About the song
“What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” by Janis Joplin is a raw and unfiltered blues song that showcases the early talent of one of rock and blues’ most legendary voices. Recorded in 1962, before she rose to fame as the frontwoman of Big Brother and the Holding Company, this song gives a glimpse into Joplin’s deep-rooted connection to the blues and her ability to channel pain, frustration, and soul into her music.
A Glimpse into Janis Joplin’s Early Years
Unlike her later, more polished recordings, “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” is a home recording, featuring just Joplin and her acoustic guitar. The song was never officially released as part of an album during her lifetime, but it has since surfaced on various compilations, giving fans an intimate look at her early artistic development. Even in this simple setting, her powerful, emotionally charged voice cuts through with the kind of honesty that would define her career.
Lyrical Themes: A Blues Standard with a Personal Twist
Lyrically, “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” is a classic blues lament, dealing with the familiar themes of heartache, regret, and the false promise of alcohol as an escape. Joplin’s lyrics are direct and uncompromising:
“What good can drinkin’ do? / Lord, what good can drinkin’ do? / I drink all night, but the next day I still feel blue.”
With this simple refrain, Joplin captures the futility of drowning one’s sorrows in alcohol, a theme that has run through blues music for generations. But what sets this song apart is her voice—even in these early recordings, there is a raw intensity in her delivery that foreshadows the depth of emotion she would bring to later classics like “Piece of My Heart” and “Cry Baby.”
Musical Style: A Pure and Gritty Blues Performance
Unlike the psychedelic blues-rock sound she would later pioneer with Big Brother and her solo work, this track is a bare-bones acoustic blues song, firmly rooted in the traditions of Lead Belly, Bessie Smith, and other blues greats who influenced Joplin. The simple chord progression and folk-blues structure allow her voice to take center stage, making it clear that she was a natural blues singer even in her earliest days.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Although “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” was not a commercial release during her lifetime, it has become a significant piece of Joplin’s musical legacy. It serves as a reminder of her deep blues influences and her authenticity as an artist. Many fans and critics consider it an early example of the raw emotion and rebellious spirit that would later make her an icon.
For those who admire Janis Joplin’s ability to channel pain into music, this song is an essential listen. It’s a window into the soul of an artist who lived and sang with unfiltered passion, and even in this stripped-down setting, she commands attention in a way few artists ever could. “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do” may not be her most famous song, but it is a powerful testament to her roots in the blues and her ability to transform suffering into art.
Video
Lyrics
What good can drinkin’ do, what good can drinkin’ do?Lord, I drink all night but the next day I still feel blue.There’s a glass on the table, they say it’s gonna ease all my pain,And there’s a glass on the table, they say it’s gonna ease all my pain.But I drink it down, an’ the next day I feel the same.Gimme whiskey, gimme bourbon, give me gin.Oh, gimme whiskey, give me bourbon, gimme gin.Cause it don’t matter what I’m drinkin’, Lord, as long as it drown this sorrow I’m in.I start drinking Friday, I start drinking Friday night.Lord, I start drinking Friday, start drinking Friday night.But then I wake up on Sunday, child, there ain’t nothin’ that’s right.My man he left me, child, he left me here.Yeah, my good man left me, went away and left me here.Lord, I’m feelin’ lowdown, just give me another glass of beer.What good can drinkin’ do, what good can drinkin’ do?Well, I drink all night but the next day I still feel blue!!!