Joe Cocker, the singer best known in the 1960's for his gritty voice, idiosyncratic arm movements and cover versions of popular songs, is 67 today.Things you possible didn't know about Joe, that he :
* was born in 1944 in Sheffield, England, the youngest son of Madge and Harold, a civil servant and was given his nickname,'Joe' either after a childhood game called 'Cowboy Joe' or a neighbourhood window cleaner.
* had his first experience singing in public was at age 12, when his elder brother invited him on stage to sing during a gig of his skiffle group and in 1960, formed his first group, 'The Cavaliers'.
* in 1961, continued his career with 'Vance Arnold and the Avengers' and played in pubs performing covers of Chuck Berry and Ray Charles songs and in 1963 supported 'The Rolling Stones' at Sheffield City Hall.
* in 1964, released his first single, a cover of the Beatles' 'I'll Cry Instead' with Jimmy Page playing backup guitar, which was a flop.
* recorded the single 'Marjorine'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPEwOupGe_I
and moved to London and got a residency and formed a new band and entered the big time with a groundbreaking rearrangement of 'With a Little Help from My Friends'.
* toured the UK with 'The Who' in 1968 and in the U.S.A. where he played at Woodstock, the Newport Rock and the Denver Pop Festival.
A Little help from my friends :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYDvQ1HH-E
* released his second album, 'Joe Cocker' and impressed by his cover of 'With A Little Help From my Friends', Paul McCartney and George Harrison allowed Cocker to use their songs 'She Came in Through the Bathroom Window' and 'Something' for the album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iVkvqlperk
* Recorded during a break in touring in the spring and summer, the album reached number 11 on the US charts and garnered a second UK hit with the Leon Russell song, "Delta Lady".
Delta Lady in 1996 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VsFut3_Vpc
* since the 1970's has continued to tour,battled with addictions and depression
and had success with a cover of Billy Preston's 'You Are So Beautiful'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDmslyGmGI
recorded the duet "Up Where We Belong" with Jennifer Warnes for the soundtrack of the 1982 film, 'An Officer and a Gentleman'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5h02ZmeB5c
* performed for President George H. W. Bush at an inauguration concert and was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for services to music.
P.S.
My favourite song, written by John B. Sebastian : 'Darling Be Home Soon' :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyZrZPmDKKw
Come,
And talk of all the things we did today.
Here,
And laugh about our funny little ways.
While we have a few minutes to breathe.
Then I know that it's time you must leave.
But darling be home soon,
I couldn't bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled.
My darling be home soon,
It's not just these few hours, but I've been waiting since I toddled,
For the great relief of having you to talk to.
And now,
A quarter of my life is almost past,
I think I've come to see myself at last,
And I see that the time spent confused,
Was the time that I spent without you.
And I feel myself in bloom.
So darling be home soon,
I couldn't bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled.
My darling be home soon,
It's not just these few hours but I've been waiting since I toddled.
For the great relief of having you to talk to.
Go, and beat your crazy head against the sky.
Try And see beyond the houses and your eyes.
It's ok to shoot the moon.
So darling,
My darling be home soon.
I couldn't bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled.
My darling be home soon,
It's not just these few hours but I've been waiting since I toddled,
For the great relief of having you to talk to.
What kind of song uses the words "dawdle" and "toddle" and a line like 'for the great relief of having you to talk to' with 'dawdle' being a 1650–60 variant of 'daddle' to 'toddle'.
I wonder if Joe knew that ?
Isn't the English language wonderful ?
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