On This Day in 1968, Joe Cocker Landed His First No. 1 Hit With a Little Help From His Talented Friends

For decades, artists such as Paul McCartney and Billy Joel have advocated for Joe Crocker‘s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Finally, that is happening, as Cocker will become a member of the decorated society in just a matter of days. Cocker’s career is collectively prolific, but the one song that put him on the map and has kept him on the map is the 1968 Beatles cover “With A Little Help From My Friends”, which, on this day, November 6, 1968, peaked at No. 1 in the United Kingdom.

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Some of the other notable singles in Joe Cocker’s catalog include “Up Where We Belong”, “Feelin’ Alright?”, and “Unchain My Heart”. However, his 1968 cover of The Beatles’ classic is undeniably his most popular and the song that delivered him his first No. 1 hit. This was not a solo feat for Joe Cocker, because in an ironic connection to the song’s title, Cocker also received some major help from a few of his friends. Some incredibly notable and talented friends at that.

The Crew That Helped Joe Cocker Reach No. 1

In August of 1968, Joe Cocker released “With A Little Help From My Friends” in the UK. Following its release, the song debuted on the chart at No. 48. Months later, the single climbed to the top of the chart and held the top spot for one week. For context, The Beatles didn’t originally release the song as a single, but when they eventually did, it only peaked at No. 63 on the chart. Pretty impressive when you look at the full picture. Not many people have beaten The Beatles at their own game.

As stated previously, Joe Cocker did not create this No. 1 hit on his own. Other than getting The Beatles’ blessing to cover the song, the other musicians who helped Cocker produce this No. 1 track were Procol Harum’s drummer, B.J. Wilson, and the former Yardbirds guitarist, Jimmy Page. So, with the words of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the drum fills of B.J. Wilson, the guitar lines of Jimmy Page, and the ever-so unique vocals of Joe Cocker, it seems this cover was destined to be a No. 1 hit.

In contrast to the song’s dominant run on the UK singles chart, the single only peaked at No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. Regardless, the success of this song has come full circle, because in just two days, Joe Cocker will become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Photo by Robert Knight Archive/Redferns