Put Out the Light

Album: I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974)
Charted: 46
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Alternately titled "Somebody I Trusted (Put Out The Light)," this song was written by Daniel Moore, who was Joe Cocker's choir director on his 1970 Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. The song was also recorded by Three Dog Night and David Clayton Thomas, but Moore tells us that Cocker's version is his favorite.

    Talking about how he came up with the song, Moore said: "The inspiration for writing the song was my impatience with people that put a sour note on any situation. Especially recording or performance situations. Negativity ruins the creative process as a general rule. So I won't usually stand for it." (Here's our full Daniel Moore interview.)
  • This was issued as the first single from Cocker's I Can Stand a Little Rain album, but it quickly became clear that the B-side of the single, "You Are So Beautiful," had more chart potential. After a few weeks, A&M Records issued the single with the sides flipped, and "Beautiful" became a big hit.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.