BackStage Utah

When I was a kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old, I really liked that Glen Campbell song, Rhinestone Cowboy, and wanted a copy of it. Columbia Records advertised this album called "World Wide Top 20" that had that song along with 19 other "Greatest Hits by the Original Artists." Most of the songs were country, but I didn't care at the time, I just wanted that song! So my mom finally broke down and bought me the World Wide Top 20 8-Track. Yes. The 8-Track.

I played that 8-Track until I had most of those songs memorized (like you do when you're 8 and it's your first album). And buried in the middle of the album was Me & Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin.

I recently downloaded the Watchmen Soundtrack (wow, from 8-Tracks to iTunes downloads...), and if you're familiar with that soundtrack, it has Me & Bobby McGee on it. I'm blown away! I remembered the song, and how much I liked it when I was a lad, but this... the nuances in the music; the change of tempo and instruments as the song progresses; the lyrics; and the fact that it was released posthumously, giving it a whole other meaning...� of course, I keep asking myself what an incredible rock/blues song by Janis was doing on a mostly country music album.

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now.
And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
You know feeling good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.