• Artist: Joe Cocker
• Rating:
• Styles: Pop/Rock, Blues-Rock, R&B
• Track Picks: "Delta Lady," "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window"
• Similar Albums: Children of the Future/Sailor, Balaklava, Greatest Hits [Polydor], Zephyr, Three Dog Night, The Best of the Righteous Brothers [Moonglow], Number 5, Sailor, Children of the Future, Anthology, Permanent Damage, Miracle Mirror, Wild Honey

Review

Joe Cocker's first three A&M albums form the bedrock of a career that spans over three decades. While Cocker certainly wasn't always in top form during this stretch -- thanks to alcohol problems and questionable comeback moves in the '80s and '90s -- his early records did inform the classic pub rock sound later credited to proto-punk figures like Graham Parker and Brinsley Schwarz. On those early records, Cocker mixed elements of late-'60s English blues revival recordings (John Mayall, et al.) with the more contemporary sounds of soul and pop; a sound fused in no small part by producer and arranger Leon Russell, whose gumbo mix figures prominently on this eponymous release and the infamous Mad Dogs & Englishmen live set. Russell's sophisticated swamp blues aesthetic is felt directly with versions of his gospel ballad "Hello, Little Friend" and Beatles-inspired bit of New Orleans pop -- and one of Cocker's biggest hits -- "Delta Lady." Following up on the huge success of an earlier cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends," Cocker mines more Beatles gold with very respectable renditions of "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "Something." And rounding out this impressive set are equally astute takes on Dylan's "Dear Landlord," Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire," and John Sebastian's "Darling Be Home Soon." Throughout, Cocker gets superb support from his regular backing group of the time, the Grease Band. A fine introduction to the singer's classic, late-'60s and early-'70s period. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Dear Landlord		Bob Dylan	Joe Cocker	(3:25)
Bird on a Wire		Leonard Cohen	Joe Cocker	(4:27)
Lawdy Miss Clawdy		Lloyd Price	Joe Cocker	(2:13)
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window		John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Joe Cocker	(2:36)
Hitchcock Railway		Don Dunn, Tony McCashen	Joe Cocker	(4:36)
That's Your Business		Joe Cocker, Chris Stainton	Joe Cocker	(2:56)
Something		George Harrison	Joe Cocker	(3:30)
Delta Lady		Leon Russell	Joe Cocker	(2:50)
Hello Little Friend		Leon Russell	Joe Cocker	(3:51)
Darling Be Home Soon		John Sebastian	Joe Cocker	(4:44)
She's Good to Me [*]	...	Joe Cocker, Chris Stainton	Joe Cocker	(2:59)
Let It Be [*]	...	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Joe Cocker	(5:00)

Credits

Clarence White (Guitar), Joe Cocker (Vocals), Joe Cocker (Main Performer), Rita Coolidge (Vocals), Rita Coolidge (Vocals (Background)), Leon Russell (Organ), Leon Russell (Guitar), Leon Russell (Piano), Leon Russell (Arranger), Leon Russell (Keyboards), Leon Russell (Vocals), Leon Russell (Producer), Paul Humphrey (Drums), Bonnie Bramlett (Vocals), Bonnie Bramlett (Vocals (Background)), The Grease Band (Arranger), Henry McCullough (Guitar), Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Guitar), Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Pedal Steel), Merry Clayton (Vocals), Merry Clayton (Vocals (Background)), Denny Cordell (Producer), Glyn Johns (Remixing), Glyn Johns (Mastering), Patrice Holloway (Vocals), Patrice Holloway (Vocals (Background)), Milt Holland (Percussion), Brian Ingoldsby (Engineer), Bill Levenson (Producer), Henry Lewy (Engineer), Bruce Rowland (Drums), Alan Spenner (Bass), Chris Stainton (Organ), Chris Stainton (Bass), Chris Stainton (Guitar), Chris Stainton (Piano), Chris Stainton (Arranger), Chris Stainton (Keyboards), Paul Humphries (Drums), Suha Gur (Mastering), Jim McCrary (Photography), Jim McCrary (Back Cover), Theresa Malham (Mastering), Beth Stempel (Reissue Coordination), J.P Bean (Liner Notes), Sherlie Matthews (Vocals), Sherlie Matthews (Vocals (Background))

joe cocker