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)

What Do You Say?
Joe Cocker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What do you say to someone who's hurtin' so bad
Who's feelin' so sad, when they're the best friend you've ever had?
What do you say to someone who's hurtin' so bad?

Tell me, what do you say to someone that you love so much
When they say they're losin' touch and they've enough?
What do you say to someone that loves you so much?

You say everything and everything or nothin' at all
And the more that you fear, the further you fall
Say anything and everything or nothin' at all
To someone you love, to someone like you

What do you say to someone at the end of the mile
Who's run out of time? Then they say they feel like dyin'
What do you say to someone at the end of their line?

You say everything and everything or nothin' at all
And the more that you fear, the further you fall
Say anything and everything or nothin' at all
To someone you love, to someone like you

Now I'll tell you something that you ought to know
Life's meant to live and love's meant to grow
And people will come and people, they will go

You say everything and everything or nothin' at all
And the more that you fear, the further you fall
Say anything and everything or nothin' at all
To someone you love, to someone like you

What do you say to somebody who's hurtin' so bad?
Someone who's losin' the touch, someone who loves you so much

What do you say, someone who's hurtin' without
You say anything and everything, or maybe nothin' at all

Overall Meaning

The song What Do You Say? by Joe Cocker is a poignant question that the singer-directs towards his best friend and someone he loves, who is terribly hurting or feeling sad. The lyrics convey that it is not easy to console someone who is going through a tough time. The singer acknowledges that he doesn't know what to say to this person who means the world to him. He asks what he should say or do, conveying the helplessness and uncertainty that often come with trying to support someone in need.

The lyrics then take on a broader perspective, asking what can be said when someone is losing touch, has had enough, and feels like dying. The song suggests that sometimes saying nothing is better than saying everything if it is the wrong thing. The chorus reinforces the idea that sometimes you have to say everything and everything, even if you're afraid, to show someone how much you care.

Towards the end of the song, the singer reminds us that life is meant to be lived and loved and that people come and go. The song ends with the same question that began it - What do you say? Perhaps the message is that sometimes there are no words that can make things better. The best thing we can do is stand by someone when they need us and show them that they are loved.

Line by Line Meaning

What do you say to someone who's hurtin' so bad
What can you say to someone in intense emotional pain?

Who's feelin' so sad, when they're the best friend you've ever had?
What can you say to your closest friend when they are experiencing deep sadness?

Tell me, what do you say to someone that you love so much
What words can you say to the person you cherish most in the world?

When they say they're losin' touch and they've enough?
How can you respond when that person says they are giving up and losing their connection to the world?

You say everything and everything or nothin' at all
Sometimes you need to say everything you feel, and sometimes you need to say nothing at all.

And the more that you fear, the further you fall
If you're afraid to speak up and express your emotions, it may cause you and your loved one to drift apart.

What do you say to someone at the end of the mile
What can you say to someone who feels like they are at the end of their journey?

Who's run out of time? Then they say they feel like dyin'
What words can you offer when someone says they have lost all hope and feel like giving up?

Now I'll tell you something that you ought to know
Here's a piece of valuable wisdom that I want to share with you.

Life's meant to live and love's meant to grow
We should embrace life to its fullest and allow our love to continually evolve and flourish.

And people will come and people, they will go
People will enter and leave our lives, but memories with them will remain forever.

What do you say to somebody who's hurtin' so bad?
What can you say to someone suffering immense emotional pain?

Someone who's losin' the touch, someone who loves you so much
What can you say to your beloved one who is losing their sense of the world which they have deep affection for?

What do you say, someone who's hurtin' without
What can you say to someone in agony and despair?

You say anything and everything, or maybe nothin' at all
You can choose to speak your heart out or remain silent when someone is hurt, it's up to you to find the right words.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DEAN MICHAEL GRAKAL, GREGG W. SUTTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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