I can’t believe that I almost missed “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin. She recorded the song just a few days before her death on Oct, 4, 1970. She had big problems with alcohol and drugs. She tried to kick both but she ended up going back on them again. She died of a heroin overdose with alcohol also in her blood at the time.

The song was written by Kris Kristofferson with Fred Foster. It was recorded first as pure country song by Roger Miller, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, Gordon Lightfoot, the Statler Brothers, and Kris Kristofferson, himself before Janis recorded her version. Her voice changed the song into more of a hard edged rock song than the versions by those other artists.

Janis’ “Me and Bobby McGee” would climb to #3 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart for two weeks (March 14 – 20, 1971). For those same weeks it was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It would be the only number one song that Janis had.