After Jefferson Airplane's morning maniac performance at 8.00 am, Joe Cocker was the first officially scheduled act on Sunday. He went on stage at about 2.00 pm.
Though Cocker was in the music business for quite a while, he was hardly famous. But after his triumphal success at Woodstock, the man with the soulful voice became known everywhere. Especially well received was the Beatles' cover song "With a Little Help from My Friends" which was the second performance of the song after Richie Havens' version on the first day. Cocker's backing band at that time was the superb Grease Band, a formation that lasted only two years.
Shortly after Cocker's gig a heavy thunderstorm washed over the festival, and everything was brought to stop for several hours.
Lyrics
What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key
Oh, baby I get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
All I need is my buddies (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I say I'm gonna get high (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh yeah (Ooh)
What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
No no
How do I feel at the end of the day?
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)
I tell ya I don't get sad no more
Gonna get by with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Yeah yeah, I'm gonna try (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Keep on getting high, oh Lord (Ooh)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody?)
All I need is someone
That's just where I'm going, yeah
Somebody knows that's where I'm showing
Baby
Said I'm gonna make it with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, I'm gonna keep on trying (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm gonna keep on trying (Ooh)
I'm certain it happens all the time, yeah
(What do you see when you turn out the light?)
I can't tell you but it sure feels like mine
Don't you know I'm gonna make it with my friends? (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I promised myself I'd get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna try and not work too hard (Ooh)
Well I, yeah yeah yeah
(Could it be anybody?)
Oh there's gotta be somebody
Don't treat me wrong Lord
Oh yeah yeah
Said I'm gonna get by with my friends, yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends) Oh, yes I'm gonna keep trying, now (Ah, with a little help from my friends) Keep on trying with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends) Oh, I'm never gonna stop there, oh (Ah, with a little help from my friends) I'm gonna keep on trying, yeah yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends) I'm getting high, I'm gonna make time, oh Lord (Ooh) Gonna get by with my friends Oh, I'm gonna get on by, yes I'm gonna get on by, my Lord I'm gonna tell them all about it, I'm gonna tell them all, yeah yeah
Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul Mccartney With a Little Help from My Friends lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
