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)

The River
Joe Cocker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's so cold on this balancing beam
I lose my breath each time I scream
All the time that it takes on this cliff
I simply wish that you were here
I must be in love with you
Be in love with you
Be in love with you
I must be in love with you

I think you're the reason
I can see the water
I don't feel so lonely
That I hear the river
On a night like tonight in the park
I sit alone out in the dark
On the days I'm waiting for you
It seems that
Water must break through
I must be in love with you
Yes, be in love with you
I can hear the river
I can see the water
I must be in love with you
When I'm near the river
I see the bridges
I can feel the morning
I can almost touch you
When I'm near the river
Be in love with you
I can hear the river
Can see the water
I don't feel so lonely
When I'm near the river
I hear the river tide
Now that I feel the morning
I don't feel so lonely

When I'm near the river
Hear the tide

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joe Cocker's song "I Can Hear The River" are a poignant exploration of what appears to be a moment of emotional vulnerability, an experience of standing on a "balancing beam" and confronting the fear of falling. The singer's voice is charged with feeling as he describes the physical sensation of losing his breath. Despite this anxiety, however, the singer finds comfort in the thought of his beloved, saying that he must be in love with her. The repetition of this phrase serves to reinforce the singer's certainty about his feelings, almost as if he is trying to convince himself of the truth of his emotions.

The song seems to be a meditation on the power of love to provide solace and to ease the pain of loneliness. The singer describes sitting alone in the dark in a park, waiting for the one he loves, and how the sight and sound of the river brings him a sense of peacefulness. Even in moments of intense loneliness, the river is a reminder of the love he shares with his partner.

The final verse of the song captures a sense of quiet resignation and acceptance, as the singer reflects that he doesn't feel so lonely anymore when he is close to the river, that he can feel the morning and hear the tide. The metaphor of the river seems to represent the inexorable flow of time and the way that love can anchor us and provide a sense of stability even in the face of life's uncertainties.

Line by Line Meaning

It's so cold on this balancing beam
The situation I'm in feels precarious and unstable.

I lose my breath each time I scream
Expressing myself feels difficult and overwhelming.

All the time that it takes on this cliff
The journey I'm on is long and difficult, full of obstacles and challenges.

I simply wish that you were here
I yearn for the presence and comfort of my loved one.

I must be in love with you
My feelings for you are undeniable and intense.

Be in love with you
The feeling of being in love is all-encompassing for me.

I think you're the reason
You are the cause or inspiration behind my emotions.

I can see the water
Being near the river brings me a sense of clarity and perspective.

I don't feel so lonely
The presence of the river and my feelings for you help alleviate my sense of isolation.

That I hear the river
The sound of the flowing river is like music to my ears and brings me comfort.

On a night like tonight in the park
The setting of this moment is tranquil and peaceful, creating an atmosphere of intimacy.

I sit alone out in the dark
I am in solitude with my thoughts and feelings, reflecting deeply on my emotions.

On the days I'm waiting for you, it seems that water must break through
The anticipation of being reunited with you feels intense, like a dam waiting to burst with emotion.

When I'm near the river, I see the bridges
The river and its surroundings evoke memories and associations that are meaningful to me.

I can feel the morning
The freshness of the day and its potential fill me with hope and positivity.

I can almost touch you
My longing for you feels almost tangible and real.

I hear the river tide
The sound of the river's motion becomes a natural rhythm of life, grounding me in the moment.

Now that I feel the morning, I don't feel so lonely
The dawn brings a renewed sense of energy and excitement, helping me see beyond my isolation.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DON A DIXON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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