Joe Cocker (featuring Rita "The Delta Lady" Coolidge) - "Superstar" (1970)

A rare live recording of Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett's "Superstar" with Rita "The Delta Lady" Coolidge on vocals from Joe Cocker's 1970 live album "Mad Dogs and Englishmen".

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mad Dogs and Englishmen
• Rita The Delta Lady Coolidge
• Leon Rusell
• Bonnie Bramlet
• Superstar Filmore East

[cvte2]

this is the "original' version folks. none can do it better than Rita! soulful sounding.. thanks for posting...

[jwb91560]

Props to Karen Carpenter, but this version kicks the sh** out of the Carpenters version (in my humble opinion).

[bethany3844]

@bigbadfitter You can tell this from the singing, eh?

[TmaadHMD]

@cvte2

The original was actually by Bonnie & Delaney.

[bigbadfitter1]

This song was about Rita's crush on Eric Clapton was the story I'd heard.

She sings it with passion, like a woman, not a girl.

She sounds like she's had an orgasm in her life, not some sterile little girl singing.

Met her, she might be the nicest person I ever met in rock and roll, really sweet and unGodly beautiful in person. We did sound for her, REO Speedwagon and Siegal-Schwall blues band a a girl's high school graduation party outside of Chicago about 1972 or so!!

[wsgf822]

Rita Coolidge and Claudia Linnear, two of the hottest, best, all-time "back-up singers" ever! Does anyone have any current info. re. Claudia Linnear's career?

[wsgf822]

And FINALLY Leon has been recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. What were they waiting for?!@#$%

How funny that Karen Carpenter "cleaned up" Leon's explicit words, "and I can hardly wait to sleep with you again," to "be with you again." C'mon this song was about a groupie. Love you Rita, Delta Lady.

[MsHappymemories]

@musickluva01 Weren't they two of the backup singers in Mad Dogs with Rita? What a group that was. Every one of them was fantastic and then they all went on to sing and play their way to fame. I love Bonnie and Delaney but there was such talent in that group, Dave Mason, Leon Russell, B & D, not to mention Rita and Joe Cocker. That was music. Look out and listen to them. It doesn't get better.

[musickluva01]

this isnt the original version. the original version was written and performed by Delaney & Bonnie

[Roxy41262]

No disrespect to Karen but it's Rita's song as far as I'm concerned. Just beautiful!

[nazzare79]

"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell (Delaney & Bonnie and Friends).  The Carpenters version is the most famous. A wonderful song...