"Piece of My Heart" by Sammy Hagar

Song#:  1026
Date:  05/15/1982
Debut:  83
Peak:  73
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Hagar's "Standing Hampton" LP would be his best-selling solo effort that was bolstered by the #2 rock hit "I'll Fall in Love Again" (#43 pop). This next single from the album couldn't catch on as well and only spent a month near the bottom of the chart while not even hitting at rock radio. Although the LP had only two singles reach the pop chart, four songs would reach the Mainstream Rock chart. In addition to "I'll Fall in Love Again," three other tunes got on the chart including the #31 "There's Only One Way to Rock," which went on to become one of his signature tunes. It was also one of two Hagar solo songs that Van Halen would perform in concert during Hagar's days with the band. The other was "I Can't Drive 55."

ReduxReview:  Hagar certainly rocked up this cover tune (see below). It's not completely awful, but I don't like that he took a very soulful song and turned it into a straight 4/4 rock anthem. I compare it to when Muzak would turn rock songs into elevator fare. Hagar has basically done the same thing here, just in more of a stripper bar fashion than easy listening.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  This oft covered tune has hit the pop chart in five different versions. The original was done by Erma Franklin (Aretha's sister) in 1967. She hit #62 on the pop chart and #10 at R&B. Arguably, the most famous version was by Big Brother & the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin. Their bluesy take reached #12 in 1968. Reggae-fusion musician Shaggy took the song to #72 in 1997 and then a live medley by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone that included the song (from a Grammy awards show appearance) reached #32 in 2005. The song's appeal was not limited to pop and R&B. Country star Faith Hill had a #1 country hit with the standard in 1994.

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