John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English si… Read Full Bio ↴John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of songs written by other song writers, though he composed a number of songs for most of his albums as well, often in conjunction with songwriting partner Chris Stainton.

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)

Soul Rising
Joe Cocker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yesterday, I was out in the rain
Wondering when I'd see the sun again
Lonely hearts, baby, I wrote the book
Since she walked away without a second look

oh but now I feel good
'Cause' you look at me
The way a woman should

I feel my soul rising to a new love
No blues I can't rise above
I feel my soul rising when I'm close to you
When your with me girl
There's nothing I can't do

Yesterday I was falling apart
Picking up pieces of my broken heart
Yeah, but one touch of your healing hand
24 hours later I'm a whole new man

Yeah, and I'm stronger now
'Cause' you make the world a better place some how

I feel my soul rising to a new love
No blues I can't rise above
I feel my soul rising when I'm close to you
When your with me girl
There's nothing I can't do

I got sunshine on a brand new day
And the grey clouds have all drifted away

And there's nobody that I can't be
If it's you and me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joe Cocker's Soul Rising express the transformation of a man who was lost and brokenhearted but, through the love of a woman, has found a new purpose and reason to be happy. At the beginning of the song, the singer describes himself wandering in the rain, feeling alone and wondering when he will see the sun again. He admits to being a lonely heart, expressing his inability to keep his relationship together and how he had written the book on it. It is clear that he had been hurt badly because his woman had walked away without a second look. But then, something changes; he meets a new woman who looks at him differently, and he feels good because of that new connection. This connection brings him a new spurt of energy, and he finds himself rising to a new love where he feels above every possible sorrow or problem.

The song is a celebration of love and its power to heal and transform a human soul. It speaks of the healing effect of love, how it can bring one back to life after breaking apart following a broken heart. With the words, "when you're with me girl, there's nothing I can't do," Cocker shows how love gives him boundless energy and purpose, and his soul is lifted to a new level of consciousness. It is a beautiful song that captures the essence of the transformative power of love, the sense of being made whole and renewed under its influence.

Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday, I was out in the rain
In the past, I was lost and going through tough times

Wondering when I'd see the sun again
Questioning when things would get better

Lonely hearts, baby, I wrote the book
I have experienced heartbreak many times

Since she walked away without a second look
Since she left me without any care or concern

oh but now I feel good
But now I feel great

'Cause' you look at me
Because of the way you look at me

The way a woman should
In the way a woman should look at her partner

I feel my soul rising to a new love
I feel a new love growing inside me

No blues I can't rise above
There's no sadness that I can't overcome

I feel my soul rising when I'm close to you
I feel my love growing when I'm with you

When your with me girl
When you're with me, my dear