A Belated Update: Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin was like the second song on my list. Since listening to it, I have very much taken a liking to it. So much so that I've added it to my regular set list (Since it's a cappella, all I had to do was learn the words!)


A couple weeks ago I played an open mic downtown at a bar called Buffalo Iron Works. It's one of my favorite venues downtown and the open mic is relatively new; I was ecstatic about it's debut, to be honest. Attendance was lacking though, simply because the word hasn't gotten out yet about it. The host, who I'm good friends with, told me I could play as long as I wanted (probably because he knew he was getting out of playing himself). People always get on my case about playing for free and how it's hurting me in the long run, but I love it too much to ever turn down an opportunity. Mercedes Benz was like the fourth song I did.


Now, performing is kind of like a drug. It's not for everyone, but the few that get hooked on it are insatiable. I am one of the (lucky?) few. The catch to this is that you can feel pretty vulnerable up on a stage with a room full of people staring at you, critiquing you whether you like it or not. To play with a guitar is one thing; the guitar can be altered to cover a missing word, and vocals can fill in for a forgotten guitar line - I've done both. It provides a sense of security in a lot of ways. But to take away the guitar altogether is a very different experience. You're totally exposed. If you make a mistake, there is absolutely no hiding it. It's you, your voice, and a room full of potential critics - like American Idol auditions, except these people lose nothing by being totally honest in their thoughts. The point I'm trying to make is that singing totally a cappella in an environment like a bar is a risky and intimidating thing to do, and is something I would usually avoid.


But alas, someone requested I do some Joplin, and I figured now was the time to test this out.


There were maybe twelve people in the bar but they managed to give me a standing ovation anyways. I must've done an okay job. :) Honestly it was my best received song of the night, which was pretty surprising to me. Plus one for doing my homework and actually looking up this song, finally.


In conclusion - Mercedes Benz has earned a permanent spot on the set list, and I've played it at every gig since. Sometimes it pays to be a little risky, I guess.

Janis Joplin: Mercedes Benz

Song numero dos is probably the one I've been requested to do the most of all time.

Janis Joplin: Mercedes Benz

Current Knowledge: I already cover Bobby McGee, but I only learned it because, like this song, a ton of people asked me to do so. I'm pretty sure I know a lot more Janis Joplin songs than I think I do, but, like with Simon and Garfunkel, if you played them for me I couldn't pick them out. Plus, learning this is going to satisfy everybody and their brother once I can play it.

First Thoughts: Okay I kind of forgot that Janis Joplin has the coolest voice in all of history. That's a kind of tone that can never be taught, and can only be achieved through years worth of illegal substance abuse. Silver linings, I guess. This is originally totally a Capella? That's really odd. I never would have guessed that in a million years, but I actually really like it. I think it fits pretty well with the message she's trying to get across, at least. And you can hear her smoke-and-gravel voice so well this way! This explains why I've never heard it though. Who covers an a Capella song? It's not like they're gonna play that on the radio.

Verdict: I didn't expect pretty much anything I encountered listening to this, but it was a pleasant surprise, I think. My voice isn't anywhere near as gravelly as Janis Joplin's, not by a long shot, but with that aside, based on the range and phrasing and stuff I can see why people have requested it. I think I'd do a decent job. But does this mean I have to write chords for it?! I'm gonna do some looking for a version with a band, because I feel like that had to have been done at some point.... okay, I guess it never was. How odd. It was remixed in 2003?! That's super bizarre, too, although that sound is kind of more along the lines of what I expected. I'm totally perplexed as to how this could have become such an iconic thing. But it's a very cool song nonetheless, that I am now very much looking forward to covering and satisfying a lot of belligerent drunk people with.