Joe Cocker died yesterday, just 70 years old, from lung cancer. He was one of a handful of rock singers whose voice was instantly recognisable, adding a new dimension to any song he sang. And perhaps this is why his cover versions worked so well – they did sound completely different, and yet still thrilling and authentic. He could take a well-loved song, and transform it in a way that was loved by those who loved the original.
To me, Cocker was the only person to improve a Beatles song. His 1968 With A Little Help From My Friends is unforgettable, right off from the intro. It sounds like a completely different song, shooting off in a direction that even the Beatles couldn’t quite manage.
McCartney admitted that Cocker transformed the song — his song — into a blues anthem, having seen in it a beauty that George Martin certainly didn’t when they doled it out to Ringo for Sgt Pepper.
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