Joe Cocker – With A Little Help From My Friends

With a Little Help from My Friends is the debut album by Joe Cocker, released in 1969 on A&M Records. It established Cocker’s reputation as a powerhouse vocalist, reinterpreting songs by The Beatles, Traffic, Bob Dylan and others with grit, soul and raw emotional delivery. His version of the title track became iconic, later immortalised as the theme to the television show The Wonder Years. The album also includes standout cuts like “Feeling Alright,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” and “Change in Louise.”

The arrangements mix rock, blues and soul, with contributions from Jimmy Page on guitar, Steve Winwood on organ and Matthew Fisher on keyboards. Cocker’s voice is the undeniable centrepiece—hoarse, passionate, and capable of turning familiar material into something deeply personal. With a Little Help from My Friends remains a classic late-60s debut, both a statement of intent and one of Cocker’s defining works.

Reviews

“A superb album that shows Joe Cocker as an important new voice in rock and blues.” — AllMusic