Mercedes Benz (song)

This article is about the Janis Joplin and Bob Neuwirth song. For the Sway song, see Mercedes-Benz (Sway song).

"Mercedes Benz"
Single by Janis Joplin
from the album Pearl
A-side"Cry Baby"
Released1971
Recorded1970
GenrePop
Length1:45
LabelColumbia
SongwritersJanis Joplin
Michael McClure
Bob Neuwirth
ProducerPaul A. Rothchild
Janis Joplin singles chronology
"Cry Baby"
(1971) 		"Mercedes Benz"
(1971) 		"Get It While You Can"
(1971)

"Mercedes Benz" is an a cappella song written by the American singer Janis Joplin with Bob Neuwirth and the poet Michael McClure. The song was originally recorded by Joplin.

The song has a strong anti-consumerism message, which was a popular theme in the 1960s counterculture. It opens with Joplin sarcastically announcing "a song of great social and political import", and then satirically depicts an earnest prayer for, amongst other things, luxury material goods.

When the song was later used in an actual Mercedes-Benz commercial, author of the original poem, McClure, said he refused to watch it and would never drive one.

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