Something
Joe Cocker and Mad Dogs and Englishmen Lyrics


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Something coming on, don't know what it is but it's getting stronger
Feeling in my bones, hope you let it last a little bit longer
Breaking out my head, doing things I never even dreamed of
Rolling down my spine, turning on the things that'd never been turned on
Suddenly she came in
Looked like she'd been gaming
Doing things with everybody else
When I yelled out loudly
She answered kind of proudly
That she spent her life upon the shelf

Something coming on, Now I understand Its getting better
I've got a feeling in my bones
what ever happens now it just don't matter Breaking out my head
I've been doing things I never even dreamed of
rolling down my spine, turning on my things that'd never been turned on

Suddenly she came in
Looked like she'd been gaming
Doing things with everybody else
When I yelled out loudly
She answered kind of proudly
That she spent her life upon the shelf

Talk about the woman

Something coming on, don't know what it is but it's getting stronger
Feeling in my bones, hope you let it last a little bit longer
Breaking out my head, doing things I never even dreamed of
Rolling down my spine, turning on the things that'd never been turned on
Suddenly she came in
Looked like she'd been gaming
Doing things with everybody else
When I yelled out loudly




She answered kind of proudly
That she spent her life upon the shelf

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Something" by Joe Cocker describe a powerful energy that the singer cannot quite define but it is getting stronger. As the song progresses, he discovers a feeling in his bones that he hopes will last a little bit longer. He describes breaking out of his head and doing things he never even imagined were possible. The lyrics suggest that this is the result of someone coming into his life and awakening new possibilities within him. He describes the woman's appearance, making it clear that she has been out and about, doing things with everybody else. When he confronts her about it, she admits proudly that she has spent her life "upon the shelf."


The interpretation of these lyrics is as follows: Something new and exciting has entered the singer's life, and he is feeling it in his bones. It is a powerful energy that builds and grows, and he hopes that it will last. He is discovering new parts of himself that he never imagined he had, and he is excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. The woman who enters his life, however, has a different story. She has lived a life of solitude and isolation, content to stay on the shelf and not engage with the world around her. When the singer confronts her about it, she admits her choice proudly, even though it is clear that he does not understand.


Line by Line Meaning

Something coming on, don't know what it is but it's getting stronger
I can feel that something is happening, though I'm not sure what it is, but whatever it is, it's intensifying.


Feeling in my bones, hope you let it last a little bit longer
I've got a strong intuition that this feeling will not last long enough.


Breaking out my head, doing things I never even dreamed of
I'm breaking free from my thinking pattern and doing things that I never imagined I could.


Rolling down my spine, turning on the things that'd never been turned on
I'm getting excited about experiencing new feelings that I've never felt before.


Suddenly she came in
All of a sudden, she entered the scene.


Looked like she'd been gaming
She appeared as though she had been playing games.


Doing things with everybody else
She was doing things with everyone else.


When I yelled out loudly
I shouted out loudly in her presence.


She answered kind of proudly
She responded to me with confident pride.


That she spent her life upon the shelf
She confessed that she had lived a passive life, avoiding doing anything challenging or exciting.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: C. STAINTON, J. COCKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Elwood Oneida

Possibly one of the best live concerts, ever! I was there! Fillmore East, late 60s!

Mi Oliveira

Alguém saberia me dizer de quando e onde foi esse show?

David B

His version has changed the whole meaning of the song now. Amazing 🤩

metis lamestiza

i'm just gobsmacked at how beautiful this performance is. being 61, i feel so lucky to have grown up in the sixties and seventies. i can't imagine why this doesn't have more views! everything about this was just beyond compare !

Sid Fernandez

one of the best live rock n roll line ups at that time.

Rose Blake

Even though Joe looks so sad and exhausted here , nothing stops him from singing his heart out.

bbcascabel77

The legend that is Joe Cocker lives on thanks to YouTube. At his peak '68 to '71 - the definitive rock-star. Surrounded himself with the best musical talent too. I love this take,for sure,but even better is his earlier (live) version with The Grease Band. From this same uploader (AA) and runs 3.44 minutes. Check it out and comment.

Angelo Iodice

My God, those times, those kids, Joe, Leon, the voices, the dog, the beautiful people. I just can't move on...

omeletpants

MY god! Cooing chicks, Leon on guitar, Chris Stainton on organ and the Great joe Cocker

charles anzalone

Jim keltner and sandy konikoff on drums

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