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)
Thankful
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stumbling around in this emptiness
There ain't no heart when you're feeling so so low
I'm saying goodbye to what I know best
It's harder than failing 'cause I've passed that test
What's ahead nobody ever really knows
To find what we always had
And i'm thankful for breathing in the morning
I'm thankful you didn't walk right out of here
I gave you reason to up and leave
You found a way to stand by me
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
To everything that made me wanna give up on life
I never thought I'll hear me say
That i'm thankful so thankful
I'm saying "hello" to a lifelong wish
Loving the moment that I'm standing here
Breaking the cycle I'm being mindful
That's a choice I thought I'd never choose
I'm so glad I got another chance
To know just what I always had
And I'm thankful for breathing in the morning
I'm thankful you didn't walk right out of here
I gave you reason to up and leave
You found a way to stand by me
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
To everything that made me wanna give up on life
I never thought I'll hear me say
That i'm thankful oh so thankful
You always told me I should be
So thankful for breathing in the morning
I'm thankful you didn't walk out of here
I gave you reason to up and leave
But you found a way to stand by me
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
To everything that made me wanna give up on life
I never thought I'll hear me say
Stand by me
Yeah thankful for breathing in the morning
Oh god I'd didn't wake up to you
You found a way to still stand by me
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
I never thought I'll hear me say
That I'm thankful so so thankful yeah.
In Joe Cocker's song "Thankful", the lyrics reflect a sense of gratitude and acceptance towards life. The singer is saying goodbye to loneliness and emptiness that once consumed them, and is grateful for the chance to find what they always had. The lyrics touch upon the concept of second chances and how important it is to appreciate life and the people who stand by you through thick and thin.
The singer expresses gratitude towards their partner, acknowledging that they gave them a reason to leave but they always found a way to stand by them. They are thankful for waking up in the morning, for breathing and having the chance to live another day. The singer is also thankful for finally learning how to say goodbye to everything that once made them want to give up on life. Through all of this, the theme of accepting life's ups and downs and being grateful for every moment is evident throughout the song.
Overall, "Thankful" is a song that encourages listeners to appreciate life and the people around them. It teaches the message of being content with what you have and learning to let go of what no longer serves you. The lyrics are a reminder to be thankful for every breath we take and to cherish the moments that we have with our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm saying goodbye to the loneliness
I am leaving behind my feeling of loneliness.
Stumbling around in this emptiness
Feeling lost and aimless without purpose.
There ain't no heart when you're feeling so so low
Feeling low and depressed can make it hard to have joy or passion.
I'm saying goodbye to what I know best
I am leaving behind my old habits and ways.
It's harder than failing 'cause I've passed that test
It's more difficult to change yourself than failing a test.
What's ahead nobody ever really knows
Nobody knows what the future holds.
'cause all we got is just another chance
We are given another opportunity.
To find what we always had
To rediscover what was already within us.
And i'm thankful for breathing in the morning
I am grateful for being alive and able to take a breath in the morning.
I'm thankful you didn't walk right out of here
I am grateful that you did not leave me when given the chance.
I gave you reason to up and leave
I did things that could have caused you to leave me.
You found a way to stand by me
You stayed with me and supported me despite my mistakes.
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
I am grateful for learning how to let go of what was hurting me.
To everything that made me wanna give up on life
To all the things that made me feel like giving up on life.
I never thought I'll hear me say
I never imagined I would say this.
That i'm thankful so thankful
That I am extremely grateful.
I'm saying "hello" to a lifelong wish
I am finally able to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Loving the moment that I'm standing here
Feeling happy and content with where I am in life.
Breaking the cycle I'm being mindful
I am actively working to break old patterns and be more aware.
That's a choice I thought I'd never choose
Choosing to break free from old habits was something I never thought I would do.
You always told me I should be
You encouraged me to be.
Stand by me
To be there for me and support me.
Yeah thankful for breathing in the morning
I am grateful for being able to breathe and live.
Oh god I'd didn't wake up to you
I did not wake up to any bad news or tragedy.
I'm thankful I've finally learnt to say goodbye
I am grateful for learning how to let go of what was hurting me.
That I'm thankful so so thankful yeah.
That I am extremely grateful.
Contributed by Aaliyah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.