JANIS JOPLIN - PIECE OF MY HEART #ResearchingANovel

What is it about the measured notes of

Wynton Marsalis' trumpet,

the vibrancy of Elton John's piano keys,

and the

hip-swaying rhythm of a Hawaiian mele,

that can melt your troubles away?

Music relaxes the mind and calms the nerves.

More eloquently stated during an interview on his Christmas CD, Italy's Andrea Bocelli believes music is "a balm for the soul that should be used sparingly lest its benefits wear out."

As I listen to him sing The Lord's Prayer with The Morman Tabernacle Choir, I feel the soothing, restorative power of music - that "balm for the soul."

In an early scene of my novel, FOR EVERY ACTION, protagonist Pepper Bibeau attends a musical concert. The many hours I spent in audio/visual research of Janis Joplin's life were pleasurable, though most of the research did not survive the final draft. The telling of the concert's events covers only several lines within the novel:

The theater darkened shortly after eight o’clock. Curious whispers rippled through the audience until a single spotlight provided illumination and a male voice came over the loudspeaker system. To the heavy background sounds of tuning instruments, he announced the band, “Four gentlemen and one great girl: Big Brother and The Holding Company.” The audience exploded with applause, cheering through a prolonged set of rock music while the one great girl, Janis Joplin, dominated the vocals.

I've taken authorial license by setting this Chicago concert in August of 1968, when in fact it probably took place earlier that year. The hit song Piece Of My Heart was recorded May 20, 1968 and the record album (see footnote) that features the song was released in August of the same year.

Janis Joplin became known as the first female rock star, or as stated on the Cheap Thrills album, "the first, true female rock superstar", after Cheap Thrills by Big Brother and The Holding Company became a #1 selling album.

For some fans, myself included, the song Piece Of My Heart is synonymous with the name Janis Joplin. Though she didn't compose the lyrics and wasn't even the first artist to take it to the charts, she made it her own and proved that a twenty-four year old Caucasian female from Texas could, indeed, sing the blues.

In 1967, Erma Franklin, the sister of Aretha Franklin, was the first to record Piece Of My Heart, written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns. Piece Of My Heart has since been remade by several singers, including hit versions by Faith Hill in 1994 and Jaguar Love in 2010.

Record player with revolving table
and metal arm containing a needle

FOOTNOTE: Record album: circular, black-in-color, vinyl disk with sound-embedded grooves; the disk is placed on a revolving table and a metal arm containing a needle is set into the grooves to transfer the sound through attached speakers. No resemblance to an iPod.

Links to learn more about these performers:

Janis Joplin lived the life of a rockstar to the fullest:
http://www.hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember.2/JanisJoplin.html

  
Faith Hill (think "Breathe" and Tim McGraw):
http://www.faithhill.com/timeline.php

Erma Franklin (not just Aretha's sister!):
http://alfarchivesmi.tripod.com/

Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato of Portland, Oregon (who, together, are Jaguar Love):
http://wearejaguarlove.com/

Andrea Bocelli singing The Lord's Prayer with the Morman Tabernacle Choir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEplqV0scyo

FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences, Book 1 in the Pepper Bibeau mystery series, is available at Amazon.com for $0.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. 

https://amzn.to/2YENOcS

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ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING Poems #33, #34, and #35

 

My goal is to post all 70 poems from Another New Beginning by October 22, 2016. Once complete, rather than having to search for past poems throughout this site, a special linked page on this site will list of all the articles:
 

 "ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING essays"

 #33

Going Out

 

 

Remember staying home alone,

while the parents went out?

Watching Gunsmoke on television

and drinking chocolate malted milk. 

Later, sneaking beer and

lighting cigarettes at open windows. 

On and on until

we stayed out all night

and the parents

stayed home alone.

Where they no longer drank beer or

smoked cigarettes

but watched Johnny Carson on television

and ate Jiffy popcorn. 

Life goes on as Cowboys

justify their horsepower.

And Letterman signs off. 

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It’s so easy to start singing The Statler Brothers’ song, “...smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo...” Of course, the song is about one man’s lonely life while the above poem relates to teens sneaking a smoke while the folks are out with friends. Everyone longs for something.

Remember watching “cowboy” shows like Wagon Train, The Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, and Have Gun–Will Travel? Or “comedies” like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, The Jack Benny Show, and Leave It to Beaver. Back then, they were allowed to advertise cigarettes during commercial breaks; adults even smoked in televised shows. 

National television ran advertisements that glamorized smoking. The wording guaranteed it was healthy: “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.” and “27,679 physicians say ‘Luckies’ are less irritating.” 

As we aged, television didn’t change all that much. Late night programs differed in name only, first Jack Parr and Johnny Carson; then David Letterman and Jay Leno. “Cowboy” shows followed a pattern also. From Paladin’s Have Gun-Will Travel to Raylan Given’s Justified, it was non-stop shooting and killing in the name of justice around the country. 

Only “comedy” changed - drastically. 

Life might have seemed easier when we were watching free television and popping Jiffy-Pop popcorn over the stove. Maybe it wasn’t easier, only different . . . but the same.

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#34

Letterman Style

Today’s Top Ten reasons

why people born in 1945

can be happy about

living past 70:

 

10. Whatever hasn’t killed you yet, you can probably keep doing.

 9. People continue to offer you their seat, everywhere.

 8. You can look forward to sequels of Jurassic World.

 7. Jägermeister will still be sold in those little 50ml bottles that fit in the coin slot of your walker wallet (see #10).

 6. Your Facebook friend count will keep growing.

 5. You replaced Windows 8.1 with Windows 10 and know you’ve still got decades to figure it out.

 4. You experienced Bruce Willis/Demi Moore and Jackie/Kelso reunions (with no one getting “Punked”.)

 3. Chances are good you will join in the pageantry of Queen Elizabeth II's retirement, thanks to William and Kate (and George an Charlotte). 
 2. You can witness what comes after Blu Ray.
 1. You may learn what it's like to have a woman take over the White House --as POTUS, (and celebrate or not: your choice.)

This is one of those lists that will be fun to update as time goes on. How many Facebook friends did you have before your last birthday, and how many have you gained since then? Which of the people listed in #4 are married, to each other, again? Is Windows still counting or did it stop at 10 point something or other? And how many sequels can Jurassic Park stand before Jeff Goldblum’s chaos theory destroys the world? 

 

Even as I was writing this particular “poem” the gossip magazines were reporting an upset in the royal matrimonial suite. The slings and arrows of debates and caucuses and rallies and primaries had barely begun.

 

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#35

Celebrate

Red, white or pink poinsettias
are said to bring wishes of celebration

 

So often she wanted to believe

It was over. Wish the pain

Would evaporate with the

Next summer’s breeze. 

She prayed for control

Over ever-threatening

Salty tears

While the years played out.

 

Drifting in her mind

Like autumn leaves,

The school report cards and

Newspaper articles still beckoned.

 

“Time to do something

With his things,” she says.

But more a question

Then a decision to act.

 

“Why now?” they ask, all the while celebrating her strength to live.

 

A loved one dies, and those left behind try to pick up the pieces and move on. Each hour is comprised of placing one foot in front of the other to keep advancing forward without knowing if the result is worth the effort. One day, the pain subsides for many moments longer than any preceding span of time. Finally, only precious souvenirs of school days and confirmation photographs serve as reminders of happier times. 

As the years wear on, yellowed newspapers and curling tablet paper begin to fade along with the memory. For what purpose, to prolong the pain? The decision has been delayed for such a long time. Is it not time to let go, putting to rest that which can no longer be?

No. 

Rejoice as you clutch the tangible reminders that represent a significant portion of your heart and soul. Do not let go until you decide that you are ready, if ever. There is no weakness in holding onto memories, only strength worth celebrating.

 

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