Janis Joplin - Ball & Chain - Monterey Pop | Singer Reacts & Musician Analysis

[@glennwisniewski9536]

The stunned woman in the audience was none other than the late Cass Elliot also known as Mama Cass of the group The Mamas and the Papas. That group had performed earlier at the festival. Elliot was a terrific singer in her own right.

[@roberttaylor5997]

She was also one of the organizers of the festival.

[@davidboivin7996]

Mama Cass being stunned is amazing all by itself!!

[@nightfall902]

@@roberttaylor5997 Lou Adler and John Phillips were the organizers

[@nightfall902]

@@davidboivin7996 She was stunned but it was a different performance by Ravi Shankar. Big Brother went on late...sun was already set. You can tell that the audience clips were cut in.

[@DazzleMonroe]

@@nightfall902 so why is the sky white from the stage shots? The sun hadn't set

[@matthewgoodA1206]

Janis was a vocal force of nature. All that rasp and grit she had going on, and able to unleash it like that. Truly one of rock’s most distinctive voices.

[@dagmar.6954]

Janis was relatively unknown at this time. She was only about a year into her professional music career. But she blew everyone away with her rendition of Ball & Chain". Interesting Note: The lady watching Janis performing here at The Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 is Cass Elliott from the group "The Mamas & The Papas". Her mouth drops & she mouths “Wow" after a particularly strong vocal run from Janis. Janis Joplin was a one of a kind singer with a unique voice. Sadly we lost her too soon. She was only 27 when she died. She had a lot of great songs such as "Me & Bobby McGee", "Cry Baby", "Summertime", "Down On Me", "Maybe", "Little Girl Blue", "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)", "Get It While You Can", "Bye, Bye Baby", "Move Over", "Mercedes Benz" etc.

[@mr.knowitall6440]

Don't forget "Piece of my Heart"!🤘😎

[@jayarr961]

I just want to add that Mama Csss was one of the organizers of this festival, her credentials have been mentioned. I loved when as a soloist she performed 'Dream a Little Dream Of Me' a timeless classic, kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIuTgY2Ijs6haNU . The popular female singers of the time were Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and Judy Collins. All very talented but they also helped set the table for how unexpected and unique Janis was. No one had ever heard anything like Janis.

[@michaelmcknight8419]

We knew about her in the East Bay. She was impressive even then. She’s the real deal

[@Bekka_Noyb]

Monterey Pop introduced the world to both Joplin & Hendrix! They both stepped onto the stage relative unknowns & walked off LEGENDS! ♥

[@nightfall902]

Actually Hendrix was pretty well known in England and had 3 top 10 hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience including Purple Haze, well before Monterey. I agree he became popular here after the festival.

[@victorbortolussi2964]

Don't forget Otis Redding. He was known in the R&B scene. Monterey put his name and music out to a whole new audience! Unfortunately he wouldn't get to enjoy it very long as he was killed in a plane crash in early December 1967.

[@nightfall902]

@@victorbortolussi2964 Otis was the star of the show!!!

[@victorbortolussi2964]

Booker T and The MG's were his backing band! They were the house band at Stax, so they were a lot of people's band. Lol. Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, The Staples...

[@Jimi-DV]

"Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" is one of the most epic Janis tunes. That was Mama Cass Elliot that the cameraman lingered on in the crowd - another massive voice from the era.

[@nightfall902]

The majority of the crowd shots were cut in later and took place in the afternoon....The sun was almost set when Big Brother went on. It's easy to tell if you look at the audience from the stage view and then the lighting in the crowd clips. Cass was reacting to Ravi Shankar earlier in the afternoon.

[@joshb23]

Hell Yeah, Millie - you GOT IT! Anyone with a soul has to be blown away by this earth-shattering performance. Poor, sweet Janis was the very definition of a firework just exploding with passion and energy, and burning out way too soon. ❤

[@TheLeagueOfNefariousGentlemen]

The woman in the audience I believe is Mama Cass (Cass Elliot) she was part of an immensely popular group called Mamas & the Papas. She also had a successful solo career.

[@bigapplebucky]

At 4:50

[@nestor7637]

Janis Joplin was a pioneer of female rock, absolutely ahead of her time with an extraordinary voice, personality and charisma. In a comment to one of your shorts I said that the character you played looked like Janis Joplin and I suggested that you react to her. Now you did it, congratulations. From Argentina, greetings and success.🌹🍀

[@stonebringer1]

🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸 You are so lucky to be hearing the music you react to each video for the first time.

[@peacepupppy]

I really enjoyed your reaction to Janis. I always love seeing people watch her for the first time. It leaves people in awe. 😮

[@rogerfleming6354]

Mama Cass was the organizer of the Monterrey Pop festival.

[@nightfall902]

Lou Adler and John Phillips were the organizers not Cass Elliot.

[@janetcarlson9960]

I was so fortunate to be able to see her in concert. She is all that and more. ❤

[@randolphmoffat6604]

The lesson is Talent Talent Talent. Screw autotune and technology. Do not seek technological perfection. Perfect instead you talent! Everyone. EVERYONE is watching her. HER talent carried the day

[@briarpatch720]

world meet Janis. this was her debut breakout performance. she had a very hard life and she released that pain through her vocals. funny you should mention Robert 'cause it was rumored they did "hookup" for a short spell back in the late 60's so maybe they influenced each other a bit.

[@firedoc5]

Janis, the queen of power blues. Whether or not she was with Big Brother and the Holding Company or on her own, she stole whatever show she was at. You can just feel the raw emotion she had because she was real and was unapologetic about it. She sang hard, love hard, and drank hard (Southern Comfort was her choice). Unfortunately, that would also be one of the main reasons for untimely demise. Another gone WAY to soon. Please do more of her Millie.

[@nightfall902]

I'm pretty sure the heroin overdose was the cause of her death.....the drinking didn't help any. I don't think anyone would say her death was untimely .. unfortunate, unnecessary even stupid probably. They squeezed every last song out of her they could get. Everyone pretty much saw the way things were going. The Pearl album wasn't released until 6 months after her dearth. She only had the 3 albums...2 with Big Brother and her first solo album I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama...all the rest were put together after her death.

[@moonbeam2062]

Mama Cass had a beautiful voice. She did a completely different kind of music from Janis. But the Mama's and Papas were a legendary band also.

[@caplondon]

Awesome performance and reaction. Need to appreciate artists that have great talent and perform with so much passion. 🎉❤

[@albertsmith9315]

Sadly, one of the original "27 Club" members. So many greats passed at that age, Janis, Jimi and Jim and then continued into the Cobain era.

[@brentkelsay3439]

Janis was from Texas, I think nobody got her music there and she was bullied. Everybody gets her now. One of your best reactions Millie!

[@MillieMochiTunes]

Thank you 😊

[@Pawp6io6jx5i]

Jannis Joplin, one of the greatest voices in the world! exponent of Drive Vocal in the 60s with the "Big Band" she was at the Iconic Woodstock festival of 1969 in the USA. in the 70s and 80s it reigned supreme. until unfortunately he died of a cocaine overdose. tragic, sad for the music-loving world.

[@denislaferriere2693]

The greatest, the GOAT, Janis Joplin..iconic performer.. RIP.

[@hobbgreen4529]

the greatest rock performance of all time .

[@bobmessier5215]

Cass Elliott helps to sing one of the most iconic songs of the 60's, "California Dreaming".

[@George-kv6gm]

Listen to her doing the song "Cry Baby". Great reaction! Have fun with the Mamas and the Papas.

[@andylawson87]

The woman in the audience was Cass Elliot of The Mamas and the Papas who were headlining this festival. She was probably shocked and also hoping that her group went on way after this performance..😊 Janis and Big Brother had not been filmed in their first performance another day before this but having blown everyone away they were asked to also play the closing night and agree to be filmed for the movie that became Monterey Pop.

[@bobtedeman5975]

what you just witnessed is that lady discovering Janis Joplin for the whole world. Mama Cass

[@sopwithpuppy]

What you witnessed was Cass Elliot watching on as she had her crown as THE premier female vocalist at that time taken from her head and placed on the head of Janis Joplin.

[@tomrockwood851]

So, now you must do Mama Cass and/or Mamas and Papas (California Dreaming/Monday, Monday, Creeque Alley, etc.) to see what even the admirers of Janis can do ;)

[@roger3141]

Piece of My Heart is my favorite. Having grown up in the 1960's, we had probably the most innovative decade of music ever. Elvis was still active, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Beach Boys, ELO, and Cream were just some of the great musicians that still influence music today. Janis was unique and left everything on stage. She was part of the 27 club of performers who died at 27, mostly from heroin, including Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.

[@jazzmandolin5004]

The Monterrey Pop was the first of it's kind in many ways and it was sort of Janis Joplin's coming out and I would assume she knew this was a do or die performance to put her on the map. Janis was very unique at that time very much in the way Hendrix was unique. The woman in the front row is Mama Cass and she got sucked in hard on Janis's performance. The Mamas and the Papas were key organizers of that festival.

[@nightfall902]

Sigh....Lou Adler and John Phillips were the organizers . Also the Cass clip was cut into the video. Big Brother was an evening performance the Cass clip is from the afternoon.

[@edhorton2766]

@@nightfall902 Old time AI.

[@nightfall902]

@@edhorton2766 yup.. Pennebaker did it with many of his concert films. At least they had someone to get it on film.

[@redrum482]

Great reaction! She is the Birdsong. All I know is something like a bird within her sang...

[@vicprovost2561]

Yes, another goose bumb enduring artist, that era is littered with them, nothing beats 60s or 70s artists, though I love much of the 80s too but, man, they don't make music like this anymore! A female Robert Plant in giving you shivers is spot on, Janis motivated many to become singers and will be forever heard. Have you heard Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane? More goose bumps when you do, Try White Rabbit and Somebody to Love sometimes for more timeless music from the Summer of Love. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎸🎶

[@bill_4359]

This is "Big Brother and the Holding Company" with Janis as the lead singer. She was not introduced at the show. Most people did not know her name until after the concert and it was covered by Music Publications the next few days. No live TV and no internet at the time of this concert.

[@mikaelcarlson555]

Janis was just 24 at the time of this performance.

[@dalejohnson4256]

That audience shot of the woman with the open jaw was of Mama Cass Elliott of "The Mamas and the Papas." Cass had a totally different style, but obviously she appreciated other styles as well. Now for Janis: sad little girl with a BIG, PASSIONATE voice. Janis had an unhappy childhood, and she didn't get the respect she deserved even at the peak of her career. I recall Disc Jockeys of that time making snide remarks about her looks -- on air! -- and commenting on her hard drinking and 'trashy' outfits. This was when I was a teenager in Los Angeles, so i heard it first hand. And I was practically alone among my circle of friends (at the time) in appreciatng what a phenomenal talent she was. And though she died young, she'll be loved throughout the ages for the powerhouse performances she gave and the way she poured her whole heart and soul out for all of us to see. We still love you, Janis.

[@nightfall902]

Cass footage was cut in. Big Brother and Janis was much later almost evening when they went on. The clip of Cass if from the afternoon

[@MikeB-in1nd]

You experienced Janis Joplin who is truly one of a kind!

[@tilemonkee5510]

I literally love this woman!❤

[@mr.knowitall6440]

There is a video on YT of Cass Elliott performing on a TV show with John Denver, singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane". It really shows off her beautiful voice, as well as John's... 🤙😎

[@yannhollister9091]

this is what raw talent sounds like, of course its a shock for the new generation.

[@jimdrake873]

A big thumbs up to you for recognizing that the woman the camera man was focusing on had to be somebody important. The camera was on her and only her for a long time twice yet it don't dawn on most reactors that she's got to be somebody important. That was Case Elliott watching a star being born.

[@richardglickman7203]

Phenomenal albums, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Cheap Thrills, Pearl. You’ll not skip a track no matter how many times you listen.

[@michaelcaddy8690]

I saw Janis in concert at Baltimore although I sat so far away I needed telephoto lenses.

[@deanroddey2881]

If you really want to hear what she can do, check out Summertime. There was a LOT of acid going around at Monterey and this is a pretty rough performance, though obviously extremely intense. Her band also tended to play out of tune at the best of times, and a lot of acid didn't seem to help that either. There's a live version of Summer time that is incredible. She really has a lot of subtlety and technique that really isn't on display here. Nothing wrong with going for it hard, but it's not necessarily representative.

[@MConchis]

That face, you said was your face, was Mama Cass Elliot of the mamas and papas

[@davidpahlka6301]

"Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "I've Got a Feeling" and "California Dreaming" are some of the Mama and Papa's songs. Mama Cass had the best vocals, for sure of the quartet. You should check out the Monterey Pop video. The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and others were well known around the Bay Area before that but not across the U.S. Likewise Jimi Hendrix and The Who were well known in England but not in the U.S. until Monterey and then Woodstock. Back then, we were all young and meeting someone who would later be famous wasn't hard. I smoked pot with David Crosby and Graham Nash and they invited me to go with them to Monterey. In the Monterey Video, Crosby is delighted he had a good sound system, which may be one reason Janis sounded so good. I almost forgot, Otis Redding was well known down South but not to the rest of the U.S. He was there and also became nationally known.

[@Dondon6x7]

You need MORE Janis in your life!!!!

[@stumblebiscuit99]

I met Janis in the summer of 1969 outside a convenience store just south of Big Sur. I did get to speak with her in a group conversation. I was struck by how small she was. She had run her Porsche off the road and was using the phone booth to call her band to inform them of her situation. She got into an old pickup truck driven by some older hippie that she apparently knew. As they drove off, she rolled down the window and said "Keep on truckin' boys" and they drove off while my friend and I stuck out our thumbs and began hitchhiking north to the Mount Shasta area.

[@Kennymac8251]

Janis's "Another Piece of My Heart" IMHO is her greatest and most powerful work ever. She recorded that when she was with "Big Brother and the Holding Company. Jaw dropping at the time.

[@Lixallot]

Millie, those goosebumps, come the nerves feeling the bleeding soul of a true artist.

[@kevinray5755]

the girl the camera stayed with for a while was mamma cass from the mamas and papas band

[@warrenhughes911]

Great reaction.. Yes ma'am.. Janis. Queen of the Blues!!!

[@nationaltrails9585]

Two Legendary Performers (if you include Millie) reacting to The Legend Janis Joplin! :)

[@davidgagnon7806]

She never had formal vocal training. Janis' parents had wanted her to be a school teacher. But she started singing when she was 17 and never turned back. She was completely self-taught, learning from listening to many great musicians.

[@junelupescu5334]

I was there. Let me put this in context. Before Janis women sang on stage and god forbid they sweat. We were in shock and couldn't wait to hear the next note. I have never heard such silence from an audience. We were mesmerized

[@i8twosouls]

My mother saw her play and fell in love with her, I got Eric Claptons name, but if I had been a girl, pretty safe bet my name would have been Janis.

[@jurgenschmidt2759]

yes, please listen to Mama Cass "Dream a little dream of me"

[@moonbeam2062]

This was 2 years BEFORE Robert Pant and Led Zeppelin. I guess now we know who Robert Plant was influenced by, lol.. Especially that bit at 6:01 Plant is famous for doing that when he sings. He obviously must have gotten it from Janis!

[@dougca7086]

This was her first huge concert only months before the release of her first album! These people had only heard of her most of them hadn't seen her before this concert!

[@nightfall902]

She only had 4 albums, 2 with Big Brother and the Holding Company then her solo album. The Pearl album which was released 6 months after her death.

[@davidpahlka6301]

I was living near Haight Street during Monterey Pop. I met David Crosby and Graham Nash in the Park and was invited to go down there with them after we smoked pot on 'Hippy Hill". This was mid-June. Big Brother's album was out right after that, I was disappointed it wasn't as good as what I heard her in person at the Avalon or Filmore. A girlfriend of mine would play this constantly every time I came over, sometimes two or three times in a row! I left the Haight in September. By that time, Haight had turned from a pot smoking, groovy place to a heroin or meth ghetto. I saw Janis twice buying a baggie of white powder for $20.00. None of my friends believed me. She didn't smoke pot, I had a buddy who tried to sell or give her some.

[@foggy4180]

Hey Millie, love your reactions on the rock legends and yes when I see how you like them maybe you were born too late! Let me give you some tips for your rock legends list; Allman Brothers-Whipping Post live, Rory Gallagher-Walk on hot coals live, Robin Trower-Daydream (Live) and Steve Miler Band-Fly like an eagle (Live From Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, 1973) psychedelic this last one! hope you enjoy them!

[@alexandrias.1276]

You will never e as talented … she was a goddess ❤

[@ivandelalves4705]

Janis was an inspiration to Robert Plant (L. Zeppelin), I think

[@mp-qw3fl]

The fuckin goose bumps are real!!

[@xJRx77]

Welcome to the the wonderful world of.... Pearl. Love your reaction

[@gggghhgggghbb]

I would recommend you listen to the MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, I think it would be right up your alley. 👍🍀

[@ShawnKavanagh]

Pure, genuine and captivating

[@franksullivan1873]

Rip,Janice.You were one of a kind.

[@shaneburke4863]

the goosbumps are real is so true you dont fake those when a singer connects with you you can feel their emotions run through you causing them its rare its real and this was nowhere near my first time hearing this they are still here. janis makes you stop everything and focus on her and was an expert of transgorming her emotions into words that grabbed you and made you feel every drop of emotion she had. man it would suck to piss her off because you would be immortalized into a song that will be hrre forever

[@CarlosjavierDespo-xf2wo]

Reacction great.janis joplin.voice beautiful.🇺🇸🇬🇧

[@MrJocky82]

Janis was a force of nature. A true one off🔥

[@scottski51]

And like several others musical meteors of my youth... she was gone in a flash. At age 27.

[@JoeHernandez-p4u]

Your reaction to Janis is amazing❤❤ keep up reviewing music videos

[@skepticusmaximus184]

4:32 " The goose bumps are real I tell you." Oh! You think your goosebumps are real. My goose heard this and got people bumps.

[@gordonduke8812]

Janis was a troubled soul. She had a very tough childhood and was constantly bullied all the way to university. She was once voted the ugliest boy on campus by her peers. All this, of course helped lead to the drug addiction that eventually took her from us. The saddest statement I've ever heard from her was something like, "I go out each night and make love to thousands of fans, then I go home alone." That was Janis Joplin.

[@captainkangaroo4301]

You should watch a film called Festival Express. It’s a train trip Janice took through Canada from town to town with the Grateful Dead, the Band and several other artists. They drink and play on the train and put on shows throughout Canada.

[@jonynunes4137]

En woodstoock hace otra presentacion fabulosa tambien

[@ヤマネユキオ]

50年前私が初めてこの曲を聴いた時、彼女の半狂乱のような歌い方に驚いた。当時彼女はクスリの常習歌歌であったので、激しい歌い方はその影響だと思っていた。しかし今もう一度この歌を聴いてみると、音程は正確だしリズムも崩れてはいない事に気が付いた。彼女はプロフェッショナルとして冷静に歌っていると感じた。そして歌い終わってステージを去る時、楽しそうにスキップして行く彼女の姿が、冷静に歌っていた事を私に感じさせた。

[@ОльгаНефедова-в5ч]

Обожаю Janis joplin. Считаю её величайшей исполнительницей, к сожалению так рано ушедшей от нас. Это моя молодость. Я из России. В то время так сложно было получить её записи. Вам наверное трудно это представить. Спасибо за реакцию.

[@Rick-or2kq]

Do "Cry Baby" live that one will give you goosebumps also.

[@JoeHernandez-p4u]

Millie love your reaction❤❤

[@donnastupka7507]

💙JANIS💙 Great reaction ! ❤

[@michaelpennington7800]

You must also see Janis Joplin live 1969 Stockholm, Work Me Lord, Summertime. Also Janis live 1969 live on The Tom Jones Show, Little Girl Blue.

[@tonilharmon]

Now hear her sing "Cry Baby".

[@JosephNordenbrockartistraction]

I loved how your first thoughts about first hearing Janis was " sweet and a bit sexy. You have a great attitude after hearing the poetically messy start of this very slow blues song. . A versatile singer can really fancy up a slow tempo song of any music genre

[@saoirsepaddy]

My X-Girlfriend ask if she could have my Janis Joplin CDs I ask yes before I flew back too the US. Janis Joplin is one of Greats of all times!!!

[@davidwalker5054]

Some performances transcends all musical genres and stand alone. Joe Cocker at Woodstock is one example this is another

[@georgepirie2453]

Mama Cass was one of the co-founders of the festival and had invited Janis (An up and coming star) to perform.

[@waltray77]

4:33, that's Mama Cass from Mommas and Poppas band.

[@jayarr961]

This as Janis's debut to a wide audience. The female singers of the day were high pitched folk singers. This was so different from anything anyone had heard before. This launched her carreer and paved the way for females to be the lead singers in rock and roll.

[@amandathibodeau4996]

Epic is the word! And Iconic!!

[@JohnWarner-lu8rq]

At 4:34, when you said the audience member had your face, it looks a bit like Mama Cass from the Mama's and Papa's.

[@pete3883]

Big Brother Band

[@franksullivan1873]

Chills

[@amberlane6479]

The lady in the sunglasses was Mamma Cass Elliot. She was the promoter of that concert.

[@tomheglund6994]

The woman in the sunglasses in the audience is mama Cass Elliott from the mamas and the Papas

[@wesalker3479]

- - - - - "Mama" Cass Elliot! - - - - -

[@ronaldoberne4221]

That was Mamma from the Mamma and Pappas , singing group

[@erikmecom4145]

That Lady was Mama Cass Elliott of the Mama's and Papa's. This was1967.

[@lextownes1042]

Janice was blowing away perhaps the most technically adept pop singer in the World at the time- along with everyone else! I was 5 when she died, but I def remember how big she was😿

[@lextownes1042]

Thanks, Millie. For a great follow up to this, maybe try kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJ-YhYGnn9p7n7c Janice does a powerful yet intimate rendition of this classic!

[@nightfall902]

The crowd scenes were cut in from earlier in the day.....Big Brother didn't go on till evening. Cass is reacting to Ravi Shankar from the afternoon.

[@easysoul48able]

Thee live version of "Summertime" will play to your soul.

[@MM-pl5ed]

We would love very much if you could react to some of those songs: Scorpions - Still Loving You EMF - You're Unbelievable Falco - Der Kommissar Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round The Human League - Human Scorpions - Send Me An Angel R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People Eurythmics - There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) Alanis Morissette - Thank You INXS - Not Enough Time Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (Lyrics) Nikka Costa - I Believe In Love SIMPLY RED - HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Donna Summer - Hot stuff Irene Cara - "What A Feeling" (1983) Laura Branigan - "Self Control"

[@timtubemusic]

blues and rock at its best . I was a groupie when we left her concert when it was over and went to a local bar to drink all night. She drank us all under the table.

[@tonilharmon]

Watch her "Cry Baby" and "Work Me Lord". She never once gave a bad performance; nor, did she ever sing a song the same way twice. She was a gift to the world. When she sang, you felt it. You believed her.