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)
What’s Going On
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some loving here today
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some loving here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
What's going on?
What's going on?
Oh it's going on
What's going on?
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us?
Simply 'cause our hair is long
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Oh, talk to me, so you can see
What's going on?
What's going on?
Tell me what's going on
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some loving here today
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
Yea, what's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
Tell me what's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
Tell me what's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
What's going on?
Joe Cocker's "What's Going On" addresses the social and political turmoil of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The lyrics express a desire for unity, love, and understanding in the face of widespread conflict and injustice. The song begins with a plea to mothers and brothers to stop crying and dying, calling for a need to find a way to bring love into the world.
The chorus focuses on the use of picket lines and picket signs as a means of protest and calls for an end to brutality. The lyrics suggest that dialogue and understanding are necessary to truly understand what is happening, rather than relying on violence or force. The song also touches on the cultural divide between generations, with the line "everybody thinks we're wrong, oh but who are they to judge us, simply cause our hair is long."
Overall, "What's Going On" seeks to encourage empathy and understanding in a time of political and social upheaval. It is a call for peace and love in a time of conflict and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
The singer is acknowledging the suffering of mothers due to various societal issues.
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
The singer is acknowledging the high death toll, particularly among young men, as a result of societal issues such as war, violence, and discrimination.
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some loving here today
The singer recognizes the need for a solution to the problems facing society, and suggests that love is a necessary component to achieve this.
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
The artist is calling on authority figures to refrain from making the situation worse through violence, and emphasizing the importance of love in overcoming hatred.
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
What's going on?
The artist is rejecting violent responses to peaceful protest, and calling for open communication between opposing sides to better understand the issues at hand.
Oh it's going on
What's going on?
The singer acknowledges the ongoing existence of social issues that need to be addressed, and is calling for action.
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us?
Simply 'cause our hair is long
The singer is recognizing the prevalence of societal judgment and prejudice, particularly against those who are different in appearance or behavior.
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
The artist recognizes that understanding is necessary to overcome societal issues, and is calling for an effort to bridge divides and find common ground.
Tell me what's going on
What's going on?
The artist is again calling for information, action, and discussion surrounding the issues at hand.
Yea, what's going on?
The artist is acknowledging the gravity and complexity of the situation, and emphasizing the need to address it.
Writer(s): Alfred Cleveland, Renaldo Benson, Marvin Gaye
Contributed by Bentley F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.