Hard Knocks is the twenty-first and penultimate studio album by Joe Cocker, released on 1 October 2010 by Columbia Records in Europe. It features nine new songs produced by Matt Serletic plus Cocker's version of the Dixie Chicks number "I Hope", which was produced by Tony Brown. Apart from a regular CD release, the album was also released on vinyl.
| Hard Knocks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 October 2010 (Europe) 24 January 2012 (US) | |||
| Recorded | 2009–10 | |||
| Genre | Rock, blues | |||
| Length | 39:08 | |||
| Label | Columbia (Europe) Savoy Label Group (USA) | |||
| Producer | Matt Serletic | |||
| Joe Cocker chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Hard Knocks | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Record Collector | [2] |
| Uncut | [3] |
The album reached number 1 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart and number 2 on the same magazine's European Albums chart.[4]
A Limited Live Edition (CD/DVD) version of the album was released in December 2010 in Europe with live tracks off the album recorded at Le Zenith in Paris in 2010.
Track listing
edit- "Hard Knocks" (Marc Broussard, Maxwell Aaron Ramsey, Shannon Sanders) – 3:24
- "Get On" (Matt Serletic, Danny Myrick, Stephanie Bentley) – 3:28
- "Unforgiven" (Mitch Allan, Kara DioGuardi, Nick Lachey, Dave Hodges) – 4:14
- "The Fall" (Matt Serletic, Danny Myrick, Aimée Proal) – 3:49
- "So It Goes" (Matt Serletic, Jeffrey Steele, Danny Myrick) – 3:21
- "Runaway Train" (Ollie Marland) – 3:27
- "Stay The Same" (Matt Serletic, Danny Myrick, Stephanie Bentley) – 4:39
- "Thankful" (Matt Serletic, Kara DioGuardi) – 3:59
- "So" (Chantal Kreviazuk, Thomas "Tawgs" Salter) – 3:56
- "I Hope" (Keb' Mo', Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison) – 4:46
- "Forever Changed" – 3:51 – iTunes bonus track
Limited Live Edition additional tracks
- "Hard Knocks" (Marc Broussard, Maxwell Aaron Ramsey, Shannon Sanders)
- "Get On" (Matt Serletic, Danny Myrick, Stephanie Bentley)
- "Unforgiven" (Mitch Allan, Kara DioGuardi, Nick Lachey, Dave Hodges)
- "Thankful" (Matt Serletic, Kara DioGuardi)
- "You Are So Beautiful" (Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher)
- "With a Little Help from My Friends" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Personnel
edit- Joe Cocker – lead vocals
- Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards (1-9)
- Matt Serletic – keyboards (1-9), programming (1-9)
- Steve Nathan – synthesizers (10), Wurlitzer organ (10)
- Ray Parker Jr. – guitars (1-9)
- Tim Pierce – guitars (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
- Joel Sherear – guitars (2, 5, 7)
- Tom Bukovac – electric guitar (10)
- Kenny Greenberg – electric guitar (10)
- Chris Chaney – bass (1-9)
- Glenn Worf – bass (10)
- Josh Freese – drums (1-3, 5, 7)
- Matt Chamberlain – drums (4, 9)
- Dorian Crozier – drums (6, 8)
- Cleto Escobedo III – saxophones (1, 2)
- Jeff Babko – trombone (1, 2)
- Ron King – trumpet (1, 2)
- Stevie Blacke – cello (3, 4), viola (3, 4), violin (3, 4)
- Sheree Brown – backing vocals (1-4, 7, 9)
- Mabvuto Carpenter – backing vocals (1-4, 7, 9)
- Robyn Troup – backing vocals (1-4, 7, 9)
- Stephanie Bentley – backing vocals (7)
- Ashley Cleveland – backing vocals (10)
- Kim Keyes – backing vocals (10)
- Judson Spence – backing vocals (10)
Choir on "Thankful"
- Jennifer Bailey
- Mabvuto Carpenter
- Kara DioGuardi
- Erica Dowd
- Dorian Ford
- Nomisha Jackson
- Renee Jackson
- Robyn Troup
- Niomisha Wilson
Production
edit- Matt Serletic – producer (1-9)
- Tony Brown – producer (10)
- Mark Dobson – recording (1-9), Pro Tools editing (1-9)
- Doug Trantow – recording (1-9), Pro Tools editing (1-9)
- Jeff Balding – engineer (10)
- Alex Arias – additional engineer (1-9), assistant engineer (1-9), Pro Tools assistant (1-9)
- Mike Leisz – assistant engineer (1-9)
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
- Andrew Schubert – additional mixing
- Brad Townsend – additional mixing
- Keith Armstrong – mix assistant
- Nik Karpen – mix assistant
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Ryan Corey – art direction, design
- Jeri Heiden – art direction, design
- Olaf Heine – photography
Studios
- Tracks 1-9 recorded at Emblem Studios (Calabasas, California).
- Track 10 recorded at Sound Stage Studios (Nashville, Tennessee).
- All songs mixed at Mix LA (Los Angeles, California).
- Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).
Charts
edit| Chart (2010–2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums[5] | 71 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[6] | 4 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] | 32 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[8] | 41 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[9] | 21 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] | 41 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[11] | 34 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[12] | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI)[13] | 42 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[14] | 20 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[15] | 34 |
| Polish Albums (ZPAV)[16] | 14 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[17] | 13 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[18] | 86 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[19] | 52 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] | 2 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[21] | 61 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[22] | 48 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Albums Chart[23] | 31 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (BVMI)[24] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[25] | Gold | 10,000* |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Personnel
edit- Joe Cocker – vocals
- Ray Parker Jr., Tim Pierce, Joel Shearer, Tom Bukovac, Kenny Greenberg – guitar
- Chris Chaney, Glenn Worf – bass guitar
- Josh Freese, Dorian Crozier, Matt Chamberlain, Greg Morrow – drums
- Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards
- Matt Serletic – keyboards, programming
- Steve Nathan – synthesizer, Hammond organ, piano
- Jeff Babko – trombone
- Cleto Escobedo III – saxophone
- Ron King – trumpet
- Robyn Troup, Sherree Brown, Rich King, Mabvuto Carpenter, Stephanie Bentley, Kim Keys, Ashley Cleveland, Judson Spence – backing vocals
- Stevie Blacke – cello, violin, viola
References
edit- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hard Knocks – Joe Cocker". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ Staunton, Terry. "Joe Cocker - Hard Knocks". Record Collector. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Lewis, John (November 2010). "Joe Cocker: Hard Knocks". Uncut. No. 162. p. 83.
- ^ "Hard Knocks – Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 61.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Greekcharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2010. 43. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ "Joe Cocker Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "VIVA Album Top 50 – Alle Musikvideos – Chart". VIVA.tv. Archived from the original on 8 January 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Joe Cocker; 'Hard Knocks')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.