Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Happy Birthday Janis Joplin--Today you would be 68!

Dear Janis Joplin,
I was in 6th grade and it was 1971. I was at a slumber party at my friend Susan’s house. We were in her bedroom listening to records like: Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and your “Pearl” album, which was released after your death. I thought you were so cool and in many ways you reminded me of my friend Susan’s older sister. She had just returned home after being ‘on the road’ (running away), however she wasn’t around that night, so we decided to sneak into her bedroom. It was decorated with beaded curtains, tie-dye, psychedelic artwork & posters of rock musicians. Susan asked if we wanted to see something really cool. Of course we did! Underneath her sister’s bed was an old cigar box. Inside we saw a package of ZigZag rolling papers and a baggie of some smelly greenish stuff. I had never smelled anything like it. (of course now I get a whiff of it at rock concerts!) Susan said, “My sister says she can only smoke a ‘special’ kind of tobacco and so she rolls her own cigarettes.” Wow, she was soooo cool! She wore love beads, tons of bracelets and necklaces just like you—and even rolled her own ‘special’ cigarettes!

Aside from the booze and drugs, Janis, I think we would’ve been great friends. You seem like a girl who was lots of fun. In 1968 it was said that you “slink like tar and scowl like war.” I wonder what you would think of music today. You influenced many music artists. Today you would’ve been 68, but you’ll always be 27 to me. Thank you for you unique music and style that impressed a little kid in the 70’s.

“Won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?”
Regards, Mrs Love

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