Joe Cocker
John Robert Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014), better known as Joe Cocker, was an English rock singer. He was known for his gritty voice, spasmodic body movement in performance, and distinctive versions of popular songs of varying genres.
Cocker's recording of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969 and performed the same year at the Isle of Wight Festival Read Full BioJohn Robert Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014), better known as Joe Cocker, was an English rock singer. He was known for his gritty voice, spasmodic body movement in performance, and distinctive versions of popular songs of varying genres.
Cocker's recording of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969 and performed the same year at the Isle of Wight Festival, and at the Party at the Palace concert in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1974 cover of "You Are So Beautiful" reached number five in the US. Cocker was the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes.
In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.
Cocker was born on 20 May 1944 at 38 Tasker Road, Crookes, Sheffield. He was the youngest son of a civil servant, Harold Cocker, and Madge Cocker, née Lee. According to differing family stories, Cocker received his nickname of Joe either from playing a childhood game called "Cowboy Joe", or from a local window cleaner named Joe.
Cocker's main musical influences growing up were Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan. Cocker's first experience singing in public was at age 12 when his elder brother Victor invited him on stage to sing during a gig of his skiffle group. In 1960, along with three friends, Cocker formed his first group, the Cavaliers. For the group's first performance at a youth club, they were required to pay the price of admission before entering. The Cavaliers eventually broke up after a year and Cocker left school to become an apprentice gasfitter working for the East Midlands Gas Board, later British Gas, while simultaneously pursuing a career in music.
Cocker is not related to fellow Sheffield-born musician Jarvis Cocker, despite a rumour to this effect (particularly in Australia, where Jarvis Cocker's father, radio presenter Mac Cocker, allowed listeners to believe that he was Joe's brother), although Joe was a friend of the family and even did some babysitting for Jarvis when he was an infant.
In 1963, Cocker began dating Eileen Webster, also a resident of Sheffield. The couple dated intermittently for the next 13 years, and separated permanently in 1976.
In 1978, Cocker moved onto a ranch owned by Jane Fonda in Santa Barbara, California. Pam Baker, a local summer camp director and fan of Cocker's music, persuaded the actress to lend the house to Cocker. Baker began dating Cocker, and they married on 11 October 1987. The couple resided on the Mad Dog Ranch in Crawford, Colorado.
Cocker died from lung cancer on 22 December 2014 in Crawford, Colorado, at the age of 70. He had smoked 40 cigarettes a day until he quit in 1991. The two remaining living ex-Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, were among those who paid tribute to the singer, while Cocker's agent, Barrie Marshall, said that Cocker was "without doubt the greatest rock/soul singer ever to come out of Britain".
Cocker's recording of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969 and performed the same year at the Isle of Wight Festival Read Full BioJohn Robert Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014), better known as Joe Cocker, was an English rock singer. He was known for his gritty voice, spasmodic body movement in performance, and distinctive versions of popular songs of varying genres.
Cocker's recording of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969 and performed the same year at the Isle of Wight Festival, and at the Party at the Palace concert in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1974 cover of "You Are So Beautiful" reached number five in the US. Cocker was the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes.
In 1993, Cocker was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.
Cocker was born on 20 May 1944 at 38 Tasker Road, Crookes, Sheffield. He was the youngest son of a civil servant, Harold Cocker, and Madge Cocker, née Lee. According to differing family stories, Cocker received his nickname of Joe either from playing a childhood game called "Cowboy Joe", or from a local window cleaner named Joe.
Cocker's main musical influences growing up were Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan. Cocker's first experience singing in public was at age 12 when his elder brother Victor invited him on stage to sing during a gig of his skiffle group. In 1960, along with three friends, Cocker formed his first group, the Cavaliers. For the group's first performance at a youth club, they were required to pay the price of admission before entering. The Cavaliers eventually broke up after a year and Cocker left school to become an apprentice gasfitter working for the East Midlands Gas Board, later British Gas, while simultaneously pursuing a career in music.
Cocker is not related to fellow Sheffield-born musician Jarvis Cocker, despite a rumour to this effect (particularly in Australia, where Jarvis Cocker's father, radio presenter Mac Cocker, allowed listeners to believe that he was Joe's brother), although Joe was a friend of the family and even did some babysitting for Jarvis when he was an infant.
In 1963, Cocker began dating Eileen Webster, also a resident of Sheffield. The couple dated intermittently for the next 13 years, and separated permanently in 1976.
In 1978, Cocker moved onto a ranch owned by Jane Fonda in Santa Barbara, California. Pam Baker, a local summer camp director and fan of Cocker's music, persuaded the actress to lend the house to Cocker. Baker began dating Cocker, and they married on 11 October 1987. The couple resided on the Mad Dog Ranch in Crawford, Colorado.
Cocker died from lung cancer on 22 December 2014 in Crawford, Colorado, at the age of 70. He had smoked 40 cigarettes a day until he quit in 1991. The two remaining living ex-Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, were among those who paid tribute to the singer, while Cocker's agent, Barrie Marshall, said that Cocker was "without doubt the greatest rock/soul singer ever to come out of Britain".
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With A Little Help From My Friends
Joe Cocker Lyrics
What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key
Oh, baby I get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
All I need is my buddies (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I say I'm gonna get high (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh yeah (Ooh)
What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
No no
How do I feel at the end of the day?
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)
I tell ya I don't get sad no more
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Gonna get by with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Yeah yeah, I'm gonna try (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Keep on getting high, oh Lord (Ooh)
(Do you need anybody?)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody?)
All I need is someone
That's just where I'm going, yeah
Somebody knows that's where I'm showing
Baby
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna make it with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, I'm gonna keep on trying (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm gonna keep on trying (Ooh)
(Would you believe in a love at first sight?)
I'm certain it happens all the time, yeah
(What do you see when you turn out the light?)
I can't tell you but it sure feels like mine
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Don't you know I'm gonna make it with my friends? (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I promised myself I'd get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna try and not work too hard (Ooh)
(Do you need anybody?)
Well I, yeah yeah yeah
(Could it be anybody?)
Oh there's gotta be somebody
Don't treat me wrong Lord
Oh yeah yeah
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna get by with my friends, yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, yes I'm gonna keep trying, now (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Keep on trying with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, I'm never gonna stop there, oh (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm gonna keep on trying, yeah yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm getting high, I'm gonna make time, oh Lord (Ooh)
Gonna get by with my friends
Oh, I'm gonna get on by, yes I'm gonna get on by, my Lord
I'm gonna tell them all about it, I'm gonna tell them all, yeah yeah
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
kakashi hatake
@Adam East with a little help from my friends was released in 1968 as a single,THE ALBUM OF THE SAME NAME was released in 1969,and it was being recorded in 1968,here is some research
Release as a single in October 1968 (UK)
There have been at least 50 cover versions of the song and it has achieved the number one position on the British singles charts three times: by Joe Cocker in 1968
Cocker's version of the song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart on the week of 6–12 November 1968. The version also peaked number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 (US) on the week of 14 December, number two on the Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands) on the week of 9 November,and number one on Swiss Hitparade's top 100 singles chart on the week of 3 December.In Belgium's Ultratop 50 singles charts, it also peaked number one on the Wallonia chart on the weeks of 14 and 21 December and number eight on the Flanders chart on the week of 7 December.
Down Below are 2 links for live performances of the song,live performances made in 1968,you can find some more if you search for it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItavqJqq45k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3LQ-FReO7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw1sx_wmZmQ
Will it kill you to admit that you are wrong and that maybe dig a pony was inspired by cocker version?
Ait Lehcen Ben Lehcen النجيل ايختار
What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears, then I'll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key, yeah
Oh, baby I get by
(By with a little help from my friends)
All I need is my buddies
(Try with a little help from my friends)
I said, I'm gonna get high
(High with a little help from my friends)
Oh, yeah
What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
No, no
How do I feel at the end of the day?
(Are you sad 'cause you're on your own?)
I tell don't get sad no more
Gonna get by with my friends
(Try high with a little help from my friends)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna try
(Try with a little help from my friends)
Keep on gettin' high, oh, Lord
I need someone to love
(Could it be anybody?
Vikinger
Even though the Beatles are legendary, I have to say that this is the best version of this song.
Genine R
I had no idea this was a Beatles so until today. I love the Beatles, but this is definitely the better version
Vinyl Guru
Beatles version is 100 x better lmao
Russell Wilson
Joe Cocker is a genius.
Spiritof Seventysix
@BUBBLEorBUST I don't think I'd be in agreement with you...however I'd be open to the possibility that there may be a better, best, rendition yet to be shared here with us all.
Ziggy Stardust
Agreed.
toniforrestal
I can't be the only 90's kid coming here to hear this song and have vague memories of my childhood relived from the wonder years. Bitter sweet, how I miss the years rolling by.I was barely old enough to remember the show, but I remember characters and this music like it was yesterday. To all of you who feel the same, this moment is for you and all of us. Much love form Ireland!!
Linda Opperthauser
Im old enough to remember all the furnishings inside the wonder years home! I grew up in this era. I loved the wonder years!
Emma Guzman
Yeassss.....or Jim Belushi
matthew Handy
85... good stuff that's what needed to be said some go up and some go down we all get around. Heritage back to the old country with an old potato farm to boot. We will all find ourselves relying on the way things used to be. I'll share a pint with you one of these days soon for the hell of it shitz and redheads