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)
Weight
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just need some place where I can lay my head.
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
He just grinned and shook my hand, and "No!", was all he said.
[Chorus]
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free;
Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and)
I picked up my bag, I went lookin' for a place to hide;
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side.
I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on, let's go downtown."
She said, "I gotta go, but m'friend can stick around."
[Chorus]
Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say
It's just ol' Luke, and Luke's waitin' on the Judgement Day.
"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"
He said, "Do me a favor, son, woncha stay an' keep Anna Lee company?"
[Chorus]
Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog.
He said, "I will fix your rack, if you'll take Jack, my dog."
I said, "Wait a minute, Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man."
He said, "That's okay, boy, won't you feed him when you can."
[Chorus]
Catch a cannon ball now, t'take me down the line
My bag is sinkin' low and I do believe it's time.
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one.
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone.
[Chorus]
The Weight by Joe Cocker is a song that tells the story of a weary traveler’s journey. The song talks about a character who pulls into Nazareth, feeling "half past dead" and looking for a place to rest his head. He asks a local where he can find a bed, but the man just grins and shakes his hand, saying "No!" with a hint of sarcasm. The chorus of the song suggests that the traveler should "take a load off Fanny" and that Joe Cocker himself is prepared to help carry the load.
As the song continues, the traveler meets several interesting characters, including Carmen and the Devil, Miss Moses, and Crazy Chester. He eventually catches a cannonball and heads back to Miss Fanny’s place, where he can unload his burden. Many people interpret the song as a metaphor for the struggles of everyday life, and the importance of relying on friends and loved ones to help carry our burdens.
Line by Line Meaning
I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin’ about half past dead;
I arrived in Nazareth tired and worn out.
I just need some place where I can lay my head.
I need a place to rest and sleep.
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
I asked a man where I can find a bed.
He just grinned and shook my hand, and “No!”, was all he said.
The man refused to help me and only shook his head.
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free;
Let Fanny ease your burden without any cost.
Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me.
I am willing to take the burden off of you.
I picked up my bag, I went lookin’ for a place to hide;
I carried my bag and searched for a hiding spot.
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin’ side by side.
I saw Carmen and the Devil walking together.
I said, “Hey, Carmen, come on, let’s go downtown.”
I invited Carmen to come with me to the city.
She said, “I gotta go, but m’friend can stick around.”
She declined but offered her friend to keep me company.
Go down, Miss Moses, there’s nothin’ you can say
Miss Moses, there's nothing to be done.
It’s just ol’ Luke, and Luke’s waitin’ on the Judgement Day.
It's just Luke waiting for Judgment Day.
"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"
I asked about Anna Lee.
He said, “Do me a favor, son, woncha stay an’ keep Anna Lee company?”
He asked me to keep Anna Lee company.
Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog.
Crazy Chester followed me and caught up in the fog.
He said, “I will fix your rack, if you’ll take Jack, my dog.”
He offered to fix my car in exchange for taking care of his dog.
I said, “Wait a minute, Chester, you know I’m a peaceful man.”
I refused because I am a peaceful man.
He said, “That’s okay, boy, won’t you feed him when you can.”
He insisted that it's okay and just asked me to feed his dog.
Catch a cannon ball now, t’take me down the line
Get on the train to take me away.
My bag is sinkin’ low and I do believe it’s time.
My bag is heavy, and I think it's time to leave.
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she’s the only one.
I need to return to Miss Fanny, the only one who sent me.
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone.
She sent me with her greetings to everyone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robbie Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind