Joe Cocker had an incredible 50-year career as a singer, songwriter, pianist, and harmonica player. He was most famous for his gritty voice and forceful, soulful delivery. Cocker rose to prominence in 1968 after grafting as a blues singer for years; he was born in Sheffield during WWII. His breakthrough single was a cover of “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles. Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, and others paid tribute to him following his untimely death from lung cancer in 2014.
Cocker held a concert at Cologne’s Limelight Club in 2002, coinciding with his invitation to perform at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee festivities. Among his legion of devoted listeners, the recordings have achieved legendary status. Among the songs he played that evening, “Unchain My Heart” was a crowd favorite. Though Ray Charles recorded it in 1961, it was not until 1987 that it was released as a single by Cocker and served as the title track for his eleventh studio album.
That night, Cocker delivered “Unchain My Heart” with an absolutely blistering performance, his renowned voice whipping the crowd into a frenzy. With a stellar band including keyboardist Mick Milo and saxophonist Derek Dyer, Cocker gave what many have called his best performance of the song to date. Many listeners even noted an improvement in his vocals compared to the original recording.
Once again, Cocker’s 2013 rendition of “With A Little Help From My Friends”—a spine-tingling thirteen minutes—was another legendary live performance in his career. His voice is chilling enough on its own (especially when you consider that this performance was recorded less than a year before he tragically passed away), but when you combine it with the impeccable musicianship of his band and the sincere performances of his two backing vocalists, it takes on an otherworldly quality.
