
Personnel: Janis Joplin (vocals, guitar); James Gurley, Sam Andrew, John Till (guitar); Terry Clements (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Cornelius "Snookey" Flowers (saxophone, baritone saxophone); Luis Gasca (trumpet); Richard Bell (piano); Richard Kermode, Ken Pearson (organ); David Getz, Roy Markowitz, Clark Pierson (drums).
Audio Remixers: Elliot Mazer; Larry Keyes.
Liner Note Author: Country Joe McDonald.
Recording information: CBS Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA (01/31/1967-06/28/1970).
Photographer: Bruce Steinberg.
A ragtag collection of odds and ends, live and studio, from both the Big Brother and solo era. The best cuts are on the Janis box in different versions, but serious fans will find some interesting items here, especially the Cheap Thrills-era outtakes and live performances; "Misery 'N," "Farewell Song," and "Catch Me Daddy" were easily good enough to have qualified for inclusion on that album. ~ Richie Unterberger
Janis Joplin expressed the pain of her existence in every nuance of her voice, and FAREWELL SONG is a highly confessional testimony to her short, tragic life. It contains six songs from her stint with Big Brother and three recorded after she departed their company. The live and studio recordings capture all the bitchiness, pathos and generosity of Joplin's voice and spirit, as well as the taint of self-destruction and tragedy that seemed destined to dog her until her early demise. The collection richly portrays the abandon that propelled Joplin to both worldwide fame and premature self-immolation.
There's a bone-chilling version of the highly autobiographical "Misery'n" and the Todd Rundgren-produced "One Night Stand," the latter a portrait of the paranoia and confusion of the transient life of the star. Joplin's voice positively soars in this sadly revealing tune about the fleeting nature of love on the road. Also impressive are the vocally acrobatic "Catch Me Daddy" and the mournful title track. A goofy version of "Amazing Grace" is somewhat disappointing when one considers how Joplin could have wrapped her soulful voice around this spiritual hymn, but this collection is deeply satisfying in both its diversity and the intimacy of its autobiography. minimize