(This post is largely inspired by and cribbed from a discussion at the fantastic Soul Sides blog.)

If you’re not familiar with Janis Joplin’s jaw-dropper “Cry Baby”, that’s a shame.  This track is pure soul and, despite Joplin’s noted reputation as a bluesy rocker, it reveals a voice different from the Joplin heard on classic rock radio staples like “Piece of My Heart” and “Me and Bobby McGee”.

“Cry Baby”, originally a 1963 hit for Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters, was written by songwriters Jerry Ragovoy (“Time Is on My Side”) and Bert Berns (“Twist and Shout”), the duo that also co-wrote another piece covered by Joplin, Irma Franklin’s “Piece of My Heart”.

In 1965 Frank Sinatra was slated to record the Ragavoy/Berns composition, “Stay With Me Baby”, but cancelled due to illness. Lucky for us, the studio and orchestra were booked and paid for allowing back-up singer Lorraine Ellison to step in. Ellison unequivocally slays this track. 

As it turns out, “Stay With Me Baby” is clearly Ragavoy and Berns re-arranging their older “Cry Baby”. Structural and lyrical differences are clear; Ellison’s version starts with a calculated and soothing build up, whereas Joplin crashes right into the pathos. Yet both renditions stop you in your tracks – Ellison and Joplin display a rare power to erupt in an utter and desperate longing.  If these songs don’t make you emote and empathize with the singers, then you are clearly dead inside and have a heart two sizes too small. 

For bombshell tracks, “Cry” and “Stay” are ridiculously underappreciated. Perhaps “Cry Baby” is too soulful and doesn’t fit into classic rock radio’s repetitive format; but I’d rather hear Janis belt out this tune than hear “Bobby McGee” for the umpteenth million time.  And Ellison clearly deserved more notoriety and success; who knows why her track has been lost to time. You’d think that with two versions of such a stunning song at least one recording would reach widespread popular acclaim. 

Fortunately, the age of digital music allows easy rescue of worthy lost classics. 

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Further listening:

Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters’ 1963 recording of Cry Baby.

Mary J Blige excerpts Stay With Me Baby at the 2007 Grammy Awards (@ 2:46). It may not be remarkable at first, but Mary sells the urgency and agony of this song in a fashion that I can only describe as devastating. She’s not acting; she’s living that song. It’s a gripping (albeit brief) performance that catches you off guard.