You Are So Beautiful
| "You Are So Beautiful" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher. Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys contributed to the song's genesis, but his official credit was omitted. It was first recorded by Preston and made popular by Joe Cocker. Preston who grew up playing the organ in church, originally wrote the lyrics about God.[citation needed]
Preston's original version first appeared on his 1974 album The Kids & Me and as the B-side on the 45rpm pressing of his pop hit, "Struttin'". 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). In 1975, the Joe Cocker version was released as a single and peaked number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number twelve on the Easy Listening chart.[1] The Cocker version helped the album become a successful and was his biggest hit until his duet with Jennifer Warnes, "Up Where We Belong", which reached #1 in 1982.
Authorship
Though not officially credited as the song's writer, Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys and Preston spontaneously collaborated on the words and music to the song at a party.[2] Wilson never sought to reclaim his share of the song's authorship.[3] The song's tone has been related to the style of his solo material.[3]
Without instrumental accompaniment, Wilson sang "You Are So Beautiful" as an encore at Beach Boys shows intermittently from 1975 until his death in 1983.[citation needed] A live rendition was released on the group's live album Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 in 2002.
Notable renditions
- Ray Stevens recorded it in 1976 for his album Just for the Record. Stevens' version reached number 16 on the Hot Country Songs charts.
- Kenny Rogers recorded the song as the closing track on his best-selling album We've Got Tonight from 1983. It was also used as the B-side to the single release of the title track.
- Irish singer Brian Kennedy covered the song on his 2008 album "Interpretations".
- Former Isley Brother Chris Jasper covered the song on his 2016 album "Share With Me".
In other media
- Television programs have used commercial recordings of the song. Seventies-themed sitcom The Wonder Years used a recorded version of the song in Season 6, Episode 16, "Nose," where it played at the end of the episode at a school dance where Kevin's friend Ricky loses a girl with a large nose just as Ricky had come to appreciate her.
- An episode of Home Improvement ("Jill's Birthday") accompanied the song with a montage of photos of Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson) in her early age.
- The song played in Season 5, Episode 9 of Full House.
- The film Modern Romance (1981) includes an instrumental version of the song in its opening and closing titles, and also uses Joe Cocker's version to underscore its final scene.
- Joe Cocker's version was also used in the film Carlito's Way (1993) and plays during Gail's apartment scene and over the film's end credits.
- In 2016, the song appears in the season one finale of Quantico entitled "Yes", first sung by a drunk Caleb Haas (Graham Rogers) and Brandon Fletcher (Jacob Artist) celebrating their graduation, then leading into the Joe Cocker version for the remainder of the scene.
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 58.
- ^ Collins, Ace (2013). Music for Your Heart: Reflections from Your Favorite Songs and Hymns. Abingdon Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-4267-7604-5.
- ^ a b Hlavaty, Craig. "The Secret History of 'You Are So Beautiful'". Houston Press. Retrieved 2013-02-26.