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)
You Don't Need A Million Dollars
Joe Cocker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To wake up naked in the morning
And share a cup of coffee I smile at you smile back at me
You don't need to be a movie star
To see that night sky on your ceiling
Throw me a can of paint and we'll paint some stars
You don't need all of your problems
To melt away like chocolate candies
You have everything
You really need
Right here, right now
You have everything
That you really need
Right here, right now With me
If you could see everyone's envy
When you walk around in your cowboy boots
That you found in a pile for a dollar at Wasteland
If you could see what I see
Like a crystal ball your blue eyes
Tell me of our future and it's everything we dreamed
You don't need all of your problems
To melt away like chocolate candies
In your passenger seat on a hot August day
You have everything
You really need
Right here, right now
You have everything
That you really need
Right here, right now
With me
You don't need a million dollars
To throw your head back laughing
To tell yourself it's gonna be fine
Really no problems, amazing, every moment is the moment
You can choose, how you feel
You decide what is real and you can make
The truest love you can star in your own movie
You can write this song and sing it back to me
You can see the world is nothing if not love
You can see the world is nothing if not love
You can see the world is nothing if not love
Love, love, love
You have everything
That you really need
Right here, right now
You have everything
That your really need
Right here, right now
With me
Right here, right now
With me
The song "You Don't Need A Million Dollars" by Joe Cocker is about finding joy and contentment in the simple things in life, and realizing that material possessions are not what bring true happiness. The lyrics speak to the idea that love and connection with others is more important than owning expensive belongings. The verses describe different scenarios where the singer and their partner find joy in simple things, like waking up naked and sharing a cup of coffee, or stargazing while painting stars on their ceiling. The chorus reinforces the idea that everything we need is already within us and in our relationships with others, and that we can choose to be happy regardless of our circumstances.
The song also speaks to the power of perception and how the way we view the world influences our experiences. The lines, "You can choose, how you feel / You decide what is real" suggest that our thoughts and emotions shape our reality, and that we have agency in creating our own happiness. The idea of writing our own love story and starring in our own movie further emphasizes the idea that we have the power to create the life we want.
Overall, "You Don't Need A Million Dollars" is a reminder to appreciate the simple things in life and to cultivate connection with others, as these are the things that truly bring joy and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't need a million dollars
Having a lot of money is not necessary
To wake up naked in the morning
To experience a moment of vulnerability and intimacy with someone you care about
And share a cup of coffee I smile at you smile back at me
To enjoy the simple pleasure of each other's company and affection
You don't need to be a movie star
Fame and recognition are not essential to happiness
To see that night sky on your ceiling
You can create beauty and wonder in your own life
Throw me a can of paint and we'll paint some stars
You can be creative and imaginative with limited resources
You have everything
You possess all that is necessary
You really need
You require only the essentials
Right here, right now
In this moment, presently
With me
In my company, with my love and support
If you could see everyone's envy
If you could perceive the jealousy of others
When you walk around in your cowboy boots
When you exude confidence and authenticity
That you found in a pile for a dollar at Wasteland
That you obtained for a low cost, but treasure greatly
If you could see what I see
If you could see things from my perspective
Tell me of our future and it's everything we dreamed
We envision a wonderful future together and share those dreams
You can choose, how you feel
You have control over your own emotions
You decide what is real and you can make
You have the power to influence your own reality
The truest love you can star in your own movie
You can experience the purest form of love and be the singer of your own life
You can write this song and sing it back to me
You can express your thoughts and feelings through creativity
You can see the world is nothing if not love
The world is full of love and positivity
Love, love, love
The essence of everything is love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ROB GILES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pamela Macneil
Love this song. Play it over and over again. Sung by the wonderful Joe Cocker. "You can write this song and sing it back to me," what a great line. Miss you Joe. The whole album is great!
Walter Catharina
Todos sentimos !
Mas cante para Deus, agora.
piandey
Quelle merveilleuse voix! J'ai eu la chance de l'entendre en concert la semaine dernière à Nice, encore une dernière fois avant de ne plus paraitre en public . Hommage à ton talent , à ta superbe carrière, à ta gentillesse légendaire. Merci Joe.
TotallyVixen
I just heard this song on the radio. Really, really great.
Helen Dalton
A wonderful song from a wonderful singer; loved him first time around, love him just as much now....
Lance Braun
GREAT tune and vocal!
Finca Fabiola
I PUT IT EVERYDAY ON THE RADIO !!!!
Jean Oakes
Wonderful singer met him a couple of times,nice guy ,missed
Phillip Chlumecky
Oh Gott, wie sensationell, ich liebe Joe Cocker Songs !
Sandy Martyn
Love Love love love you Joe Cocker R.I.P xx ♥️