John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote this song. The Beatles recorded it a year earlier, but never released it as a single. The Beatles were so impressed with Cocker's version of this that they sent him a telegram of congratulations and placed an ad in the music papers praising it.
This was recorded in 3/4 time - a waltz. The Beatles original version was in traditional 4/4 time.
Jimmy Page played guitar, BJ Wilson from Procol Harum played drums, and a Gospel choir sang background on this track.
This song has topped the UK charts on three 3 occasions: Cocker's version, then in 1988 Wet Wet Wet hit #1 again on a double A-sided charity single, and in 2004 Sam & Mark from the 2004 UK Pop Idol brought it to the top again.
Cocker also covered The Beatles "I'll Cry Instead," "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window," and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away."
Sesame Street did a parody of this called "With A Little Yelp From My Friends." It was performed by "Moe Cocker," who was a Cocker Spaniel. It was about a dog who yelps for help when he can't find his bone or scratch a flea.
Cocker sang this at Woodstock. It appears in the documentary.
Joe Cocker is only one of two acts who performed at Woodstock to have had a UK #1 hit. The other was Jimi Hendrix, who had a chart topper with "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)."
The Joe Cocker version was the theme song to the TV show The Wonder Years, starring Fred Savage.
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