Janis Joplin: An accidental farewell

Rock icon Janis Joplin accidentally left the world with the ultimate encapsulation of her free spirit. Recorded entirely a capella in a single, raw studio take just three days before her tragic accidental drug overdose on 4 October 1970, Mercedes Benz was a playful social commentary. The track famously features the Piece of My Heart singer laughing, joking, and cheering into the microphone right at the end - a bittersweet capsule of a vibrant star frozen in time forever.