Hard Knocks (album)

Hard Knocks
Studio album by Joe Cocker
Released

1 October 2010 (Europe)

24 January 2012 (USA)
Genre Rock, blues
Label Columbia (Europe)
Producer Matt Serletic
Joe Cocker chronology

Hymn for My Soul
(2007)		 Hard Knocks
(2010)		 Icon
(2011)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
musicOMH [2]

Hard Knocks is the twenty-first studio album by Joe Cocker, released on 1 October 2010 by Columbia Records in Europe. It features nine brand 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.

The album reached No. 1 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart and No. 2 on Billboard's European Albums chart.[3]

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

  1. "Hard Knocks" (Marc Broussard/Maxwell Aaron Ramsey/Shannon Sanders) – 3:24
  2. "Get On" (Matt Serletic/Danny Myrick/Stephanie Bentley) – 3:28
  3. "Unforgiven" (Mitch Allan/Kara DioGuardi/Nick Lachey/Dave Hodges) – 4:14
  4. "The Fall" (Matt Serletic/Danny Myrick/Aimée Proal) – 3:49
  5. "So It Goes" (Matt Serletic/Jeffrey Steele/Danny Myrick) – 3:21
  6. "Runaway Train" (Ollie Marland) – 3:27
  7. "Stay The Same" (Matt Serletic/Danny Myrick/Stephanie Bentley) – 4:39
  8. "Thankful" (Matt Serletic/Kara DioGuardi) – 3:59
  9. "So" (Chantal Kreviazuk/Thomas "Tawgs" Slater) – 3:56
  10. "I Hope" (Keb' Mo'/Martie Maguire/Natalie Maines/Emily Robison) – 4:46
  11. "Forever Changed" – 3:51 – iTunes bonus track

Limited Live Edition additional tracks

  1. "Hard Knocks" (Marc Broussard/Maxwell Aaron Ramsey/Shannon Sanders)
  2. "Get On" (Matt Serletic/Danny Myrick/Stephanie Bentley)
  3. "Unforgiven" (Mitch Allan/Kara DioGuardi/Nick Lachey/Dave Hodges)
  4. "Thankful" (Matt Serletic/Kara DioGuardi)
  5. "You Are So Beautiful" (Billy Preston/Bruce Fisher)
  6. "With a Little Help from My Friends" (Lennon/McCartney)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Germany Top 100 Albums[4] 1
Switzerland Albums Top 100[5] 2
Austria Alben Top 75[6] 4
Hungary Albums Chart[7] 20
Denmark Album Top 40[8] 21
Belgium Ultratop 50 albums (Flanders)[9] 32
France Albums Chart[10] 34
Belgium Ultratop 50 albums (Wallonia)[9] 41
Netherlands Album Top 100[11] 41
UK Albums Chart[12] 61
Spain Top 100 Albums[13] 86

Year-end charts

Chart (2010) Position
German Albums Chart[14] 31

Certifications

Country Provider Certification
Germany BVMI Platinum[15]

Personnel

Lead vocals – Joe Cocker
Guitars – Ray Parker, Jr., Tim Pierce, Joel Shearer, Tom Bukovac, Kenny Greenberg
Bass – Chris Chaney, Glenn Worf
Drums – Josh Freese, Dorian Crozier, Matt Chamberlain, Greg Morrow
Keyboards – Jamie Muhoberac, Matt Serletic
Programming – Matt Serletic
String arrangements - David Campbell (unforgiven)
Synthesizer, Wurlitzer – Steve Nathan
Trombone – Jeff Babko
Saxophones – Cleto Escobedo III
Trumpet – Ron King
Vocal Production – Sherree Brown, Rich King, Judson Spence
Background vocals – Robyn Troup, Sherree Brown, Rich King, Mabvuto Carpenter, Stephanie Bentley, Kim Keys, Ashley Cleveland, Judson Spence
Cello, violin, viola – Stevie Blacke
Gospel Choir

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (24 October 2010). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  2. ↑ http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/joe-cocker-hard-knocks
  3. ↑ "Hard Knocks – Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Joe Cocker - Hard Knocks - swisscharts.com". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks – austriancharts.at". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  7. ↑ "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  8. ↑ "danishcharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "ultratop.be – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". www.ultratop.be. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  10. ↑ "lescharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  11. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  12. ↑ "Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  13. ↑ "spanishcharts.com – Joe Cocker – Hard Knocks". spanishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  14. ↑ "VIVA Album Top 50 – Alle Musikvideos – Chart". VIVA.tv. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Hard Knocks')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.