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"Mercedes Benz" is an a cappella song written by the American singer Janis Joplin with Bob Neuwirth, and the poet Michael McClure. The song was originally recorded by Joplin.[1] A straightforward reading of the song lyrics indicate that the song is about the desire for possessions and pleasure; but at least one writer considers it to be a rejection of consumerism.[1]

"Mercedes Benz"
Single by Janis Joplin
from the album Pearl
Released1971
RecordedOctober 1, 1970
Songwriter(s)Janis Joplin
Michael McClure
Bob Neuwirth
Producer(s)Paul A. Rothchild

History


The Mercedes-Benz 600 is one of the inspirations for the song lyrics.
The Mercedes-Benz 600 is one of the inspirations for the song lyrics.

The song's lyrics were written at Vahsen's, a Port Chester, New York bar, on August 8, 1970, during an impromptu poetry jam between Joplin and songwriter Bob Neuwirth.[2] The lyrics were inspired by the first line of a song written by the 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.

At the Port Chester bar, Joplin sang the line a few times and began riffing on McClure lyrics, while Neuwirth copied the new lyrics onto bar napkins, which he kept for years afterwards. She sang the new version for the first time that night at her concert at Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.[2] Bobby Womack asserts in his autobiography that Joplin was inspired to come up with the lyrics after going for a ride with him in his new Mercedes-Benz 600.[3]

In the song, Joplin asks God to prove his love for her by buying her a Mercedes-Benz automobile, a color TV, and a "night on the town." There is also a reference to Dialing for Dollars, a franchised format local television program, which required a person to be watching the show to win a prize when the show called the person’s phone number, hence the singer's need for a TV. It was the last song Joplin recorded before her death.

The song was recorded in one take[4] during a recording session on October 1, 1970. These were the last tracks Joplin ever recorded as she died three days later, on October 4. The song appeared on the album Pearl, released in 1971. The song title, as listed on that album, contains no hyphen although the actual automobile brand name is hyphenated as Mercedes-Benz.

In 2003, Joplin's recording was remixed, adding a beat and a background melody. The remixed version was included on collections of Joplin's greatest hits.


Cover versions





Certifications


Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.


References


  1. Neal, Chris (April 2009). "Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz". Performing Songwriter. No. 116. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  2. Myers, Marc (July 7, 2015). "The Story Behind Janis Joplin's 'Mercedes Benz'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  3. See Womack, Bobby; Ashton, Robert (2006). Midnight Mover: Autobiography. John Blake Publishing. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. We rode a couple of blocks while she fixed a tune in her head and then started singing. A line just spilled out. 'Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz. 'My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.'
  4. "Pearl album by Janis Joplin". SuperSeventies.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 348.
  6. "RPM Top 100 Singles - April 1, 1972" (PDF).
  7. "Honda Accord". BobRivers.com. September 6, 2003. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  8. Masha (September 22, 2012). "Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz (Cover by Masha)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  9. AnnenMayKantereit (April 14, 2018). "Mercedes Benz (Cover)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  10. "Estelle x David Banner x Daley – Making Of The New "Benz" Song: Behind The Scenes Video". Freshness Magazine. April 14, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  11. "Music project by the magazine BLAG – inspired by Janis Joplin: Estelle, David Banner and Daley create a new Mercedes song". Daimler.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  12. Mercedes-Benz USA (April 14, 2011). "Artists Estelle, David Banner and Daley with BLAG Magazine Create "Benz" Inspired by Janis Joplin". PR Newswire. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  13. "American single certifications – Janis Joplin – Mercedes Benz". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 8, 2021.





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