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)
Long Drag Off A Cigarette
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eyes half closed
She took a long drag off a cigarette
And let it real slow
I felt something click in between her and me
That's when she turned around and said
"Hey, Long time no see"
Knock on wood
I don't know what or who finally got through to you
'Cause I never could
Me, I keep walking back into the fire
Hey, is being confused some kind of sin?
But tonight I'm gonna turn around and walk right outa' here
Before I get back into trouble again
Man I feel kinda' distant
Layin' here with my eyes half closed
I'm gonna take a long drag off a cigarette
And let it out real slow
In the song "Long Drag Off A Cigarette" by Joe Cocker, the singer is reminiscing about a chance encounter with a woman who he hasn't seen in a while. The woman takes a long drag off of her cigarette, and he feels a connection between them. She acknowledges their shared past, but also notices his recent good luck. The singer, however, is still struggling with confusion and a tendency to "walk back into the fire" of his past mistakes.
The lyrics are full of symbolism, particularly with the cigarette. Smoking can be seen as a way to cope with stress, to take a moment of solitude or to give oneself time to think, which is relevant to the singer's state of mind. The cigarette can be interpreted as a symbol for life's ups and downs, reminding the singer that he should slow down and breathe when things get tough. The woman's drag off the cigarette serves as a metaphor for life's breathe, and how we all share in the experience.
The singer is contemplating his past mistakes and his inability to learn from them. He feels distant, and the only way he feels connected to the world is through his addictions. He's aware that he needs to turn his life around, and he's looking for ways to do that.
Line by Line Meaning
She was sittin' there kinda' distant
The woman was physically present but emotionally distant from the singer
Eyes half closed
Her eyes were halfway open, indicating she was not fully engaged in the conversation
She took a long drag off a cigarette
She smoked a cigarette in a slow and deliberate manner
And let it real slow
She exhaled the smoke slowly and seemed to be lost in thought
I felt something click in between her and me
The artist felt a connection with the woman despite her emotional distance
That's when she turned around and said
The woman interrupted the singer's thoughts and engaged in conversation
"Hey, Long time no see"
The woman greeted the singer with enthusiasm, despite their distant relationship
Looks like luck's been on your side
The woman observes that the artist has been fortunate recently
Knock on wood
An expression of hope that the artist's good luck will continue
I don't know what or who finally got through to you
The woman is curious as to what caused the artist's recent good fortune
'Cause I never could
She acknowledges that she was unable to help the singer in the past
Me, I keep walking back into the fire
The woman alludes to her own pattern of self-destructive behavior
Hey, is being confused some kind of sin?
The singer questions whether their own confusion is a moral flaw
But tonight I'm gonna turn around and walk right outa' here
The singer resolves to leave the current situation
Before I get back into trouble again
The singer fears making bad decisions if they stay in the current situation
Man I feel kinda' distant
The artist also feels emotionally distant, like the woman at the beginning of the song
Layin' here with my eyes half closed
The artist is physically passive and emotionally withdrawn
I'm gonna take a long drag off a cigarette
The singer copes with their emotional pain by smoking a cigarette
And let it out real slow
The singer exhales the smoke slowly, savoring the temporary relief it provides
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY JOHN MCNALLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind