Some Thoughts about “Janis” by Country Joe & The Fish

Text by Bruce Gallanter (Downtown Music Gallery, 9/26/2024)

“Janis” by Country Joe & The Fish, from I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die (rel late, 1967)

Into my life on waves of electrical sound
And flashing light she came
Into my life with the twist of a dial
The wave of her hand, the warmth of her smile.

And even though I know that you and I
Could never find the kind of love we wanted together
Alone I find myself missing you and I, you and I.

It’s not very often that something special happens
And you happen to be that something special for me
And walking on grass where we rolled and laughed in the moonlight
I find myself thinking of you and I, you and I, you.

Into my eye comes visions of patterns
Designs the image of her I see
Into my mind the smell of her hair
The sound of her voice, we once were there.

And even though I know that you and I
Could never find the kind of love we wanted together
Alone, I find myself missing you and I, you and I, you.

The above song, “Janis” is/was dedicated to the great singer Janis Joplin. From what I understand, both Country Joe MacDonald (lead singer of CJ & the Fish) and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (lead singer of the Grateful Dead), both dated Janis Joplin at different times before she hit fame with Big Brother and the Holding Company (around 1967).

A strong blues/rock singer, Ms. Joplin, rose to popularity through her time with Big Brother (check out the Cheap Thrills album), her own Full Tilt Boogie Band, and her Kozmic Blues Band. I had mixed feelings about her full-throttle singing at times but eventually came around after checking out her performances at the Monterey Pop Fest in 1967.

I finally caught her life at the Atlantic City Rock Fest in 1969. She seemed to be a tragic figure who had problems with alcohol, drugs, and fame. She also inspired two great songs, the one above and “Bird Song”, which became a staple of the Dead’s lengthy song list and still touches me deeply every time I hear it.

Janis Joplin led a relatively short life and died at the age of 27 in October of 1970, 54 years ago next month, of a tragic drug overdose. “All I know is something like a bird within her sang, All I know is she sang a little while and then flew on…” A toast to the one and the only Janis Joplin!