Big Brother and the Holding Company - Down On Me (1967)

Peter Albin had been playing with future Grateful Dead members Jerry Garcia and Ron McKerman through whom he met Sam Andrew. The pair decided to start a band and picked up guitarist James Gurley and eventually drummer David Getz (who had replaced their first drummer, Chuck Jones). After achieving a decent amount of successs in the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco, the group’s manager, Chet Helms, suggested they try a singer he knew of in Texas: Janis Joplin. After arriving, the group wasn’t thrilled with Joplin’s singing style compared to the direction they wanted to take their music, but Joplin’s style eventually won out and the group’s popularity skyrocketed.

A traditional song from the 1920s, this song was first recorded by Deacon Leon Davis and His Congregation in 1926 under the title, “Everybody’s Down On Me”. This particular recording by today’s artist was rearranged by Joplin and first released during the Summer of Love on the group’s debut self-titled album. Joplin also added new lyrics, essentially making the song her own. A live version would later be released in 1973 on the album titled Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits.



Big Brother and the Holding Company - Down On Me (1967)

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Lyrics:

Down on me
Down on me
Looks like everybody in this whole round world
They're down on me

Love in this world is so hard to find
When you've got yours and I got mine
That's why it looks like everybody in this whole round world
They're down on me

Saying they're down on me
Down on me
Looks like everybody in this whole round world
Down on me

When you see a hand that's held out toward you
Give it some love, someday it may be you
That's why it looks like everybody in this whole round world
They're down on me, yeah

Oh, Lord, they're down on me
Down on me, oh
Looks like everybody in this whole round world
Is down on me

Believe in your brother, have faith in man
Help each other, honey, if you can
Because it looks like everybody in this whole round world
Is down on me

I'm saying they're down on me
All down on me, oh
It looks like everybody in this whole round world
Down on me