Joe Cocker – Jumping for Joy

He came, he saw, he conquered – then he came back again. Even Joe Cocker himself couldn’t dare hope to follow ‘Little Help from my Friends’ but his little jump for joy at the last note of the evenings final song, ‘Cry Me a River’ said it all. Cocker was enjoying the evening as much as his audience were.

I made sure to arrive early and catch the set by Dana Fuchs. Her set at the Bonn Crossroads Festival for this years Rockpalast was the highlight of the event for me so this was a ‘must see’ support slot.   This prestigious show with Cocker goes back to the 2007, Beatles inspired, film Across the Universe in which both Cocker and Fuchs appeared. Indeed Cocker sings Come Together along with Help from my Friends later and Dana Fuchs’ last song of an all too short 45 minute set is a rocking version of Helter Skelter from the White album. I told Dana later about the problems of photo restrictions caused by film cameras both at her Bonn Harmonie show and at the Museumsplatz. “Then try again next year when we will be back in Bonn and with a new CD out” was her reply. I’ll be watching for the exact date and my advice if you love Raw Rock sung from the heart is to do the same.

Joe Cocker started his working life as a gas fitter.  My memory of gas fitters in the early 1960’s is that, like most workmen, they were likely to turn up late for appointments, or possibly not at all. Joe Cockers time-keeping though is immaculate – In the rhythm of his voice as much as the punctuality of his appearance onstage. Maybe that’s why Cocker turned to music. Plumbing’s loss was certainly the worlds gain as Cocker took us through his musical career highlights in something of a reverse order; starting with Hard Knocks from his latest CD and ending with – well, what else – a rather well known Beatles number from Woodstock that opened the doors to fame, fortune and along the way problems with drink and drugs. How to explain Cockers amazing longevity?

“Papa why do you play all the same old songs
why do you sing with the melody
’cause down on the street something’s going on
there’s a brand new beat and a brand new song”

These lines from N’ Oubliez Jamais pose the question perfectly. The same old songs they might be but singing other peoples songs has meant picking from the cream of the songwriting crop and they don’t get better than Lennon/McCartney. Add to that a voice that those former ‘Moptops’ would have died for and you have the reason why Joe Cocker is standing here in Bonn in front of 5,500 people today 42 years after Woodstock.

Well, ‘standing’ is a bit inaccurate, it suggests someone not moving. Cocker however leans over, waves his arms in air guitar fashion, and lurches to the rhythm of his excellent band. If you could transport someone from that long ago Woodstock crowd to Museumsplatz in 2010 they’d wonder where the angry young man with the long sideburns was until they closed their eyes and just took in the growling voice.

The hits were of course sung – often as much by the audience as by the singer himself. It was a bit disconcerting to hear a burly, bearded German crooning You are so beautiful in my ear, but Germans love Joe. Up where we belong and Unchain My Heart met with similar vocal accompaniment.

At around 9.30pm Joe began rolling his sleeves up for the ensuing physical/vocal effort just about to come, maybe a throwback to those early gas fitter days. The keyboard intro alone was enough to have the audience applauding before even the first “What” escaped Cocker’s mouth. Arms waved from side to side and only the bright daylight stopped the cigarette lighters from appearing in force and being held aloft. Joe Cocker gave the song everything, With a Little Help from his friends in the audience of course.

Topping that was pretty well impossible and even though there were three encore songs to come a fair few people started leaving.  A big mistake as they missed a highlight in the final Cry me a River with Cocker giving a little jump of joy to finish. Many of us in the audience had the same happy feeling.

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