AMAZING Street Musician Performs Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz”
Prove That You Love Me!
“Mercedes Benz” was a collaboration between Janis Joplin and the poets Bob Neuwirth and Michael McClure. This a cappella song was said to be about rejecting consumerism. The words were penned at a bar in Port Chester, New York during one poetry jam session.
The lyrics were inspired by the first line of a song written by San Francisco beat poet Michael McClure, “Come on, God, and buy me a Mercedes Benz.” Joplin heard it sung by a friend of McClure’s, and she began to sing it, too.
In this video, a street musician covers one of Janis’ most unforgettable and much-loved tracks. This was shot in Berlin and it’s no wonder why people stopped to listen. What a talented musician! Her rendition is filled with so much soul and passion. And that raw, powerful voice is just perfect.
At the Port Chester bar, Joplin sang the line a few times and began riffing on the McClure lyrics, while Neuwirth copied the new lyrics onto bar napkins, which he kept for years. She sang the new version for the first time that night at her concert at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.
She’s insanely amazing!
