JOE COCKER With A Little Help From My Friends SPEAKERS CORNER (A&M Records) MINT

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JOE COCKER With A Little Help From My Friends A&M Records SP-3106 (Speakers Corner)

Tracklist

A1 Feeling Alright Backing Vocals – Brenda Holloway, Merry Clayton, Patrice HollowayBass – Carol KayeCongas [Tumba], Maracas – David Cohen (7), Laudir*Drums – Paul Humphries*Piano – Artie ButlerWritten-By – Dave Mason 4:12 A2 Bye Bye Blackbird Backing Vocals – Madeline Bell, Rosetta Hightower, Sunny Weetman*Bass, Piano, Organ – Chris StaintonDrums – Clem CattiniGuitar – Tony ViscontiLead Guitar [Solo] – Jimmy PageWritten-By – Dixon*, Henderson* 3:28 A3 Change In Louise Backing Vocals – Su Weetman*, Sunny Weetman*Bass, Piano – Chris StaintonDrums – Mike KellieGuitar – Henry McCulloughWritten-By – Chris Stainton, Joe Cocker 3:22 A4 Marjorine Bass, Piano – Chris StaintonDrums – Clem CattiniGuitar – Albert Lee, Jimmy PageWritten-By – Chris Stainton, Frank Myles, Joe Cocker, Tom Rattigan 3:38 A5 Just Like A Woman Bass – Chris StaintonDrums – B.J. WIlsonGuitar – Jimmy PageOrgan – Matthew FisherPiano – Tommy EyreWritten-By – Bob Dylan
5:18 B1 Do I Still Figure In Your Life? Backing Vocals – Madeline Bell, Su Weetman*, Sunny Weetman*Bass – Chris StaintonDrums – Mike KellieGuitar – Henry McCulloughOrgan – Stevie Winwood*Written-By – Peter Dello* 3:59 B2 Sandpaper Cadillac Bass, Piano, Organ – Chris StaintonDrums – Clem CattiniGuitar – Jimmy PageWritten-By – Chris Stainton, Joe Cocker 3:18 B3 Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Bass – Chris StaintonDrums – Kenny SladeGuitar – Henry McCulloughOrgan – Tommy EyreWritten-By – B. Benjamin*, G. Caldwell*, S. Marcus* 4:41 B4 With A Little Help From My Friends Backing Vocals – Madeline Bell, Rosetta Hightower, Sunny Weetman*Bass – Chris StaintonDrums – B.J. WIlsonGuitar – Jimmy PageOrgan – Tommy EyreWritten-By – John Lennon-Paul McCartney* 4:05 B5 I Shall Be Released Arranged By [Strings] – Nick HarrisonBacking Vocals – Su Weetman*, Sunny Weetman*Bass – Chris StaintonDrums – Mike KellyGuitar – Henry McCulloughOrgan – Stevie Winwood*Written-By – Bob Dylan

• Producer – Denny Cordell

*(all photos are of the actual item)

• Matrix / Runout (A Side etched): SP 4263 S1 320
• Matrix / Runout (B Side etched): SP 4264 S2 320

AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder
     Joe Cocker's debut album holds up extraordinarily well across four decades, the singer's performance bolstered by some very sharp playing, not only by his established sideman/collaborator Chris Stainton, but also some top-notch session musicians, among them drummer Clem Cattini, Steve Winwood on organ, and guitarists Jimmy Page and Albert Lee, all sitting in. It's Cocker's voice, a soulful rasp of an instrument backed up by Madeline Bell, Sunny Weetman and Rossetta Hightower that carries this album and makes "Change in Louise," "Feeling Alright," "Just Like a Woman," "I Shall Be Released," and even "Bye Bye Blackbird" into profound listening experiences. But the surprises in the arrangements, tempo, and approaches taken help make this an exceptional album. Tracks like "Just Like a Woman," with its soaring gospel organ above a lean textured acoustic and light electric accompaniment, and the guitar-dominated rendition of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" -- the formal debut of the Grease Band on record -- all help make this an exceptional listening experience. The 1999 A&M reissue not only includes new notes and audiophile-quality sound, but also a pair of bonus tracks, the previously unanthologized B-sides "The New Age of Lily" and "Something Coming On," deserved better than the obscurity in which they previously dwelt.