"Mad Dogs & Englishmen" is a live album by Joe Cocker, a renowned English rock and blues musician. Released in 1970 by A&M Records, the album is remembered as a classic in the live rock album genre. This landmark double album features numerous popular music artists of the era.
The album originates from a hectic 1970 U.S. tour that put forty-two musicians on the road for fifty-two shows presented as a circus, featuring two complete bands, backup singers and dancers, a film crew, and several children and dogs. The tour not only became a legendary music event but it was also recorded as a documentary.
Some of the album's notable songs include classic rock staples like "The Letter," "Cry Me a River," "Delta Lady," "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window," and "Space Captain." The renditions of these songs performed by Cocker and his touring band, led by musical director and pianist Leon Russell, are generally considered some of the finest performances in each of their repertoires.
"Mad Dogs & Englishmen" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart and was certified gold by the RIAA within a month of its release. Even today, it is acclaimed by critics and fans alike for its high-energy performances and genre-defining style.
