Piece of My Heart

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some far-out vibes as we spin "Piece of My Heart" by Big Brother & the Holding Company from their iconic album Cheap Thrills. This track, a 1968 banger, wasn’t originally theirs—it’s a cover of a soulful tune by Erma Franklin, Aretha’s sister, from 1967. But Janis Joplin and the band made it their own with raw, psychedelic energy. According to drummer Dave Getz in a 1998 Gadfly interview, the song came to them via Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane, who heard Franklin’s version and thought it was perfect for Janis’ gritty voice. They were on their first East Coast tour in March 1968 when Casady brought it to rehearsal, and Janis fell in love with it. The band’s four-minute-plus version, complete with Sam Andrew’s mind-bending guitar solos, was cut to two minutes for radio, which pained the band but helped it hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Another wild tidbit: the Cheap Thrills album, which houses "Piece of My Heart," was almost called Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills. Drummer Dave Getz confirmed in a 2018 post on the band’s official website that Columbia Records nixed the edgy title, though it perfectly captured their free-spirited lifestyle. The album’s cover, drawn by underground cartoonist Robert Crumb, was meant for the back but ended up front and center at Janis’ insistence—she was a huge Crumb fan. Rolling Stone later ranked it #9 on their list of 100 greatest album covers. Oh, and dig this: in 2002, a Sony SACD reISSUE of Cheap Thrills included a version of "Piece of My Heart" with a 1:38 extended ending, giving fans a fresh taste of that psychedelic fire.

Big Brother & the Holding Company got their start in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury scene in 1965, right in the heart of the psychedelic revolution. Formed by guitarists Sam Andrew and James Gurley, bassist Peter Albin, and drummer Dave Getz, they were a four-piece jamming long, experimental instrumentals inspired by jazz cats like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. They became the house band at the Avalon Ballroom, but their sound truly ignited when Janis Joplin joined in 1966. Her raw, emotional voice turned their bluesy, acid-rock vibe into something electrifying. Their big break came at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, where Janis’ performance blew minds and caught the eye of Columbia Records’ Clive Davis, who signed them. Cheap Thrills, released in 1968, was their peak, hitting #1 on the Billboard charts for eight weeks, though Janis left for a solo career soon after.

You can keep up with Big Brother & the Holding Company on their official website, where they share tour dates and stories from their wild ride. They’re active on Facebook, posting about gigs and throwbacks to the ‘60s. Their Instagram is a visual trip with vintage photos and current band updates. On X, they share quick hits about their music and legacy. For Zoo Freaks who wanna dive deeper, check out the Janis Joplin Fans Facebook group, where folks swap stories and celebrate Janis’ spirit. There’s also JanisJoplin.net, a fan site packed with bio details and rare photos to keep the vibe alive.