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)
Ruby Lee
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wish I knew of someone I could call
Someone who might understand it all
Ruby Lee , I sure wish you was here with me
Someone's lying with me in my bed
Some stranger who don't understand my head
Wish it was you lying here instead
Ruby Lee , I sure wish you was here with me
Being quite the man about the town
Packing up and going different places
But I sure miss having you around
I listen to the noises down the hall
Think I'll move out of here in the fall
I ain't exactly having me a ball
Ruby Lee ...... ( repeat )
The lyrics of Joe Cocker's song Ruby Lee speak to the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can come with being in a crowded but impersonal environment, surrounded by strangers who don't truly understand or connect with the singer. He longs for a specific person, Ruby Lee, who he believes would understand him and be a comforting presence in his life. The singer is having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings and the people around him, who he views as shallow and unfulfilling. He yearns for connection and companionship, and seems to regret leaving Ruby Lee behind.
The chorus of the song, where the singer repeats his wish that Ruby Lee were with him, highlights his sense of longing and isolation. He is aware of the people around him, but feels disconnected from them, and wishes for someone who knows him intimately and can provide him with the emotional support he needs. The reference to moving out in the fall suggests that the singer is adrift and may be seeking a change in his life, but is unsure of what that change should be.
Line by Line Meaning
Staring at shadows on the wall
I'm lost in my own thoughts and feeling lonely, staring at the shadows on my wall.
Wish I knew of someone I could call
I wish I had someone to talk to who understands me and my feelings.
Someone who might understand it all
Someone who can truly understand me and everything I'm going through.
Ruby Lee , I sure wish you was here with me
I miss my Ruby Lee and wish that she was here with me, as she used to be the person who understood me the best.
Someone's lying with me in my bed
I have someone in bed with me, but it's not the same as being with Ruby Lee.
Some stranger who don't understand my head
The person with me doesn't know me or my thoughts and feelings like Ruby Lee did.
Wish it was you lying here instead
I really wish that Ruby Lee was the one lying in bed with me, as she's the person I truly miss.
Drowning in a sea of pretty faces
I'm surrounded by attractive people, but none of them are as important to me as Ruby Lee was.
Being quite the man about the town
I'm putting on a brave face and acting like I'm doing well despite missing Ruby Lee deeply.
Packing up and going different places
I'm trying to move on by going to new places and experiencing different things, but it's not making me any less lonely.
But I sure miss having you around
Despite trying to move on, I can't help but miss Ruby Lee and having her around.
I listen to the noises down the hall
I'm aware of the sounds in the hall but I'm lost in my thoughts and focused on missing Ruby Lee.
Think I'll move out of here in the fall
I'm considering moving out of this place in the fall to try and leave behind missing Ruby Lee.
I ain't exactly having me a ball
I'm not exactly doing well and am still feeling lonely without Ruby Lee.
Ruby Lee ...... ( repeat )
Repeated chorus expressing how much I miss Ruby Lee's companionship and how much I wish she was here with me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILL WITHERS, MELVIN CARL DUNLAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind