Faith Hill performs the National Anthem before the start of Super Bowl XXXIV between the St. Louis Rams and the Tennessee Titans at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. January, 30 2000.
Doug Pensinge / Getty ImagesWith this week's Country Cover Songs, we look at Faith Hill Vs. Janis Joplin. This song is a classic, but no matter which version you prefer, it's still a classic. The song in question is "Piece Of My Heart". Janis Joplin originally had a hit with it all the way back in 1969. Faith Hill released her version of the song in 1993. And I think we can all agree that both versions of the song are awesome, but different and unique in their own way.
Lets talk about Janis Joplin's version. It's raw, it's soulful, it's rockin', it sounds like 1969! Like I said before it's a classic. You can tell that Janis was feeling every single word she was singing. I love songs like that. Songs that you know were lived by the way they were being sung.
Now we move on to Faith Hill's version of "Piece Of My Heart". It's a little more structured, it's a little more polished and neat. Faith's version is like it's meant for the radio, and it was, the song was a huge hit for her. It's a song that makes you think about Faith Hill, and in fact you may not have even know this was a country cover song.
Can you say one version is better than the other? Maybe so, but it would be tough. Faith Hill's version was the first one I heard growing up, and I'll always be partial to it. However, Janis did do the original, and it's awesome too. I think this is a case of both versions of the songs are great. In my opinion, one isn't better than the other. They're both different, and awesome in their own unique way. I think we can appreciate both versions.
Here's Faith's version:
Here's Janis' version:
If you missed my Country Cover Songs last week with Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams, you can check that out here.
8 Of Faith Hill’s Number One Songs, Ranked
Faith Hill seemed to step away from the country music spotlight a few years ago. She's had one of the most significant careers in the genre in the early 2000s as a solo artist. And, of course, along with her hubby Tim McGraw, who continues to record and tour.
Faith did make waves and got some fantastic reviews and recognition for her acting portrayal of Margaret Dutton, playing the wife of James Dutton in 2021 in the Paramount Plus original series 1883. James was portrayed by her "real-life" husband of almost 28 years, McGraw.
Her famous husband wrote his thoughts on many subjects in an article Esquire's "What I've Learned" feature. Tim discusses his family, his early life, and the fact that his wife, Faith Hill, helps him stay sober. McGraw quit drinking in 2008.
He also recalled that his wife Faith Hill helped him stay away from alcohol when he quit drinking. Tim said, "I remember a moment when I was getting out of bed and going to the liquor cabinet and taking a big shot at 8:00 in the morning." He remembered that he went straight to my wife and said, "'This is where I'm at.' I was scared. She just grabbed me and hugged me and changed my life."
Tim also touched on anger and that "love is being angry." He noted that love is getting in "each other's face" and accepting when you are wrong. McGraw shared that most parents fight in front of their kids. He said in part, "Everybody fights in front of their kids. That's part of the deal."
He concluded the piece by saying, "My wife always says, 'You're not scared of anything. I say, 'Oh, one thing. I'm looking at it right now.'"
While we usually see Hill standing beside her husband when he is honored, like at the recent 2023 ACM Honors, where he was given an icon award, she does have some pretty big songs in country music over the years. As Faith celebrates her 56th birthday today (9/21), we take a look at eight of her biggest songs.
RELATED: Tim McGraw Says He 'Would've Died Already' Without His Wife
8. "It Matters To Me" (1995)
WB NashvilleThis song was co-written by Faith's first husband Daniel Hill. It was released in November 1995 as her second single and title track from Hill’s album of the same name. It was her third number one on the Billboard country charts. The song's chorus includes the lyrics, "When we don't talk / When we don't touch / When it doesn't feel like we're even in love / It matters to me."
7. "Wild One" (1993)
WB NashvilleA catchy song and her debut single. Going to number one, the song spent the first four chart weeks of 1994 at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The song was first recorded in 1992 by country band Zaca Creek on their album, "Broken Heartland," and country band Evangeline on their 1993 album, "French Quarter Moon."
6. "Piece Of My Heart" (1994)
WB NashvilleAnother song from Faith’s debut album, “Piece Of My Heart,” was a cover of an Erma Franklin's (Aretha’s big sister) 1967 song. Hill is not the only one who covered it as through the years it was also recorded by Dusty Springfield also in 1968, and a duet version by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone in 2005. The most famous version, however, is Janis Joplin's from 1968.
5. "Mississippi Girl" (2005)
WB NashvilleFaith released this song in May 2005 as the lead single from her sixth studio album, 'Fireflies.' It was written specifically for Hill by John Rich (of Big & Rich), and fellow MuzikMafia member Adam Shoenfeld. The song references Faith's forays into acting at the time, in an episode of 'Touched By An Angel' and the 2004 film 'The Stepford Wives.'
4. "The Way That You Love Me" (2000)
WB NashvilleThe song reached number four in Hungary, number nine in Spain, and number 15 in the United Kingdom. The video for the chart-topper shows Hill as many different characters, including a mother, police officer, robber, waitress, heiress, and nurse.
3. "It's Your Love" with Tim McGraw (1997)
Curb RecordsHill was pregnant with their oldest daughter Gracie Katherine when the music video for this song was filmed. The song stayed at number one for six weeks and became McGraw's and Hill's first top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number seven.
2. "Breathe" (1999)
WB NashvilleA big song for Hill; "Breathe" became her seventh number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, spending six weeks at number one. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 2000. Despite not hitting number one, it was the number-one pop single of 2000. In 2009, the single was named the 27th-most-successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.
1. "This Kiss" (1996)
WB NashvilleJust an amazing and catchy song and the song Faith's solo career is known for. The song became a crossover hit, peaking within the top 10 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The song's music video features her in a colorful fantasy-like sequence. She is featured swinging on a nectarine, jumping from flower to flower, and riding flying bees and butterflies.
