Joe Cocker famously sang “With a Little Help from My Friends” at Woodstock. His powerful performance became one of the festival’s defining musical moments.
The song was originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, with Ringo Starr singing the original. Cocker radically rearranged it into a soulful rock performance influenced by Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.
Cocker recorded his version in 1968 with the Grease Band and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. At Woodstock in August 1969, he performed with the band after being flown to the festival by helicopter because of the enormous crowds.
A common mix-up is crediting the Beatles or Ringo Starr when the question refers to the famous Woodstock performance. Cocker’s rendition also appeared in the Woodstock documentary and later became the opening theme for The Wonder Years.