Joe Cocker (1972 album)
Encyclopedia
Joe Cocker is the third studio album by Joe Cocker
, released in 1972. It was issued in the U.S. on A&M Records
. It contains the hit
single "High Time We Went", that was released in the summer of 1971.
Although A&M has so far never made the album available on CD
in the U.S., it license
d the recording to UK-imprint Cube Records
, which issued the album on CD (with a different cover and titled Something to Say) in Europe; that CD is currently out-of-print
.
The album's main claim to fame might be the fact that one of its tracks, "Woman to Woman", was the basis for Tupac Shakur's
successful hit single "California Love
".
Upon the album's release, the tracks that garnered the most attention at radio were "Black-Eyed Blues", "Woman to Woman", and the cover of Gregg Allman
's "Midnight Rider", which charted on the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number 27.
Later, in 1996, the horn-and-piano riff
from "Woman to Woman" was sampled
by Tupac Shakur
in his song
"California Love
"; it was a smash hit for Tupac, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
(A sticker placed on original issue albums read "Featuring the Chris Stainton Band and the Sanctified Sisters")
"Woman to Woman"/"Do Right Woman": Produced by Nigel Thomas
"Midnight Rider"/"St. James Infirmary": Co-produced by Denny Cordell & Nigel Thomas
Art Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: John Cabalka
magazine, the ad copy read: "There is only one man in the world who can release an album named 'Joe Cocker'"
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, released in 1972. It was issued in the U.S. on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. It contains the hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
single "High Time We Went", that was released in the summer of 1971.
Although A&M has so far never made the album available on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in the U.S., it license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
d the recording to UK-imprint Cube Records
Cube Records
Cube Records was launched on 26 May 1972 by independent music publisher David Platz, and was based at his UK offices for Essex Music.-History:...
, which issued the album on CD (with a different cover and titled Something to Say) in Europe; that CD is currently out-of-print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
.
The album's main claim to fame might be the fact that one of its tracks, "Woman to Woman", was the basis for Tupac Shakur's
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
successful hit single "California Love
California Love
"California Love" is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me...
".
Side One
- "Pardon Me Sir" 3:37
- "High Time We Went" 4:25
- "She Don't Mind" 3:13
- "Black-Eyed Blues" 4:37
- "Something to Say" 5:00
Side Two
- "Midnight RiderMidnight Rider"Midnight Rider" is a popular and widely covered song by The Allman Brothers Band, from their album Idlewild South. Written by Gregg Allman and Robert Kim Payne, the song has become a fixture of the band's live performances and an enduring standard...
" (Gregg AllmanGregg AllmanGregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
) 4:00 - "Do Right Woman" (live) (Dan PennDan PennDan Penn is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and sometime guitar player who co-wrote many soul hits of the 1960s including "Dark End of the Street" and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and "Out of Left Field" & "Cry Like A Baby"...
, Chips MomanChips MomanLincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman is an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. As a record producer, Moman is known for recording Elvis Presley, Bobby Womack, Carla Thomas, and Merrilee Rush, as well as guiding the career of the Box Tops in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s...
) 7:00 - "Woman to WomanWoman to Woman (Joe Cocker song)"Woman to Woman" is a song written by Joe Cocker and Chris Stainton. It was released on Cocker's 1972 album Joe Cocker . It has been recorded by other artists...
" 4:26 - "St. James InfirmarySt. James Infirmary Blues"St. James Infirmary Blues" is based on an 18th century traditional English folk song of anonymous origin, though sometimes credited to the songwriter Joe Primrose . Louis Armstrong made it famous in his influential 1928 recording.-Authorship and history:"St...
" (live) (Frey Assunto) 6:10
Upon the album's release, the tracks that garnered the most attention at radio were "Black-Eyed Blues", "Woman to Woman", and the cover of Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
Gregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
's "Midnight Rider", which charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number 27.
Later, in 1996, the horn-and-piano riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
from "Woman to Woman" was sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
in his song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"California Love
California Love
"California Love" is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me...
"; it was a smash hit for Tupac, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Personnel
- Joe Cocker: Vocals
- Chris StaintonChris StaintonChristopher "Chris" Stainton is an English session musician, keyboard player and songwriter, who first gained recognition with Joe Cocker in the late 1960s...
: Piano and organ - Allan Spenner: Bass guitar
- Neil HubbardNeil HubbardNeil Hubbard is a British guitarist who performed with Juicy Lucy , The Grease Band, Bluesology, Joe Cocker, Roxy Music, Kokomo, B.B. King, Kevin Rowland, and Tony O'Malley; and played on the original 1970 concept album, Jesus Christ Superstar....
: Guitar - Jim KeltnerJim KeltnerJames Lee "Jim" Keltner is an American drummer known primarily for his session work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists...
: Drums - Alan WhiteAlan White (Yes drummer)Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
: Drums - Felix Falcon: Assorted percussion
- Rick Alphonso: Trumpet
- Fred Scerbo: Saxophone
- Milton Sloane: Saxophone
- Jim HornJim HornJim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
: Saxophone on "Do Right Woman" - Reebop: Congas on "Do Right Woman"
- Gloria JonesGloria JonesGloria Richetta Jones is an American singer and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. She recorded the 1964 northern soul song, "Tainted Love", later a hit for the British synth-pop duo, Soft Cell. She was the girlfriend of glam rock artist Marc Bolan of the band T...
: Backing Vocals - Viola Wills: Backing Vocals. Lead vocal on "Do Right Woman"
- Virginia Ayers: Backing Vocals
- Beverly Gardner: Backing Vocals
- Conrad Isidore: Drums on "Do Right Woman" and "St. James Infirmary"
(A sticker placed on original issue albums read "Featuring the Chris Stainton Band and the Sanctified Sisters")
Producers
"She Don't Mind"/"Pardon Me Sir/"Black-Eyed Blues/"High Time We Went"/"Something to Say": Produced by Denny Cordell"Woman to Woman"/"Do Right Woman": Produced by Nigel Thomas
"Midnight Rider"/"St. James Infirmary": Co-produced by Denny Cordell & Nigel Thomas
Art & Photo Credits
Photography by Peter SmithArt Direction: Roland Young
Album Design: John Cabalka
Trivia
When A&M placed an advertisement for the album in CreemCreem
Creem , "America's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine," was a monthly rock 'n' roll publication first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. It suspended production in 1989 but received a short-lived renaissance in the early 1990s as a glossy tabloid...
magazine, the ad copy read: "There is only one man in the world who can release an album named 'Joe Cocker'"