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)
Eye On The Prize
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it was fairy tales and childhood schemes
I remember watching my daddy play
He was the hero of all my dreams
I said Daddy wanna be in a working band
Daddy wanna be the best I can'
And he said
Keep your eye on the prize
One day you'll find there's a light
And it shines for you
Na, all my dreams of yesterday
Are coming back through the eyes of my son
Sit back and I watch him play
Realize that his life's just begun
When he said, "Daddy wanna be in a working band
Daddy wanna be the best I can"
I said
Keep your eye on the prize
Keep your eye on the prize
One day you'll find there's a light
And it shines for you
Thinkin' back on my younger years
When it was fairy tales and childhood schemes
I remember watching my daddy play
He was the hero of all my dreams
I said, "Daddy wanna be in a working band
Daddy wanna be the best I can"
Keep your eye on the prize
Keep your eye on the prize
Keep your eye on the prize
Keep your eye on the prize
One day you'll find there's a light
And it's shinin'
One day you'll find there's a light
And it's shinin'
One day you'll find there's a light
And it shines for you for you
[Repeat: x2]
The light shines
It shines for you
The song “Eye on the Prize” by Joe Cocker is his tribute to his father’s influence in his childhood and his passion for music. The lyrics are a reflection of his memories of his father, who he saw as his childhood hero. He remembers watching his father play music and being inspired by him. His father was a working musician and played in bands.
In the first verse, Cocker sings about his childhood memories when everything was about fairy tales and daydreaming about his future life. He recalls his father playing music and being his hero. Cocker shares that he aspired to be like his father and become a working musician. Therefore, to achieve his dream, his father advised him to keep his eye on the prize and focus on his goals.
In the second verse, Cocker looks back at his life and sees his younger self in his son. His son has also shown an interest in playing in a band, and he recalls giving the same advice to his son that his father gave him. He wants his son to live a life of passion, much like his own, and advises him to keep his eye on the prize.
Overall, “Eye on the Prize” is a powerful and personal tribute for Joe Cocker, where he acknowledges the influence his father had on his life, music, and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Thinkin' back on my younger years
Reflecting on my past experiences as a youth
When it was fairy tales and childhood schemes
During a time of innocence when life was filled with wonder and possibilities
I remember watching my daddy play
Recalling the moments when I saw my father perform
He was the hero of all my dreams
He was my role model and inspiration
I said Daddy wanna be in a working band
I expressed my desire to be a part of a band that plays professionally
Daddy wanna be the best I can'
I aspired to become the best I could be
And he said
He responded to my aspirations by giving me advice
Keep your eye on the prize
Focus on your goals and stay determined to achieve them
One day you'll find there's a light
Someday, you will experience success and recognition
And it shines for you
Your dedication and hard work will pay off, and you will be rewarded
Na, all my dreams of yesterday
Now, I revisit my past aspirations
Are coming back through the eyes of my son
Through my child, I see my own past and future aspirations
Sit back and I watch him play
I observe and support my child's own musical journey
Realize that his life's just begun
I understand that my child has a long path ahead of him and much to explore
When he said, "Daddy wanna be in a working band
When my child expressed his own aspirations
Keep your eye on the prize
I imparted the same advice that was given to me
Thinkin' back on my younger years
Again, revisiting my past experiences and lessons learned
When it was fairy tales and childhood schemes
A reminder of a time of imagination, creativity, and innocence
Keep your eye on the prize
Reiteration of the importance of staying focused on goals
Keep your eye on the prize
Repetition of the key message
Keep your eye on the prize
Continued emphasis on the importance of staying focused
Keep your eye on the prize
Final reminder to stay determined
One day you'll find there's a light
A repeated message of hope and success
And it's shinin'
A statement of positivity and optimism
The light shines
Continued message of positivity and optimism
It shines for you
Reiteration of the idea that success and recognition are attainable
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARC BROUSSARD, COURTLAN CLEMENT, JAMIE KENNEY, CHAD DAVID GILMORE, CALVIN TURNER, DEMARCO JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aleksei Strelkov
Oh dearest Mr. Joe!!! Such a great song, really love it! R.I.P. ..