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)
I'm Listening Now
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything was gonna be alright
The sun would shine, the world would turn
No matter how, I lived my life
Never needed anyone's advice
Well that was then
Today I'm thinking twice
Trying to get it right
Tryin' to figure it out somehow
Yes I'm listening now
We all got our own plan
Our own way to ease the pain
We all find our own medicine
From blinding faith to Novocain
To stop the world
And filter out the noise
But sooner or later you've got to listen to that voice
I'm listening now
Trying to get it right
Tryin to figure it out somehow
Yes I'm listening now
Na na na
Na na na
Na na na
There were times, I was sure
Everything was gonna be alright
The sun would shine, the world would turn
No matter how, I lived my life
Loves the answer just like they always said
Come on baby, tell me something about love instead
I'm listening now
Trying to sort it out
Tryin' to figure it out somehow
Yes I'm listening now
I'm listening now
Tryin' to get it right
Trying to figure it out somehow
Yes I'm listening now
Yes I'm listening now
Yes I'm listening now
The lyrics of "I'm Listening Now" by Joe Cocker explore the theme of introspection and self-discovery. The singer reflects on the times when he thought everything was going to be alright and when he didn't need anyone's advice. However, he realizes that things have changed and he needs to listen to his voice to figure things out. He acknowledges that everyone has their own way of dealing with pain, from blinding faith to Novocain. But, at some point, we all need to listen to our voice.
The use of the phrase "I'm listening now" is a powerful statement that indicates a willingness to be open to insights and changes. It reflects a sense of humility and vulnerability, where the singer is willing to admit that he doesn't have all the answers. The repetition of this phrase in the chorus emphasizes its importance in the song's message.
The final verse of the song suggests that love is the answer, a common theme in many songs, novels, and movies. The singer asks for someone to tell him something about love, implying that he's searching for answers to complex emotions.
Overall, "I'm Listening Now" is a song about personal growth and the importance of being open to change. It encourages listeners to listen to their inner voice and to be willing to learn from their experiences and mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
There were times, I was sure
There were instances in my life where I was convinced about something.
Everything was gonna be alright
I believed that everything would be fine and go as planned.
The sun would shine, the world would turn
Despite any uncertainties, I believed that the world would continue regardless.
No matter how, I lived my life
Regardless of my actions, my belief remained unchanged.
Never needed anyone's advice
I believed I could handle everything on my own without outside input.
Well that was then
However, my beliefs have since changed.
Today I'm thinking twice
I'm now second-guessing my previous beliefs.
I'm listening now
I'm now open to hearing advice and considering other viewpoints.
Trying to get it right
I'm attempting to make better decisions going forward.
Tryin' to figure it out somehow
I'm trying to understand the situation and find a solution.
We all got our own plan
We each have our own way of approaching life and its challenges.
Our own way to ease the pain
We each find our own method of coping with difficulties.
We all find our own medicine
We each discover our own solution to our problems.
From blinding faith to Novocain
Our solutions range from absolute trust to numbing ourselves from reality.
To stop the world
We try to escape from our problems and the world itself.
And filter out the noise
We try to block out the distractions and focus on what's truly important.
But sooner or later you've got to listen to that voice
Eventually, we must listen to our own inner voice and make our own decisions.
Loves the answer just like they always said
Love is the answer, as many have always claimed.
Come on baby, tell me something about love instead
I'm eager to hear more about love and its role in life.
Trying to sort it out
I'm attempting to make sense of everything.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVEN M. KRIKORIAN, JOHN SHANKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind