In 1968, rocker Joe Cocker made a name for himself when he put his own raspy spin on the Beatles' hit "With a Little Help from My Friends." Years later, he would make waves with the tune again when it was used as the theme song for the nostalgic ABC sitcom The Wonder Years, but he continued covering the Fab Four and working closely with others like them throughout the decades in between.
Artists like Billy Preston, who was one of the few musicians the Beatles allowed into their studios and even onto one of their records back in the '60s. The talented singer-songwriter wrote one of Cocker's most renowned ballads, "You Are So Beautiful," with a little help from another famous hitmaker: the Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson. The surf rocker didn't care to have his name was on the record, but the overall tone does match his later solo work. Wilson would even occasionally perform the song as an encore while on tour before his untimely death in 1983.
But it was Cocker's distinct vocals that made the sentimental tune truly unique and memorable. The gruffness of his voice in contrast with the softness of the lyrics create a perfect dichotomy. Here, Cocker is joined by another impressive vocalist, Luciano Pavarotti. Leaving the rest of the Three Tenors at home, Pavarotti stands onstage with Cocker in Modena, Italy, to add his own unique touch to the tune.
Trading back and forth between verses, the duet is one of the most extraordinary moments in music history.
Take a look at the incredible performance below, and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
