When I was starting to listen and collect rock LP’s as a teenager, the triple vinyl from Woodstock ‘69 came to me before a Beatles record. So, naturally, Joe Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help from My Friends" still feels like an original to me. The feeling is augmented by the fact that the cover version is absolutely different than the Beatles’ original, in the arrangement, in style and interpretation. Cocker didn’t only change the mood and tempo of the song but also shifted the metrics to a 6/8 pattern, used a different chord progression and included a lengthy instrumental introduction featuring B.J. Wilson on drums, guitar lines from Jimmy Page, and Tommy Eyre on the organ. His version gained, even more, fame when it was used as the opening theme song for the television series The Wonder Years. Cocker's cover was ranked number two in UpVenue's top 10 best music covers of all time in 2009 and In 2014, a BBC poll saw it voted the seventh best cover version ever. In 2001, Cocker's rework of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Originally, "With a Little Help from My Friends" was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and included on the Beatles’ 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” They wrote it for Ringo Starr, who is also the lead vocalist on the track, portrayed through the character of "Billy Shears". The song, paired with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and featuring "A Day in the Life" as its B-side, was reissued as a single in 1978. Abou the writing process, McCartney said: "It was pretty much co-written, John and I doing a work song for Ringo, a little craft job." In 1970 Lennon stated: "Paul had the line about 'a little help from my friends.' He had some kind of structure for it, and we wrote it pretty well fifty-fifty from his original idea.", but in 1980 Lennon said: "This is Paul, with a little help from me. 'What do you see when you turn out the light/ I can't tell you, but I know it's mine...' is mine." The backing track consisted of Starr on drums, McCartney playing piano, Harrison playing lead guitar and Lennon beating a cowbell. At dawn, Starr trudged up the stairs to head home – but the other Beatles cajoled him into doing his lead vocal then and there, standing around the microphone for moral support. The following day they added tambourine, backing vocals, bass, and more electric guitar.
The song is beautiful in both versions. I feel more intimately related with the soulful interpretation of Joe Cocker but I wouldn’t “rate” neither of them. They are both equally good and legendary.
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