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)
Sandpaper Cadillac
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody's strikin' a match on the back
Brimstone lines marring the body so fair
Brimstone lines marring the body so fair
Slowly, my mind and dream change into woe, now
My car is dead and gone, Lord
And I just can't carry on
My car wants to be free, I know
And it's calling out to me, yeah
Walking along with a gold-plated pussycat
Somebody's pouring blood on its back
Paint that has pierced all the pores in his hide
Paint that has pierced all the pores in his hide
Slowly, my mind and dream change into woe, now
My cat is all alone, I know it
And it hasn't got a bone
Changing, my thoughts become so clear to me
My cat begins to sleep
And it's sleeping 'round with me
Don't you know I need that thing so bad
My car and my cat are going bad
And I need everything I can, Lady
Ah! Oh, no no, this can't be the same, no
They're gonna meet me once again, yeah
They're gonna meet me once again, Lord
The lyrics of Joe Cocker's Sandpaper Cadillac describe a man driving his car along the road, while someone else is striking a match on the back of the car. The car has brimstone lines marring its body, and the man's mind changes from a dream-like state to woe. He realizes his car is dead and gone and cannot carry on. His thoughts become clear to him, and he believes that his car wants to be free and is calling out to him. The lyrics shift to the man walking along with a gold-plated pussycat, where someone is pouring blood on its back. The cat has paint that has pierced all the pores in his hide, and the man's mind changes from a dream-like state to woe once again. The man realizes his cat is all alone and has not got a bone, but his thoughts become clear to him, and he feels that his cat begins to sleep and is sleeping around with him.
The lyrics of Sandpaper Cadillac are rich in symbolism and metaphor, making it difficult to ascertain their meaning. However, some interpretations suggest that the song may be about the cycles of life and death. The sandpaper Cadillac with brimstone lines marring its body might represent the human body with the scars and blemishes that come with age, death, and decay. The blood pouring on the cat's back could symbolize the pain and sacrifice required for new life to emerge. The owner's love for his car and cat underscores the desire to hold on to all that is dear, even in the face of death and decay.
Line by Line Meaning
Riding along in a sandpaper Cadillac
I'm driving in a Cadillac that feels rough like sandpaper, but I'm still going along with it.
Somebody's strikin' a match on the back
Someone is lighting a match on the back of my car, making it worse.
Brimstone lines marring the body so fair
The brimstone has left permanent marks on my beautiful car.
Slowly, my mind and dream change into woe, now
As I'm driving, my thoughts change from happy to sad.
My car is dead and gone, Lord
And I just can't carry on
My car is beyond repair and it's making me feel hopeless.
Changing, my thoughts become so clear to me
My car wants to be free, I know
And it's calling out to me, yeah
As I'm walking, I realize that my car wants to be left behind and it's giving me a sign.
Walking along with a gold-plated pussycat
Somebody's pouring blood on its back
Paint that has pierced all the pores in his hide
I'm walking with a cat that should be beautiful and well-cared-for, but someone has poured blood on its back and the paint has gone deep into its fur.
My cat is all alone, I know it
And it hasn't got a bone
My cat is sad and alone, and it's lost all its spirit.
My cat begins to sleep
And it's sleeping 'round with me
As I take care of my cat, it starts to trust me and sleeps close to me.
Don't you know I need that thing so bad
My car and my cat are going bad
And I need everything I can, Lady
I need my car and my cat in my life, no matter how bad they are. It's important for me.
Ah! Oh, no no, this can't be the same, no
They're gonna meet me once again, yeah
They're gonna meet me once again, Lord
I can't believe how much my car and cat have changed, but I'm determined to meet them again and try to make things right.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRIS STAINTON, JOE COCKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind