JOE COCKER: THE LIFE OF A MAN and ORGANIC By Joe Cocker

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I was in a Joe Cocker mood so I listened to Joe Cocker–The Life of a Man which is a solid retrospective of Cocker’s career. Then I listened to Organic, an album of songs Cocker covered back in 1996.

I enjoyed listening to Cocker’s hits: “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,” “I Can’t Find My Way Home,” “The Letter,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “You Are So Beautiful,” and “When the Night Comes.” Cocker had a long career with plenty of ups and downs, but he left a respectable amount of songs that have stood up to the test of Time.

Organic starts out with a cover of a Van Morrison song, “Into the Mystic,” and moves on to my favorite (and a Cap’n Bob recommendation), “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” a big hit for The Animals back in the Sixties. Also moving is Cocker’s rendition of “Darlin’ Be Home Soon,” and a cover of a Steve Winwood classic, “Can’t Find My Way Home.”

If you’re a fan of Joe Cocker, Joe Cocker – The Life Of A Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013) and Organic are two albums that delivery a couple hours of quality listening pleasure. GRADE: A (for both)

TRACK LIST (Joe Cocker – The Life Of A Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013)

Feelin’ Alright4:12
High Time We Went4:30
Marjorine2:40
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window2:39
I Can Stand A Little Rain3:34
Many Rivers To Cross3:45
Shelter Me4:23
You Can Leave Your Hat On4:16
Can’t Find My Way Home3:29
Darling Be Home Soon4:45
One4:35
My Father’s Son4:31
Fire It Up3:53
Unchain My Heart5:07
Delta Lady2:53
Cry Me A River (Live At The Fillmore East)3:58
The Letter (Live At The Fillmore East)4:16
With A Little Help From My Friends5:10
You Are So Beautiful (Live At The Lanxess Arena)4:06
When The Night Comes4:48
Come Together4:25
First We Take Manhattan3:45
Summer In The City3:51
Up Where We Belong3:54
Don’t You Love Me Anymore5:25
Unforgiven4:15
Have A Little Faith In Me4:19
You Are So Beautiful2:43
Woman To Woman4:29
The Simple Things4:51
N’oubliez Jamais4:43
Tonight4:44
Night Calls3:28
Hard Knocks3:25
I Come In Peace4:20
Performance4:38

TRACK LIST: (ORGANIC)

1Into The Mystic
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDobro – Greg LeiszDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellElectric Piano – Chris StaintonOrgan – Billy PrestonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac Written-By – Van Morrison		3:31
2Bye Bye Blackbird
Acoustic Guitar – Dean Parks Backing Vocals – Maxine Sharp, Merry Clayton, Myrna Smith, Portia GriffinBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris StaintonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac Written-By – Morton Dixon*, Ray Henderson		3:31
3Delta Lady
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBacking Vocals – Maxine Sharp, Merry Clayton, Myrna Smith, Portia GriffinBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDobro – Greg LeiszDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris StaintonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac Written-By – Leon Russell		3:16
4Heart Full Of Rain
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – Darryl JonesDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris StaintonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac Written-By – Michael Dan Ehmig
4:48
5Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBacking Vocals – Maxine Sharp, Merry Clayton, Myrna Smith, Portia GriffinBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDobro – Greg LeiszDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris StaintonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac
Written-By – Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus		3:52
6Many Rivers To Cross
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonCello – Rudy Stein, Suzy Katayama*Dobro – Greg LeiszDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellPiano – Chris StaintonStrings, Arranged By, Conductor – David CampbellSynthesizer – Jamie MuhoberacViola – Denyse Buffum, Evan WilsonViolin – Peter Kent (2), Sid Page
Written-By – Jimmy Cliff		4:23
7High Lonesome Blue
Bass – Darryl JonesDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny Aronoff
Written-By – Joe Cocker		4:10
8Sail Away
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonCello – Rudy Stein, Suzy Katayama*Drums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonStrings, Arranged By, Conductor – David CampbellSynthesizer – Jamie MuhoberacViola – Denyse Buffum, Evan WilsonViolin – Peter Kent (2), Sid Page
Written-By, Piano – Randy Newman		3:00
9You And I
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – Darryl JonesCello – Rudy Stein, Suzy Katayama*Drums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffOrgan – Billy PrestonStrings, Arranged By, Conductor – David CampbellSynthesizer – Jamie MuhoberacViola – Denyse Buffum, Evan WilsonViolin – Peter Kent (2), Sid Page
Written-By – Stevie Wonder		4:35
10Darlin’ Be Home Soon
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellElectric Piano – Chris StaintonOrgan, Synthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac
Written-By – Sebastian*		4:11
11Dignity
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDobro – Greg LeiszDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris Stainton
Written-By – Bob Dylan		3:13
12You Can Leave Your Hat On
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBacking Vocals – Maxine Sharp, Merry Clayton, Myrna Smith, Portia GriffinBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffElectric Guitar – Johnny Lee SchellOrgan – Billy PrestonPercussion – Joe PorcaroSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac
Written-By, Piano – Randy Newman		3:46
13You Are So Beautiful
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonCello – Rudy Stein, Suzy Katayama*Drums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffStrings, Arranged By, Conductor – David CampbellSynthesizer – Jamie MuhoberacViola – Denyse Buffum, Evan WilsonViolin – Peter Kent (2), Sid Page
Written-By – Billy Preston, B. Fisher*		2:43
14Can’t Find My Way Home
Acoustic Guitar – Dean ParksBass – Darryl JonesDrums, Percussion – Jim Keltner, Kenny AronoffOrgan – Billy PrestonPiano – Chris StaintonSynthesizer – Jamie Muhoberac
Written-By – Steve Winwood

15 thoughts on “JOE COCKER: THE LIFE OF A MAN and ORGANIC By Joe Cocker”

  1. Todd Mason

    More liked than loved Cocker’s versions of songs throughout the decades, but he is a genuine artist…even if I caught John Belushi’s lampoon of him about the same time I first heard him.

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    1. george Post author

      Todd, I consider Joe Cocker akin to Rod Stewart. Both singers have gravelly voices, both singers are an acquired taste. But both singers tickle my fancy!

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  2. Deb

    I’m not a huge fan, but I do like his Beatle covers, so I’ll certainly be giving “Organic” a listen.

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  3. Jeff Meyerson

    Sounds good. We saw him in concert twice- first at Jazzfest in New Orleans in 2008 (with Beth Fedyn, a big fan), and second opening for Huey Lewis to Jones Beach in 2012. He put on a good show both times. I love his live version of “The Letter.” I also get a kick out of the YouTube version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” where they took the live WOODSTOCK version and added their interpretation of his slurred lyrics that always makes me laugh.

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  5. Beth Fedyn

    As noted, I saw Joe Cocker at Jazz Fest with Jeff, Jackie, and Wilba. He didn’t disappoint.
    I was just mentioning to my sister that many of my favorite singers don’t have perfect singing voices but they are still awesome.
    John Belushi doing Joe Cocker while standing next to Joe Cocker is one of my favorite SNL moments.

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  6. wolf

    I’ve always been a big fan of Joe!
    He appeared on German t vregularly and did several concerts in Germany – but I never managed to see and ehar him live, what a pity!
    But I bought all his disks and later CDs.
    When I saw him on tv or in the Woodstock folm I also wondered aabout his movements and his face – almost kind of silly.

    Reply ↓
    2. wolf

      Sorry for all the mistakes, seems it was too dark yesteray for me to read the screen and use the keyboard correctly.
      Bird on a wire is of course also one of my top favourite songs!

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  7. Cap'n Bob

    Yep, a big fan! I’m surprised that neither of those albums had Bird on a Wire! It, and Goldie Hawn’s legs, were the only good thing about the movie of the same name!

    Reply ↓

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