You Are So Beautiful

"You Are So Beautiful"
Single by Joe Cocker
from the album I Can Stand a Little Rain
Released	1974
Recorded	1974
Genre	Soft rock, pop, blue-eyed soul
Length	2:41
Label	A&M
Writer(s)	Dennis Wilson, Billy Preston
Producer	Rob Fraboni
Joe Cocker singles chronology

"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Dennis Wilson and Billy Preston. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular by Joe Cocker.

Preston's original version first appeared on his 1974 album The Kids & Me. Cocker's producer, Jim Price, created a slowed-down arrangement for Cocker's version, which first appeared on the album, I Can Stand a Little Rain (released later in 1974). Released as a single, the Joe Cocker version reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1975 and helped the album become a hit.

According to biographer Jon Stebbins, Wilson claimed that he and Preston spontaneously collaborated on the words and music to the song at a party.[1] Wilson sang the song as an encore at Beach Boys shows intermittently from 1975 until his death in 1983.

Renditions

• In 1976 Kenny Rankin recorded a version on The Kenny Rankin Album.
• In 1983 Kenny Rogers recorded a version on his album We've Got Tonight.
• In 1993, Bonnie Tyler recorded a version similar to Joe Cocker's on her album Silhouette In Red.
• In 2006, saxophonist Jimmy Sommers released a cover from his Standards album "Time Stands Still."[2][3]
• It is also on Zucchero's All the Best Album.[4]
• Captain and Tennille covered the song in 1995 on their "Twenty Years of Romance" CD.
• Diana Ross covered the song in 2006 on her "I Love You" CD.
• Westlife covered the song in 2006 for their album, The Love Album.
• Babyface covered the song in 1993 on his "For The Cool In You" CD.
• Cows covered the song in 1991 on an Amphetamine Reptile Peel Sessions CD.
• Trombonist Urbie Green recorded 'You are so beautiful' in 1977 on his album Señor Blues with Grover Washington Jr & David Matthews' Big Band (CTI Super7079)
• Perry Como recorded the song in his 1983 album "So It Goes".
• Doris Day included the song on her 2011 album My Heart.
• Sam Moore recorded the song on his 2006 album "Overnight Sensational" which features original composer Billy Preston as well as guitarists Eric Clapton and Robert Randolph.
• Lulu Roman (of Hee Haw fame) and T. Graham Brown recorded a duet of the song for Roman's 2013 album At Last.

In other media

As with many other popular songs, You are has been briefly featured in several movies and TV programs:

• On the sitcom The Wonder Years in Season 6, Episode 16 - "Nose." The song is played at the end of the episode at a school dance where Kevin's friend Ricky loses a girl with a large nose.
• On the sitcom Home Improvement - "Jill's Birthday" The song is played in the montage to feature classic photos of Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson) in her early age.
• In Season 5, Episode 9 of Full House.
• On the sitcom Two and a Half Men in the 2007 episode "Anteaters. They're Just Crazy-lookin" sung by Enrique Iglesias as the handyman Fernando.
• An episode[which?] of Desperate Housewives where it was revealed to have been Karl and Susan Mayer's song.
• Used in the film Carlito's Way.
• UK movie Get Real played Ian Harrison version in the school's ball.
• In the Simpsons episode Simpson and Delilah Marge sings it to Homer at the very end of the episode. Karl also arranges for someone to come and sing the song to Marge, making it look like this is Homer's anniversary present to her.
• Seann William Scott sings the song in the movie "Evolution" (2001).
• Alfalfa Switzer (Bug Hall) performed the song in the 1994 movie "The Little Rascals" in his first scene.
• Danny Gokey performed the song on American Idol during the week of the top 3 and was eliminated the next night.
• Boy Band One Direction covered the song in week eight of The X Factor UK's seventh series.
• Singer Babyface performed the song during the marriage ceremony of Martin and Gina of Martin.
• Johnson & Jodeyne skated to You Are So Beautiful in week 9 of DOI & on the DOI tour.
• Though not directly used, the Saint Seiya OVA Legend of Crimson Youth features at the end credits a song called "You are my reason to be". At one point the phrase "You are so beautiful to me" is sung.
• Jessica Sanchez sang this on British Week on American Idol.
• Tim Hockenberry performed the song on his season 7 audition of America's Got Talent.
• On Knots Landing (Season 11, Episode 270), the song play as a drunk Danny Waleska runs Pat Williams over with his car.
• On Three's Company - Season 6, Episode 12: Strangers in the Night. Larry sings as Jack lip syncs trying to impress a girl.

References

1. ^ Hlavaty, Craig. "The Secret History of 'You Are So Beautiful'". Houston Press. Retrieved 2013-02-26. 
2. ^ "Time Stands Still overview". Allmusic.com. 
3. ^ "News :: 05.26.09 ::". JimmySommers.com. 
4. ^ Zucchero - All The Best Album

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics