1994 Classic by One of the ‘Greatest Country Artists of All Time’ Became a No. 1 Hit

32 years ago today, on April 30, 1994, Faith Hill scored her second No. 1 hit with her cover of the rock ‘n’ roll classic “Piece of My Heart.” The tune’s release followed the chart-topping success of the singer’s debut single, “Wild One,” which cemented her as an unstoppable force and undeniable female powerhouse in the country genre. 

Written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, “Piece of My Heart” finds the singer showcasing a sense of vulnerability as they question why their significant other is taking their romance for granted. Throughout the chorus, the singer accepts that the relationship is one-sided and continues to stick with the cycle of being with someone who lacks true love and commitment. 

Different Renditions

Before Hill released her rendition of “Piece of My Heart,” the song had already gone through several recordings, with Janis Joplin’s version becoming the definitive one. Surprisingly, however, Joplin’s take on the classic did not top any chart, but Hill’s did.

Joplin’s 1968 rendition, recorded with Big Brother and the Holding Company, made it to the No. 12 spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming a pop hit. Hill’s, meanwhile, topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart (now known as the Hot Country Songs chart) for one week. Additionally, the song reached No. 1 on the Canadian country charts in 1994. 

Faith Hill Was Unfamiliar With the Song Before She Recorded It

In an interview on former Canadian daytime talk show The Dini Petty Show, shared via YouTube, Hill, who in 2024 was named one of Billboard’s ‘Greatest Country Artists of All Time’, reflected on her recording of the song, admitting that she was unfamiliar with Joplin’s version. 

“If I had [heard Janis Joplin’s version], my version would’ve been a lot different, but a friend of mine in Nashville had recorded it on another female, and they recorded it country, and that’s how I learned it,” Hill explained. “So when [my producer] Scott Hendricks and I started working together, we just took that and made it our own. We added my personality and style to it.”

“When Warner Brothers found out that I hadn’t heard Janis Joplin, they said, ‘Whatever you do, do not listen to that record until you finish recording yours, just don’t…,” she added before sharing her reaction to hearing Joplin’s rendition later on. “I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe I had taken this legend’s song and recorded it country, but it works.” 

A third version of the tune, and the original, was recorded by Emma Franklin, who, in 1967, took her soul-tinged track to the No. 10 spot on Billboard’s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. Other interpretations of the hit include Dusty Springfield’s in 1968 and Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone’s duet on the song in 2005. 

Hill’s “Piece of My Heart” appears on her debut album, Take Me as I Am, which also spawned a top 5 hit with the title track. 

Related: 1979 No. 1 Hit Ranked Among ‘Greatest Country Songs of All Time’ Became a Timeless Anthem of Forbidden Love