Joe Cocker - The Ultimate Collection (1968-2003) (2003)

Calling something "The Ultimate Collection" is fraught with problems usually of omission. Certainly over these two discs containing a total of 30 tracks there are plenty of fine moments from some of Joe Cocker's earliest material, such as "The Letter," "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Delta Lady," "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," etc. Also present are virtually all of his later hits and some that should have been: "Up Where We Belong," "You Are So Beautiful," "Many Rivers to Cross," "Leave Your Hat On," etc. But there's just too much that isn't here. Where are "Bird on a Wire" and "Hitchcock Railway," for starters? Nonetheless, given the length of Cocker's career, this is not an unusual complaint. One thing that is unique about this set other than the fine sound is the sequencing that crisscrosses over the breadth and chronology of Cocker's discography. There are also a couple of rarities, which would have been OK to leave off in order to include some of the more classic titles. But this is quibbling; Cocker fans will have a good time with this, but it's a safe bet they won't be selling off their original albums/CDs to replace them with this.