Famously spazzy rock singer Joe Cocker has passed away at the age of 70, which is a goo time for remembering Joe Cocker as a guy who was a lot more than rock’s most legendary spazz. His bizarre onstage antics made him both a joke and a rock star at the end of the ’60s, as he topped the charts with a cover of The Beatles’ “With A Little Help from My Friends” in 1968. [photo: Central Press/Getty]
A year later, he showed up at Woodstock and was immortalized in a concert film that showcased Cocker’s very unique style. That would later be famously spoofed by John Belushi–first in a National Lampoon stage show, followed by Belushi playing Cocker as a character on Saturday Night Live.
Cocker would later show up as a musical guest on SNL as probably the first guy to ever face his SNL spoof on stage. Cocker kept busy through the ’70s, and then regained some rock stardom when he duetted with Jennifer Warnes for the sappy love them to 1982’s An Officer and a Gentleman.
“Up Where We Belong” would go on to win a Grammy and an Academy Award. Cocker would go on to a great career where he never really had to worry about his voice getting old and creaky. He’d already been young and creaky, and kind of amazing. Here’s some footage of young Joe–and we’re going to go listen to Sheffield Steel, which is a great album that got derailed by the success of “Up Where We Belong”….
