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)
Isolation
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're afraid to be alone, everybody got to have a home
Isolation
Just a boy and a little girl
Trying to change the whole wide world
Isolation
Everybody trying to put us down
Isolation
I don't expect you to understand
After you caused so much pain
But the again you're not to blame
Your just a human, a victim of the insane
We're afraid of everyone, afraid of the sun
Isolation
The Sun will never disappear
But the world my not have many years
Isolation
The song "Isolation" by Joe Cocker paints a picture of a world filled with fear and loneliness. The starting lyrics "People say we got it made don't they know we're so afraid" highlights the fear that everyone regardless of status or affluence faces. The need for companionship and a sense of belonging is driving people to desperate measures. Every person in the world is affected by this profound sense of Isolation. The line "but then again, you're not to blame, you're just a human, a victim of the insane" speaks to a commonality in suffering, that everyone is a victim of the same human condition.
Cocker's representation of the world as a "little town" and the commentary on the limited understanding of the world that its inhabitants have is turnwise, scathing and heartfelt. The chorus sets the scene for the feeling of the world being pushed in and being backed into a corner, as we are all powerless to the forces of isolation, tearing at our souls. The exclusionary nature of society and the feeling of being pushed against the whole world is prevalent with people for the need to have a place, a home. The lyrics "afraid of everyone, afraid of the sun, Isolation" highlights the extent to which a solitary figure has no power, despite the symbol they may represent - even the sun itself is subject to the forces of isolation's impending doom. The song leaves you caught up in the dualistic forces of society, wanting to belong and desperately seeking to be free.
Line by Line Meaning
People say we got it made don't they know we're so afraid
Despite what others may believe, we are not as confident in ourselves as we may seem and we are afraid.
We're afraid to be alone, everybody got to have a home
We are all afraid of being alone as we feel like we belong somewhere and have a place to call home.
Isolation
The feeling of being disconnected and alone from the rest of the world.
Just a boy and a little girl
Trying to change the whole wide world
Isolation
We are two individuals trying to make a positive difference in the world but feel isolated while doing so.
All the world is a little town
Everybody trying to put us down
Isolation
The whole world can feel like a small, judgmental place where everyone is trying to bring us down and isolate us.
I don't expect you to understand
After you caused so much pain
But the again you're not to blame
Your just a human, a victim of the insane
I do not blame you for your lack of understanding as you have caused me pain, but I know you are only human and may also be feeling isolated and disconnected from the world.
We're afraid of everyone, afraid of the sun
Isolation
Our fear of others causes us to distance ourselves from the sun, which represents the outside world and its potential dangers and rejections.
The Sun will never disappear
But the world my not have many years
Isolation
Although the sun will continue to exist, the world may not survive much longer and we may continue to feel isolated and disconnected from it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind