"Sittin' Down By My Window, Someone Grabbed A Hold Of Me, And It Felt, Just Like A Ball And Chain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   This song has been running through my head, as the Winter season settles in, for the long haul.  I had no idea, till now that Robert Crumb designed the cover art for the "Cheap Thrills" album; I just knew I loved it, and that it was, and still is, the best album cover ever, next to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonelyhearts Club Band."

                                     I got this album for my birthday, when I was sixteen, and did  my parents regret it.  I was determined to become Janis, at least for a time, so when I started singing "I Need A Man To Love" (which foreshadowed lots of things, darlings!!!!!!!!!!) they were not too pleased. They were even more crazed by my live performances. One of my favorite panels on the cover was the one of Janis shouting out, "JANIS JOPLIN VOCAL," while an audience member calls out, "And How!" I used to stand on one of our living room love seats, and do this at the top of my lungs, holding whatever prop I would use for a microphone.  But, then, I would go into "Ball And Chain,," which really tested my parents' limits.  But I had such fun doing it.

                                       As I said, with the Winter setting in, it feels like a "Ball And Chain!"  I wish I could provide a live performance of myself doing this, but, alas this was before technology took over the world!

                                        However, I can provide you with Janis!  You just gotta hear it, darlings! Especially as it ends with the segue into "Happy Sunday," and "Worthy Is The Lamb!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                          "Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!," as Janis would say!