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Famous British vocalist Joe Cocker worked in the genres of blues and rock. His main distinguishing feature was a velvety baritone. Cocker is rightfully considered one of the most vocally gifted singers of the second half of the last century.
His creative path began in his hometown of Sheffield, where the singer performed author’s songs and other people’s compositions. But the real glory came to him in the USA – his hoarse low baritone was very fond of the American audience. He sang not just straining his ligaments, but as if exposing his most secret feelings and thoughts to the audience.
Songs performed by Cocker entered the golden fund of world musical art. The voice and artistry of this great singer became a symbol of an entire musical era.
In recent years, he was seriously ill, however, despite the fatal illness, which takes strength every day, Cocker tried to devote all his time to music.
Now his songs are recognized all over the world as classics of rock and blues, and recordings of his live voice still make hearts flutter to this day.
Here are the top 10 songs by Joe Cocker.
10 Night Calls
“Night Calls”(“Night Calls”) is not only Joe Cocker’s immortal hit, but also the title of his 1991 album. At the same time, a very beautiful clip was released.
This song contains the main motives of all Cocker’s work – this is love and loneliness. The author of the song associates a spark of tenderness and hope in this cold endless Universe with the night calls of a lonely person in a roadside telephone booth.
9. Summer in the city
First song “Summer In The City” The members of The Lovin’ Spoonful sang and from that moment this piece of music gained great fame.
Joe Cocker was not the first who decided to offer his version of the performance of this hit, but it was his interpretation, which was released in 1994, that undoubtedly became the most famous both in the US and around the world.
The simple and even somewhat frivolous words of the song conceal the spirit of youth, recklessness and passion.
In a hot summer in a huge city, its inhabitants languish from the heat and drops of hot sweat streaming down their heads. But when you are young, even the scorching sun does not take your thoughts far away from the hot attraction to young beauties dressed in translucent light dresses.
8. With A Little Help From My Friends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s-dSoDptVc As you know, Cocker’s repertoire included a sufficient number of remixes. In 1969, at the beginning of his career, the singer performed in his own way the song of the legendary musical group The Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends”.
Cocker presented his interpretation of this hit at the Woodstock festival, and the audience liked the remix to such an extent that they started talking about the aspiring musician.
7. Up Where We Belong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JERSTbzpvyE In 1982, in tandem with singer Jennifer Warnes, Cocker recorded a single “With A Little Help From My Friends” especially for the later Oscar-winning picture “Officer and Gentleman”.
It is difficult to disagree with the fact that this is a very high assessment of the work of not only the creators of the song, but also the performers.
Interestinglythat the producer of the film, Don Simpson, until the last demanded to remove the song from the picture, insisting that, in his opinion, the composition could not become a hit. Fortunately for everyone, he was wrong.
6. I Come In Peace
Song “I Come In Peace”(“I came in peace”) is a peace-loving message addressed to both contemporaries and descendants. In these simple words, the singer seems to be preaching, but his words are devoid of arrogant and didactic coloring.
On the contrary, he insinuatingly asks his imaginary interlocutor to turn around and realize that there is nothing more valuable in this world than love.
The performer urges to protect the world, enjoy simple things and not chase after “golden tinsel”, so often obscuring the eyes of our contemporaries.
5. Noubliez jamais
This is one of Cocker’s most recognizable songs, the title of which is made up of two French words “Never forget”.
The famous French actress Catherine Deneuve starred in the video, filmed in 1997, dedicated to light sadness in the days of youth – here she played the role of the protagonist’s beloved.
The plot of the song is based on the mental dialogue of the singer with his father and mother. The message of each of them is based on loyalty to their time and the trends of their generation.
At the same time, there is no harshness characteristic of most narratives (not only musical ones) dedicated to the conflict between fathers and children. There is a lot of lyricism and love for your warm memories in this song.
4. You Can Leave Your Hat On
This, according to many fans, is the most famous song in the singer’s repertoire, and this is due not only to the fact that it was under this composition that the sex symbol of the 80s and 90s Kim Basinger was effectively exposed in front of the Hollywood heartthrob Mickey Rourke in the cult picture “9 ½ weeks”.
The video for the clip consists of film footage and footage of the Joe Cocker band performing this song. Despite the fact that the song did not occupy very high positions in the music charts, in many parts of our planet “You Can Leave Your Hat On” is considered the true epitome of striptease and is often used in both female and male striptease.
Interestinglythat there is a version that the phrase from the title of the song – “You can’t take off your hat”, which the performer repeats many times in the song, has a deeper (than is commonly believed) meaning. Perhaps the author thus decided to appeal to the regulars of striptease bars, who could not hide lust on their faces, and therefore disguised it under wide brim hats.
3. My Father’s Son
“The heart dominates the mind, yes I am the son of my father. I go my own way just like my father…”, is the literal translation of Joe Cocker’s song “My Father’s Son” (“Son of his father”).
This single was not so successful, however, true connoisseurs of Cocker’s vocal and artistic talent note the melodiousness of the blues ballad and, of course, the expressiveness of performance peculiar only to this singer.
2. Unchain My Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxTk0Wq-jKc “Give freedom to my heart”, – Joe Cocker sings in a marvelous hoarse baritone, as if paraphrasing the lyricists of the past.
Composition “Unchain My Heart” repeatedly covered by many famous artists. Joe Cocker also sang the song in the 1980s. His interpretation has gained immense popularity throughout the world, and now this particular cover version is probably the most famous of all currently in existence.
The theme of this song is not new – a man suffering from unrequited love, but not losing his sense of pride, somewhat ironically implores his lyrical heroine to release his tormented heart, which no longer wants to be held captive by this corrosive passion.
1. You are so beautiful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwSkvXsmgE According to many respected music experts, this song is one of the most beautiful and heartfelt pop songs ever written by mankind.
“You’re so beautiful”, – says Joe Cocker to his lyrical heroine, in the place of which millions of enchanted listeners enthusiastically imagine themselves.
This song is not just an ode to the beloved woman and admiration for her beauty. This is a real sincere dedication to all-encompassing love, which covers all the shortcomings of the beloved and does not seek its own.
Still a delightful melody “You are so beautiful” more than once became the basis for the creation of famous dance masterpieces.