The Joe Cocker DVD Cry Me A River, dug out from the Rockpalast
vaults, is a 1980 concert filmed at the Berlin’s famous Metropol. This
is Cocker before he gained MOR appeal, and a few years after the furor of Mad
Dogs And Englishmen. A fairly basic shot with the occasional view from
the back of the house, this is a no-frills DVD of Joe Cocker doing what he does
best and playing his greatest songs.
The backing vocal trio get the whole thing started with “Cry Me A River,”
basically singing the song all the way through until Cocker comes to finish
it with a few lines. After that, we’re off to the races with “Feelin’
Alright,” which is played with a softer groove. The band is tight and
we know we are in for, at the very least, a competent show. The solid gospel
of “Put Out The Light” follows before Cocker and the band roll into
a nice surprise, “Whiter Shade Of Pale.” This Procol Harum classic
sounds great with Cocker’s rough voice. “Delta Lady” is next,
then a pumping “Hitchcock Railway,” “Sweet Forgiveness”
and “You Are So Beautiful.” Cocker is in full control and suitable
range the whole time. As a performer, he doesn’t really give you much.
He doesn’t talk to the audience and he doesn’t really move well
(not like at Woodstock). Nevertheless, he command the stage standing at the
mike and opening his mouth.
There’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” and “I
Heard It Through The Grapevine,” with a low groove that doesn’t
really ever get going for me. “The Letter” just smokes and “High
Time We Went” is maybe the best Cocker‘s voice sounds on the disc.
Forgiving the garish pastels of 80s stage clothes (or was that how even our
street clothes looked back then?) and the fact that Joe Cocker, while a legend,
was certainly not enjoying a wave of popularity in 1980 — which he would
later in the decade — this is a pretty decent representation of a solid
Cocker concert. There aren’t many surprises on Cry Me A River,
but you get all the hits you’d expect with a chance to see and hear one
of the most distinctive voices in rock and roll.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
