Janis Joplin‘s version of “Me and Bobby McGee” is a cover that has surpassed the original. It’s a rare feat that a new rendition can topple the original, but that speaks to the weight of Joplin’s talent. To add even more mystique to this release, Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” was released posthumously, making it only the second No. 1 single released after an artist’s death. On this day in 1970, Joplin began recording what would become her calling card and a piece of integral music history.

Kris Kristofferson Version

Kris Kristofferson penned “Me and Bobby McGee.” Inspired by a secretary of one of his friends, this track became one of Kristofferson’s greatest moments as a songwriter. He played into the traditional country sense of storytelling, creating a cinematic listening experience.

“For some reason, I thought of La Strada, this Fellini film, and a scene where Anthony Quinn is going around on this motorcycle and Giulietta Masina is the feeble-minded girl with him, playing the trombone,” Kristofferson once explained. “To me, that [film] was the feeling at the end of ‘Bobby McGee.’ The two-edged sword that freedom is. He was free when he left the girl, but it destroyed him. That’s where the line ‘Freedom’s just another name for nothing left to lose’ came from.”

Kristofferson did release his own version of this hit, but it paled in comparison to Joplin’s version, which was one of the last songs she recorded before her death.

Janis Joplin’s Version

Joplin died several months before the release of “Me and Bobby McGee.” It belonged to her final studio album, Pearl. Because of the circumstances under which it was released, this album was shrouded in mystery and intrigue. It ultimately earned Joplin a massive, yet posthumous release.

Unlike Kristofferson’s version of this song, Joplin’s was fiery and flexed her unique vocals. She shied away from any soft, singer-songwriter sensibilities and let her rock roots take over. It’s very different from the intent Kristofferson had for this song, but it was a welcome difference.

“The first time I heard Janis Joplin’s version was right after she died,” Kristofferson once said. “Afterwards, I walked all over L.A., just in tears. I couldn’t listen to the song without really breaking up.”

That’s a sentiment shared by many rock fans. Though Joplin’s version of this song is upbeat, it has an inherent darkness to it. It’s impossible not to be hit with a wall of emotion when listening to this track.

(Photo by Tucker Ransom/Archive Photos/Getty Images)