His first album featured a recording of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends", which brought him to near-instant stardom. The song reached number one in the UK in 1968, became a staple of his many live shows (Woodstock and the Isle of Wight in 1969, the Party at the Palace in 2002) and was also known as the theme song for the late 1980s American TV series The Wonder Years. He continued his success with his second album, which included a second Beatles song: "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window". A hastily thrown together 1970 US tour led to the live double-album Mad Dogs & Englishmen, which featured an all-star band organized by Leon Russell. His 1974 recording of "You Are So Beautiful" reached number five in the US, and became his signature song. Cocker's best selling song was the US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes that earned a 1983 Grammy Award. He released a total of 22 studio albums over a 43-year recording career.
In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male. He was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown in 2007, and received an OBE the following year for services to music. Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Cocker
Studio albums
With a Little Help from My Friends (1969)
Joe Cocker! (1969)
Joe Cocker (1972/EU: 1973)
I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974)
Jamaica Say You Will (1975)
Stingray (1976)
Luxury You Can Afford (1978)
Sheffield Steel (1982)
Civilized Man (1984)
Cocker (1986)
Unchain My Heart (1987)
One Night of Sin (1989)
Night Calls (1991/US: 1992)
Have a Little Faith (1994)
Organic (1996)
Across from Midnight (1997)
No Ordinary World (1999/US: 2000)
Respect Yourself (2002)
Heart & Soul (2004/US: 2005)
Hymn for My Soul (2007/US: 2008)
Hard Knocks (2010/US: 2012)
Fire It Up (2012)
You Can Leave Your Hat On
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Real slow
And take off your shoes
I'll take off your shoes
Baby, take off your dress
Yes, yes, yes
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on
Go over there
Turn on the light
Hey, all the lights
Come over here
Stand on that chair
Yes, that's right
Raise your arms up in the air
Now shake 'em
Now give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
Sweet darling
(You can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
Feeling (you can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
(You can leave your hat on)
(You can leave your hat on)
Suspicious minds are talkin'
They're tryin' to tear us apart
They don't believe in this love of mine
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
Well, I know what love is
Put it my way
(You can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
Free world (You can leave your hat on)
Yes, this is reason to live
(You can leave your hat on) You can leave your hat on
The song "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Joe Cocker is widely known for its sultry and seductive nature. The lyrics describe a scene in which a man is asking his lover to undress and leave on only her hat. The opening lines of the song encourage the woman to take off her coat and shoes slowly, leading the listener to anticipate what will happen next. As the song progresses, the man instructs the woman to stand on a chair, raise her arms in the air and shake them, giving him a reason to live.
The phrase "You can leave your hat on" is repeated throughout the song, representing the idea of using a hat to cover up one's nakedness and vulnerability. By encouraging his lover to leave on her hat, the man is implying that he is the only one who is able to see her true self, and that he accepts and loves her for who she is. The song ends with the man reassuring his lover that their love is real, despite the suspicions of others who don't understand it.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, take off your coat
Real slow
I want you to undress slowly and make me watch.
And take off your shoes
I'll take off your shoes
You take off everything you're wearing and I'll take care of your shoes.
Baby, take off your dress
Yes, yes, yes
Take off your dress, and don't hesitate or question my request.
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on
You don't have to take off your hat, keep it on as a part of the seductive appeal.
Go over there
Turn on the light
Hey, all the lights
Come over here
Stand on that chair
Yes, that's right
Raise your arms up in the air
Now shake 'em
I want you to go over there and turn on the lights, then come back and stand on that chair, spread your arms and shake them to make me aroused.
Now give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
Sweet darling
This seduction is what makes me feel alive, and you're the one who's doing it, my sweet darling.
(You can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
Feeling (you can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
I keep repeating that you can leave your hat on and feeling it because it turns me on.
(You can leave your hat on)
(You can leave your hat on)
I enjoy the thought of you taking your hat off, but I want you to leave it on.
Suspicious minds are talkin'
They're tryin' to tear us apart
They don't believe in this love of mine
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
They don't know what love is
Well, I know what love is
Put it my way
People might talk badly about us and try to end our love, but they don't understand what love is like we do, and it doesn't matter because I know what love is, and I feel it my own way.
(You can leave your hat on)
You can leave your hat on
Free world (You can leave your hat on)
Yes, this is reason to live
(You can leave your hat on) You can leave your hat on
In this free world, I want you to leave your hat on and know that this erotic moment together is all that matters and the reason to live.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Randy Newman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind