One Song

Me and Bobby McGee

Me and Bobby McGee - a great song, best known as a Janis Joplin tune, which she recorded shortly before her death in 1970 and went to number one (and became her only number one single) posthumously.

But it’s easy to forget, or not know, that it was actually written by Kris Kristofferson and that Bobby was a girl. 

The song has been recorded or performed by quite a range of artists over the years. This playlist includes versions by Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead and Pink.

But my favorite version isn’t on this playlist; it’s Kris Kristofferson performing it at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 - well, performing part of it. Go watch here.

Dark Globe

Arriving at college in the fall of 1987, I was already a big Pink Floyd fan. But, among the many things I was soon introduced to was Syd Barrett’s small but amazing solo catalog. Dark Globe is one example, recorded in 1969 and released early in 1970 on Syd’s first solo album The Madcap Laughs. The song is all Syd; weird, nonsensical - and mesmerizing.

Here’s the original, an alternate take and a bunch of great covers by a diverse group of artists.

Green is the Colour

My favorite Pink Floyd song, Green is the Colour was recorded and released in 1969 on The Soundtrack from the Film More.

The original studio version is good. But on stage the band, and David Gilmour in particular, turned it into a whole different experience, with a slower tempo. Rick Wright’s mesmerizing organ work, along with Gilmour’s guitar and vocals make this, I think, their most underrated song.

It was a regular part of their live sets from 1969 to 1971, during which it often preceded Careful with that Axe, Eugene. All of the recordings in this playlist were made in those years. 

It Makes No Difference

Recorded by The Band in 1975 and first released on the Northern Lights-Southern Cross album that same year, It Makes No Difference was written by Robbie Robertson, but this song is all Rick Danko.

This playlist includes eight live performances spanning 20+ years, with The Band disintegrating along the way, for various reasons, ending with a heart wrenching solo performance two years before Danko’s death. 

No covers included here; just watch and enjoy the brilliant Rick Danko.

Ripple

I was never a huge Dead Head, but in the summer of 1990, just before my senior year of college, American Beauty was in heavy rotation on my CD player. Ripple was my favorite cut on the album and is still my favorite Grateful Dead tune.

Written by Robert Hunter, the lyrics have been likened to (among other things) the 23rd Psalm, the Tao Te Ching and Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself.

It was recorded by the Dead in 1970 and has been performed live by them many times over the years since.

This playlist includes a tribute cover by Jane’s Addiction.