CD-Charts Position 11

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Don't Fish in My Sea: the First Lady of the Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey

Release Date April 19, 2004

CD-Charts Position 12
Average Rating:

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Big Brother & the Holding Company: Remastered

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Janis Joplin

Release Date July 14, 2003
Simply titled Big Brother & The Holding Company (1967), the album is Janis's one attempt to be part of a group ensemble instead of the "star." The performances are proof-positive that Janis never succeeded at blending in - she had too much power. In the opening number, "Bye, Bye Baby," Janis's voice is double-tracked. Thanks to the elegant re-mastering job, the raw beauty of that performance can now be fully appreciated. The group itself produced a fine debut album, but it's doubtful that the album would have been treated to such a lavish re-mastering job without the historical connection that Joplin provided. This is the best of the San Francisco sound: raw, driven rock where the musicians were genuinely talented. Sounds great!!

CD-Charts Position 13
Average Rating:

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Anthology

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Janis Joplin

Release Date June 30, 1997
This collection includes the best racks from Kozmic Blues, Cheap Thrills and Pearl, plus live versions of Down On Me, Bye Bye Baby, Get It While You Can and Ball And Chain, a song first made famous by Big Mama Thornton. My personal favorites include Piece Of My Heart, a juggernaut of a song with Big Brother & The Holding Company, To Love Somebody, her beautiful rendition of the Bee Gees song, Cry Baby, Move Over, Me And Bobby McGee – these three from her masterpiece Pearl. It is interesting to trace the change in her vocal style from Kozmic Blues, through the Big Brother period and finally to Pearl where she found her true voice and to contrast the studio recordings with the raucous live versions of familiar songs. This album would suffice ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 14
Average Rating:

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The Essential Bessie Smith

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Bessie Smith

Release Date January 26, 1998
This collection includes the best racks from Kozmic Blues, Cheap Thrills and Pearl, plus live versions of Down On Me, Bye Bye Baby, Get It While You Can and Ball And Chain, a song first made famous by Big Mama Thornton. My personal favorites include Piece Of My Heart, a juggernaut of a song with Big Brother & The Holding Company, To Love Somebody, her beautiful rendition of the Bee Gees song, Cry Baby, Move Over, Me And Bobby McGee – these three from her masterpiece Pearl. It is interesting to trace the change in her vocal style from Kozmic Blues, through the Big Brother period and finally to Pearl where she found her true voice and to contrast the studio recordings with the raucous live versions of familiar songs. This album would suffice ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 15
Average Rating:

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The Right Time

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Etta James

Release Date December 01, 1996
This collection includes the best racks from Kozmic Blues, Cheap Thrills and Pearl, plus live versions of Down On Me, Bye Bye Baby, Get It While You Can and Ball And Chain, a song first made famous by Big Mama Thornton. My personal favorites include Piece Of My Heart, a juggernaut of a song with Big Brother & The Holding Company, To Love Somebody, her beautiful rendition of the Bee Gees song, Cry Baby, Move Over, Me And Bobby McGee – these three from her masterpiece Pearl. It is interesting to trace the change in her vocal style from Kozmic Blues, through the Big Brother period and finally to Pearl where she found her true voice and to contrast the studio recordings with the raucous live versions of familiar songs. This album would suffice ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 16
Average Rating:

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The Very Best of Janis Joplin

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Janis Joplin

Release Date July 07, 2003
My if you have never heard Janis' voice, you have never heard anything!

I had heard of her name but never actually heard HER : then they played "Try" on the radio and I was entranced by her electric voice, it comes from so deep inside the soul I was in another world right from the first tearing-soul-drenching sound of this incredible and inimitable voice.

On this album, some of her greatest sounds, the soul in such a voice plays havoc with your soul and you find there the enthralling "Try", her soulfull and passionate rendition of "Piece of my heart", her bluesy-gutsy version of "Me and Bobby Mcgee", just about everything to discover, rediscover or simply enjoy for the empteenth time the extraordinary ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 17
Average Rating:

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Come a Little Closer [Us Import]

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Etta James

Release Date September 01, 2004
This album was recorded while on day release from the Tarzana Psychiatric Institute where she was sent for offences including heroin addiction. At it's best it is truly wonderful. Out On The Streets Again is a funk/R&B masterpiece that was written for this album, while 'Feeling Uneasy' was recorded on the very worst day of heroin withdrawal, so bad that she simply couldn't manage to sing any words, just moan, except for the final line 'I'm Feeling Uneasy'. Damn, but she moans so well!!! 'Let's Burn Down The Cornfield' is a Randy Newman song that took me a few listens to get to like, but it's been one of my favourite tracks of all time for the last 25 years. Quite apart from the mildly sexually suggestive lyrics, the sexual energy she puts into singing this puts it ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 18
Average Rating:

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Rocks the House

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Etta James

Release Date December 23, 1999
This album was recorded while on day release from the Tarzana Psychiatric Institute where she was sent for offences including heroin addiction. At it's best it is truly wonderful. Out On The Streets Again is a funk/R&B masterpiece that was written for this album, while 'Feeling Uneasy' was recorded on the very worst day of heroin withdrawal, so bad that she simply couldn't manage to sing any words, just moan, except for the final line 'I'm Feeling Uneasy'. Damn, but she moans so well!!! 'Let's Burn Down The Cornfield' is a Randy Newman song that took me a few listens to get to like, but it's been one of my favourite tracks of all time for the last 25 years. Quite apart from the mildly sexually suggestive lyrics, the sexual energy she puts into singing this puts it ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 19
Average Rating:

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Janis

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Janis Joplin

Release Date November 30, 1998
I actually accidentally ordered this. I was just trying to work out the shipping costs when I clicked on one page too far, but I'm definitely glad I did. There isn't a song on all these three CDs I didn't like, although in my opinion CD no. 2 is the best. I was waaaaaay too young to hear Janis while she was still alive, and had only heard 'One Good Man' before I ordered this, but upon hearing her on songs like 'Kozmic Blues', 'Piece Of My Heart' and 'Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)', I was truly blown away by Janis' amazingly powerful voice, and was also immediately inspired to make my voice sound like that. I only succeeded in hurting my throat, but the thought (not to mention effort) was there.

Anyway, all Janis' best songs (in my opinion) are on these ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 20
Average Rating:

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Careless Love: the Empress of the Blues

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Female Singers
by: Bessie Smith

Release Date April 19, 2004
I actually accidentally ordered this. I was just trying to work out the shipping costs when I clicked on one page too far, but I'm definitely glad I did. There isn't a song on all these three CDs I didn't like, although in my opinion CD no. 2 is the best. I was waaaaaay too young to hear Janis while she was still alive, and had only heard 'One Good Man' before I ordered this, but upon hearing her on songs like 'Kozmic Blues', 'Piece Of My Heart' and 'Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)', I was truly blown away by Janis' amazingly powerful voice, and was also immediately inspired to make my voice sound like that. I only succeeded in hurting my throat, but the thought (not to mention effort) was there.

Anyway, all Janis' best songs (in my opinion) are on these ... Read More: