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)
My Fathers Son ...
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My father's son
I live my life, just like
My father's done
If he'd've told me, one day
That somebody'd have my heart in chains
Would I believe it? No way
Made up my mind I'd never fall that way
But tell me why
Every time I try to tell you it's goodbye
I can't seem to let go
In my heart I know I want to stay
What I'm trying to say
Heart over mind
Yes I'm my father's son
And I'm inclined to do
As my father's done
Here I am with you
And I know that it's true
Despite all the feelings
You're putting me through
I try to walk away, something makes me stay
Heart over mind, yes I'm
My father's son
I live my life, just like
My father's done
But tell me why
Every time I try to tell you it's goodbye
I can't seem to let go
In my heart, I know I want to stay, what I'm trying to say
Heart over mind
Yes I'm my father's son
And I live my life just like
My father's done
If he had told me, one day
That somebody'd have my heart in chains
Would I believe it? No way
Made up my mind, I'd never fall that way
Heart over mind, yes I'm
My father's son
And I'm inclined to do
As my father's done
Heart over mind, yes I'm
My father's son
The lyrics of Joe Cocker's song My Fathers Son delve into the complexities of the relationship between a father and son, and how the patterns and habits of the father can be passed on to his offspring. The title of the song suggests that the singer has inherited not just his father's physical traits, but also his way of thinking and behaving. The repetition of the line "Heart over mind, yes I'm my father's son" emphasizes this idea and suggests that his actions are instinctive and inherited.
The song is about the struggle between reason and emotion, between doing what's right and following one's heart. The singer's father taught him to be practical and to keep his emotions in check. But when he falls in love, he finds himself torn between his head and his heart. He tries to convince himself that he should leave this person, but his emotions overpower his rational thought process. He realizes that, despite his best intentions, he can't escape the pull of his heart.
Overall, Cocker's song is a powerful meditation on the ways in which we are shaped by our parents and how their legacy can manifest in unexpected ways throughout our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Heart over mind, yes I'm
I make emotional decisions, just like my father did
My father's son
I resemble my father in many ways
I live my life, just like
I follow my father's example in how I go about my life
If he'd told me, one day
If my father had warned me beforehand
That somebody'd have my heart in chains
That someone would have such an emotional hold on me
Would I believe it, no way
I would have never thought it was possible
Made up my mind I'd never fall that way
I had resolved to never let anyone have control over me
But tell me why
I am questioning myself
Every time I try, to tell you it's goodbye
Whenever I attempt to end things with you
I can't seem to let go
I can’t seem to break the emotional bond
In my heart I know I want to stay
Deep down I want to continue this relationship
Yes I'm inclined to do
I am inclined to do what my father did
Here I am with you
I am currently with you
And I know that it's true
I know that what I am feeling is genuine
Despite all the feelings
Despite all the overwhelming emotions
Your putting me through
That you are causing in me
I try to walk away, something makes me stay
I attempt to leave, but I am compelled to stay
In my heart, I know I want to stay, never run away
I acknowledge that I want to stay and never leave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CONNOR REEVES, GRAHAM LYLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind