Joe Cocker "Mad Dogs & Englishmen," after the Noël Coward song of the same name. Cocker's music evolved into a more bluesy type of rock, compared to that of the Rolling Stones. During the ensuing Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour (later described by drummer Jim Keltner as "a big, wild party"), Cocker toured 48 cities, recorded a live album, and received very positive reviews from "Time" and "Life" for his performances. However, the pace of the tour was exhausting. Russell and Cocker had personal problems; Cocker became depressed and began drinking excessively as the tour wound down in May 1970. Meanwhile, he
The Letter (The Box Tops song) more than one million copies and the RIAA certified it as gold. "The Letter" also reached the top 10 in several other countries, including Belgium, France, Holland, Malaysia, Israel, Norway, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Greece, and the Philippines. English singer Joe Cocker recorded "The Letter" during the rehearsals for his upcoming "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour on March 17, 1970. Leon Russell and the Shelter People provided the back up; Russell and Denny Cordell produced the recording. A&M Records released it as a single, with "Space Captain" as the B-side. It appeared in "Billboard's" Hot 100 in April 1970