Piece of My Heart

1967 single by Erma Franklin

"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in the United States. The song came to mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin on lead vocals covered the song in 1968 and had a much bigger hit, after which Franklin's version was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song has since been remade by Dusty Springfield, also in 1968, Faith Hill in 1994 and as a duet by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone in 2005. In 2004, the Big Brother and the Holding Company version was ranked No. 353 on Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is also included among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 1999, the version of the song by Big Brother and The Holding Company was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The original version of "Piece of My Heart" was recorded by Aretha Franklin's older sister Erma in 1967 for producer Bert Berns' Shout label with the same song on both sides of the 7 inch vinyl single. Bert Berns asked Van Morrison, whom he was producing, to record the song, but Morrison declined, preferring to do his own material. The song reached number 10 in December 1967 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in the United States and also peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. In Canada, it reached number three on the CKFH Soul Survey. Cash Box said that it "starts with less volume than might be expected, which only emphasizes the build that follows." Record World said "Gospel shouting side from Erma will turn into a terrific one. Girl really does it." Franklin's single was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, with the winner to be revealed in March 1969 at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards. The award went to Franklin's sister Aretha for the song "Chain of Fools". In the United Kingdom and some other European countries the single was re released in 1992 after it appeared in a popular Levi's jeans commercial ("Cinderella" a. k. a. "Night and Day" directed by Tarsem Singh). The reissue peaked at number 5 in Denmark, number 9 in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and number 10 in Ireland.

Cyndi Hoelzle and Lisa Smith from the Gavin Report wrote, "How long did it take you to recognize this song? Faith takes Janis Joplin's classic (actually a 1968 hit for her band Big Brother and The Holding Company) and transforms it into a driving countrified lament."

Jamaican American reggae artist Shaggy covered the song on his self produced and fourth album, Midnite Lover (1997). The single featuring Marsha was a top 10 hit in Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, peaking at number 4, 6 and 7, respectively.

British magazine Music Week rated this version three out of five, adding, "Shaggy's fast paced vocals get somewhat overshadowed by the smooth, silky presence of Marsha on this unadventurous remake of the Erma Franklin hit." Alan Jones noted that "Shaggy returns in fine style", concluding that "the result is a summery and unique treat, with the Shagmeister's verses interspersed by a fine femme vocalist—credited as Erma herself in sample form, though definitely not."

A live medley of this song with Janis Joplin and the Full Tilt Boogie Band's 1971 song "Cry Baby" became a hit duet for American rock singer Melissa Etheridge and English soul singer Joss Stone when it was released to iTunes Store after they performed it at the 47th Grammy Awards on February 13, 2005, in tribute to Joplin. She had previously sung it at Woodstock '94 as part of a four song medley of Joplin tunes. Etheridge's medley with Joss Stone made number 32 in the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Hot Digital Tracks in April 2005. The performance also signaled Etheridge's first public return from her battle with breast cancer; appearing with her head bald from the effects of chemotherapy. Etheridge also recorded a solo version of "Piece of My Heart" on her 2005 greatest hits album Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled.

On her 2005 Affirmation Tour, English soul singer Beverley Knight performed the song with Ronnie Wood, which encouraged her to make a studio recording of the song. "Piece of My Heart" was the lead single from her 2006 best of compilation Voice The Best of Beverley Knight. It peaked inside the top 10 of the UK radio airplay chart. The physical single was released on March 13, 2006. Due to a change in the UK chart rules which allowed singles to chart purely on downloads a week before their physical release, "Piece of My Heart" entered the UK chart at number 93, becoming one of the first singles to do so. It peaked at number 16 after its physical commercial release. It was Knight's first single to be released as a DVD. It is her longest running single to date on the UK Singles Chart, spending 11 weeks inside the top 75. It was her thirteenth top 40 entry and her seventh top 20 hit on the UK Singles Chart.

Etta James, on her 1978 album Deep in the Night. Released as a single, it reached #93 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. Sammy Hagar, on his 1982 album Standing Hampton. Released as a single, it became a minor hit, reaching number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 67 on the UK Singles Chart.