Althouse: Goodbye to Joe Cocker.

December 22, 2014

Goodbye to Joe Cocker.

He was 70.

I loved when he was on "Saturday Night Live" with John Belushi:

32 comments:

Gahrie said...: I am much more a Cocker fan than a Dylan fan. I know, Cocker's voice is almost as bad as Dylan's, and Dylan was a better song writer.

However like you, I love the SNL clip, and I love Cocker's performances.; 12/22/14, 3:36 PM
JAORE said...: In the early days I assumed Cocker had some horrible affliction that led to his on stage gyrations.

Always enjoyed his work. RIP; 12/22/14, 3:43 PM
Heartless Aztec said...: Joe gave good show. Saw him last year with Dave Mason in St Augustine at the amphitheater. Had the crowd going. His shared spot lights with Dave Mason brought down the house. R.I.P. Joe. The world won't see your likes again.; 12/22/14, 3:46 PM
lgv said...: Yes, Cocker did a great imitation of Belushi doing Cocker.; 12/22/14, 3:49 PM
Rob said...: He was an alte cocker.; 12/22/14, 4:12 PM
Popville said...: Never a specific Joe Cocker fan, although the Mad Dogs & Englishman tour in spring 1970, with Cocker as the nominal lead but more importantly orchestrated & managed on stage by the brilliant Leon Russell, allowed my 12th grade skinny ass self & my friends to experience one of the most incredible rock-n-roll shows we've ever seen. E-V-E-R. Our's took place May 2nd in Chapel Hill, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and it still gets mentions when folks reminisce. Twas when I first fell in love with singer Claudia Lennear; it was great seeing her in last years documentary "20 Feet From Stardom."; 12/22/14, 4:19 PM
mccullough said...: That duet he sung for An Officer and a Gentleman was awful.; 12/22/14, 5:13 PM
virgil xenophon said...: @Popville/

Old Leon stole that tour from Joe...big time!; 12/22/14, 5:26 PM
Wilbur said...: Ten years ago, my then-wife dragged me along with another couple to see Tina Turner.

Very fortunately, Joe Cocker opened. I was ready to leave when he did, but I didn't let on. It wouldn't have been kind to her. And she did enjoy Tina.; 12/22/14, 5:36 PM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: Always thought Belushi's parody had a bit of 'mean' in it.

Still do.; 12/22/14, 5:42 PM
Wince said...: Known to puke both on and off stage between encores before coming back to finish the show.

The show must go on!

RIP; 12/22/14, 5:45 PM
Humperdink said...: John Robert "Joe" Cocker.

Made it to 70? He certainly screwed up the actuarial tables for hard rockers.; 12/22/14, 5:55 PM
Humperdink said...: I should add, I loved his songs. He and Rod Stewart. Must be the voice.; 12/22/14, 6:05 PM
jr565 said...: Gahrie wrote
am much more a Cocker fan than a Dylan fan. I know, Cocker's voice is almost as bad as Dylan's, and Dylan was a better song writer.
Without question Dylan is the better writer. Did Joe write that much? On the other hand Joe had a lot of power in his voice. I'd actually say his voice is quite good. In a limited way.
The same way Joe Strummer was no great singer. But I can't think of too many people would would sing Clash songs better. (Cocker was a better singer than Strummer by the way).; 12/22/14, 6:09 PM
sunsong said...: RIP
Love lift us up where we belong; 12/22/14, 6:23 PM
Unknown said...: Crap... one of the few who came across as not just singing a song but as havjng something to say. Bill Withers had that...Janice Joplin...; 12/22/14, 6:25 PM
madAsHell said...: Cocker?
I barely know her!!; 12/22/14, 6:26 PM
Jaq said...: Cocker's voice was a gift from God. I don't know how anybody could think otherwise, but i guess that is why they make chocolate and vanilla.; 12/22/14, 6:33 PM
jr565 said...: someone mentioned Janice Joplin. Joe reminded me a lot of her. In some ways a limited voice in that she only really belted. But she could really belt. Same with Cocker. In listening to his stuff today I'm noticing how much he actually sounds like Ray Charles on a lot of his stuff.
He's SO raw I can see it turning a lot of people off, if they want some smoothness. BUT give him props for doing his type of song well.; 12/22/14, 6:37 PM
Humperdink said...: Cocker's top 10. For your listening pleasure.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-cocker-songs/; 12/22/14, 6:40 PM
jr565 said...: He did look like he had cerebral palsy when he sang though.; 12/22/14, 6:40 PM
Bob R said...: If someone had told me when I was watching the SNL routine that Cocker would outlive Belushi by 32 years I would have laughed.

The first two studio albums and Mad Dogs and Englishmen really hold up very well.; 12/22/14, 6:49 PM
Tim said...: too bad we have to go back that far for a good SNL. Cocker was great.Belushi was great. None like that around any more.; 12/22/14, 7:13 PM
Meade said...: Thanks, sunsong. Great performance, v. soulful.; 12/22/14, 7:16 PM
donald said...: Janice Joplin destroyed many wonderful women with her fucking tales of woe. I cannot emphasize how fucking much I hate everything about Her and her self destructive message of weakness.; 12/22/14, 7:54 PM
Sharc said...: Never saw that Belushi bit before now. Yet Treacher has it up today too.; 12/22/14, 7:57 PM
sunsong said...: Merry Christmas Meade - and Althouse :-)

a holiday message for everyone; 12/22/14, 8:11 PM
JAORE said...: "Claudia Lennear"
Oh yeah, thanks Popville. I'd forgotten. Man oh man...

Never saw "20 Feet", now I'll have to check it out.; 12/22/14, 9:17 PM
traditionalguy said...: Not much of a singer but he was very friendly and he was entertaining to watch.; 12/22/14, 10:23 PM
Unknown said...: I love Joe Cocker Songs. I found top 10 Joe Cocker songs here
http://10collection.blogspot.com/2014/12/joe-cocker-top-10-songs.html; 12/23/14, 7:30 AM
Anthony said...: I just don't "get" Cocker. Never did.; 12/23/14, 8:52 AM
Sam L. said...: Me, too. I didn't know just what was going on here when I saw on SNL, but I liked it. Forgot he was wearing his hair like Stooge Larry Fine.; 12/23/14, 1:20 PM