Buy the Album at Rhino.com

Written by: Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovoy
Produced by: John Simon
Released: Aug. '68 on CBS
Charts: 12 weeks
Top spot: No. 12

The original was sung by Erma Franklin, Aretha's sister. "Erma's 'Piece of My Heart' had a delicacy and a sense of mystery that was just beyond us," said guitarist Sam Andrew. But what Big Brother did have was a raw, fearless singer named Janis Joplin.

Appears on: Cheap Thrills (Columbia)

Next: La Bamba

Back to RS 500 Albums!
Back to RS 500 Songs!