Joe Cocker
Cocker

THE REVIEW

Joe Robert Cocker, or better known simply as Joe Cocker, is an English rock-blues musician. He was born in Sheffield on May 20, 1944. At the age of 15 he began his musical career; his first band was the Avengers and later the Big Blues. His first single was a Beatles cover "I'll Cry Instead". After some success in Great Britain, his fame exploded with the album "With A Little Help From My Friends", another Beatles cover.

In the '70s, he had a series of problems mainly caused by alcohol abuse. In the '80s, he made a strong comeback. In 1986, he released the album "Cocker", which signifies that the man and artist in question had managed to overcome those difficult times. The album was very successful in Great Britain and many singles from the album stayed on the charts for a long time. It was the singles that contributed to the album's success, as the album includes songs that have become classics in Joe Cocker's discography.

The album opens with "Shelter Me", which is an anthem to himself, to the strength he found to overcome the tough times. The song's beginning with keyboards is remarkable. "A To Z"  is a slightly faster track characterized by the piano. Stunning is "Don't You Love Anymore", one of the best songs of the album and his career. A tearjerker that highlights the uniqueness and beauty of Joe Cocker's voice. The backing vocals towards the end of the song are very beautiful. Another gem of the album is "Living Without Your Love", in this track Joe sings about how he can't live without that person's love. The whole song is truly melancholic, especially the piano and Joe's sweet voice. "Don't Drink The Water" is a fast track where Joe Cocker converses with the backing vocals that act as a counter voice. Here is the artist's most famous song, "You Can Leave Your Hat On" soundtrack of the movie 9½ Weeks. A song that made history, an icon of striptease and transgression. The saxophone throughout the song is very beautiful. "Heart Of The Matter" is a very inspired track. "Inner City Blues" in which Joe Cocker's splendid voice emerges. Another song about love is "Love Is On A Fade". The album closes with "Heaven", a track that fully showcases the artist's style.

Joe Cocker is one of the most famous singers in the world, he has written songs that have become soundtracks of entire generations. His lyrics have always been very committed and speak of feelings common to every man. An immortal icon of rock. He has recorded numerous albums, in various musical genres, from blues to rock, but he has always managed to compose a unique genre of music, just as his splendid voice is unique.