The Heart-Wrenching Power of Janis Joplin’s “Cry Baby”

Originally performed by Garnett Mims and The Enchanters, “Cry Baby” gained its true notoriety when Janis Joplin infused it with her unmistakable, raw, and emotional energy. Recorded for her iconic 1971 album Pearl, the song was released as a single backed by the B-side “Mercedes Benz.” Tragically, Joplin passed away before the single hit the charts, but “Cry Baby” remains one of her most powerful vocal performances to date.

So, what makes Joplin’s version of “Cry Baby” stand out? Unlike many singers, Joplin approached her music as a true vocal artist—an actor of music—using her voice to paint intense, passionate pictures. She wasn’t in the spotlight for fame or fortune, but to convey the deepest emotions through her voice. In “Cry Baby,” this unique approach is on full display, especially in the song’s opening moments, where Joplin’s wail is both gut-wrenching and gilded with emotion.

In a performance that’s raw and vulnerable, Joplin’s vocals pierce the air as she takes the listener on an emotional rollercoaster, from humor to heartbreak in an instant. The video of her performance showcases the brilliance of Joplin’s delivery, where she effortlessly shifts between laughter and pain, making every note feel authentic and deeply personal.

“Cry Baby” reveals Janis Joplin’s remarkable ability to connect with the emotions of the song and translate them into something that can only be described as uniquely hers. There truly will never be another performer quite like her.

Lyrics

Oh!
Baby, cry baby, cry baby

Honey, welcome back home
I know she told you
Honey, I know she told you that she loved you
Much more than I did

But all I know is that she left you
And you swear that you just don’t know why
But you know, honey I’ll always
I’ll always be around, if you ever want me

Advertisement

Come on and cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry baby

Advertisement

Oh, honey, welcome back home
Don’t you know, honey
Ain’t nobody ever gonna love you
The way I try to do?

Who’ll take all your pain
Honey, your heartache, too?
And if you need me, you know
That I’ll always be around, if you ever want me

Come on and cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry baby
Oh, daddy, like you always saying to do

And when you walk around the world, baby
You said you’d try to look for the end of the road
You might find out later that the road’ll end in Detroit
Honey, the road’ll even end in Kathmandu

You can go all around the world
Trying to find something to do with your life, baby
When you only gotta do one thing well
You only gotta do one thing well to make it in this world, baby

You got a woman waiting for you there
All you ever gotta do is be a good man one time to one woman
And that’ll be the end of the road, baby
I know you got more tears to share, baby

So come on, come on, come on, come on, come on
And cry, cry baby, cry baby, cry

And if you ever feel a little lonely, dear
I want you to come on, come on to your mama now
And if you ever want a little love of a woman

Come on and baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby now
Cry baby, yeah