Hymn for My Soul

Joe Cocker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 13, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fantasy
• ASIN: B00160ANPU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,625 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #56 in Music > Blues > Contemporary Blues
  • #60 in Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Britain

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

On May 13th, Fantasy Records will release Hymn For My Soul, the newest album from legendary singer Joe Cocker. The album unites Cocker, possessor of one of the world's most instantly recognisable and iconic voices (Lennon & McCartney's With A Little Help From My Friends, anyone?), with Ethan Johns, who has proved both his worth and his Midas touch via albums he's produced for, among others, Rufus Wainwright, Emmylou Harris, Ryan Adams, Razorlight, Kings of Leon, and Ray LaMontagne. The union has resulted in one of the most accomplished pieces of work in the Sheffield-born singer's long and illustrious career, and one played by arguably the most stellar band to be assembled in a recording studio anywhere in the world in recent times.

Among them are drummers Jim Keltner (uniformly viewed as the best session drummer in the world, a man who played with John Lennon and Bob Dylan), and James Gadson (as well as producing classic albums for the soul star Bill Withers, he drummed on hit recordings by artists ranging from Gladys Knight to Justin Timberlake). Also present are Tom Petty's pianist Benmont Tench, former Jethro Tull keyboard player Dave Palmer, bassist Bob Babbitt (member of Motown Records' studio band The Funk Brothers in the `60s and `70s, and hence a player on more seminal recordings than can be listed here), and Hammond organist Mike Finnigan (who played with Jimi Hendrix on Electric Ladyland). Completing the all-star line-up on backing vocals are Merry Clayton (once one of Ray Charles's Raelettes, she sang on the Stones' Gimme Shelter), Tata Vega, Julia Walters, her brother Oren Walters, and Jim Gilstrap.

The uniformly blues / gospel-ish material on Hymn For My Soul spans the decades. In addition to the classic Bob Dylan track `Ring Them Bells' there are vintage songs by Stevie Wonder (`You Haven't Done Nothin'), George Harrison (`Beware Of Darkness'), and John Fogerty's (`Long As I Can See The Light').

There are tracks associated with veteran soul legends too, notably Art Neville and The Meters (Love Is For Me), Solomon Burke (Don't Give Up On Me), and Percy Mayfield (Rivers Invitation). But there are also two selections from the recent past, namely those by New Orleans group The Subdudes (One Word (Peace)), and Andy Fairweather-Low (the titular Hymn 4 My Soul). Recorded at L.A.'s Sunset Sound Studios and sung, played, and produced to near-perfection, they represent the best work that Cocker has done in years. The last track on the album, the only song not produced by Johns, is Cocker's version of The Beatle's `Come Together,' which was featured in the Oscar nominated movie, Across The Universe.

Product Description

Nearly four decades after he thrilled the throngs at Woodstock, Joe Cocker remains one of rock's pre-eminent survivors, recording and touring prolifically and maintaining a loyal worldwide fan base. On Hymn For My Soul "The Sheffield Soul Shouter" delivers a stellar album that includes songs by Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, the Meters, John Fogerty, Percy Mayfield and more. The album was produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontagne), the son of Glyn Johns, who was the engineer on many of Cocker's early albums. Fantasy has the exclusive U.S. release of this album, which contains the bonus track "Come Together," from the Across The Universe soundtrack.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hymn For My Soul Is Outstanding!, April 5, 2007

By 

Scott Bleiberg (Sunrise, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

"Hymn For My Soul" is one of the finest albums Joe Cocker has ever released. And, he has found the perfect producer for this stage of his career - Ethan Johns. Together, they have created a masterpiece. It is my hope that this partnership will remain in force for a long time.

What makes this album great is a back to basics approach. The album was recorded on tape, with Joe and the musicians all in the same room, and Joe singing live with the band. This brings out the best in Joe's voice. All the nooks and crannies are there, and there is great warmth and presence in the sound. There are no computers, no multi-layered arrangements, and there isn't the slick adult contemporary feel that has been present on recent albums. What we have is Joe singing R&B and ballads as only he can. His voice remains powerful, yet at the same time he is capable of great sensitivity. That is what sets Joe apart from all of the pretenders.

Joe puts his imprint on songs from Stevie Wonder (You Haven't Done Nothin'), Bob Dylan (Ring Them Bells), George Harrison (Beware Of Darkness), John Fogerty (Long As I Can See The Light), The Meters (Love Is For Me), Percy Mayfield (River's Invitation), Solomon Burke (Don't Give Up On Me), The Subdudes (One Word - Peace), old friend Daniel Moore (Just Pass It On), and the title track by Andy Fairweather Low. These are, in many cases, unexpected and inspired song choices.

Some will complain about another "covers" album, but they don't get what Joe is all about. While he has put out a lot of memorable original material, he is at his best when he takes a great song introduced by someone else and sings it his way. After all, isn't that what great interpretive singers do? Would anybody criticize Sinatra for not writing his own material? Others will muse, "there are no true rock songs". Well, Joe has never been a pure rocker. He has always mixed rock, ballads, R&B, even a tinge of country, going back to his days in Sheffield. What is important here is that Joe is singing great, the musicianship is fantastic, and the album is beautifully recorded. At 63, he is showing that he still has it, and has a lot left in the tank.

Right now, HFMS is available only as an import, and will probably released in the US late this year. Hopefully, this album will be the one to catapult Joe back in to the spotlight in the US, and compel the Rock Hall Of Fame and the Grammys to finally give Joe Cocker the recognition he deserves.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BEST JOE COCKER STUDIO ALBUM IN YEARS., April 2, 2007

By 

Anthony Accordino (Massapequa Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

Rock legend Joe Cocker has just released a stunning new studio album "Hymn For My Soul", which in my opinion will generate rave reviews. The album will only be released in Europe while Joe starts a world tour in that region. The cd will eventually find release in the USA in late 2007. It can be ordered on Amazon or many other sites that sell music. What makes this cd so special, is Cocker recorded this cd with Ethan Johns, whose father Glyn mixed the "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" album some 37 years ago. Recorded in the same studio as his sophmore classic from 1969 "Joe Cocker!", "Hymn For My Soul" is a smooth rock/soul delight that sounds as if it were sung live. In many ways this is a live recording from the studio, as it was recorded the old fashion way, with musicians actually playing in the studio as the vocal tracks were being recorded. No over-production, or computer over-dubs here. This is the real deal, and what you get is the pure growl of Joe Cocker's voice, and real instrumentation. Some of the highlights here include "You haven't Done Nothing", "Just Pass It On", an unbelievable take on George Harrison's "Beware Of Darkness", "Ring Them Bells", and of course the funky title track "Hymn For My Soul". Some great musicians lend a helping hand on this recording, like Jim Keltner and James Gadson on drums, Benmont Tench from Tom Petty's band on keyboards, Jethro Tulls piano man Dave Palmer is also on keyboards. The legendary Bob Babbit who played for the Motown house band the "Funk Brothers", is on bass and Merry Clayton, who sang back-up to Joe in the sixties, is back on back-up vocals. This is Cockers purest album in quite awhile, complete with some of his best vocal arrangements and sound in years. Also included on this domestic release[U.S> only], is the bonus track "Come Together", from the "Across The Universe" soundtrack, which proves to be another stellar cover of a Beatles song. At 63 years old, Joe Cocker still packs a punch like no other from his generation. Don't miss this legend as he is touring the U.S this summer with Steve Miller.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars COCKER GOES TO CHURCH WITH HYMN - JOIN HIM, April 3, 2007

By 

Alan Dorfman - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Finishing up his fourth decade of recording, the original Mad Dog and Englishman, at times better known for performances masquerading as epileptic fits and a growl with enough grit to use as sandpaper, Joe Cocker has survived and thrived as an ultimate interpreter of other people's songs, bringing to them a power and vulnerability that few singers can match.

He's back again with a new collection with less grit but no less passion wrapped in crystal clear production that shows off his still compelling voice off to it best advantage. Every selection either has a bluesy, elegaic, or gospel tone and is done well.

As usual Joe shines with his cover versions and there are plenty here to carry on that tradition - Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothing," George Harrison's "Beware Of Darkness," and Percy Mayfield's "River's Invitation." John Fogerty's "Long As I Can See The Light" is re-imagined as a religious dirge and Andy Fairweather Low (of Amen Corner and later back-up guitarist/vocalist for Eric Clapton) provides Joe with the tour de force title tune "Hymn 4 The Soul."

There's more treasure to be dug here, particularly "One Word (Peace)" which, if I had my way, would be playing on every radio station from here to Timbuktu. It is a fervent plea for peace in a world where war and terrorisn is now in everyone's backyard.

For Joe Cocker fans and people who like the blues and brilliant interpretors.