Up Where We Belong - wikipedia Up Where We Belong `` Up Where We Belong '' Single by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes from the album An Officer and a Gentleman B - side `` Sweet Lil ' Woman '' ( Cocker only ) Released July 1982 ( 1982 - 07 ) Format 45 rpm record CD single cassette single Recorded Los Angeles, 1982 Length 4 : 00 ( single ) 3 : 55 ( album ) Label Island Composer ( s ) Jack Nitzsche Buffy Sainte - Marie Lyricist ( s ) Will Jennings Producer ( s ) Stewart Levine Joe Cocker singles chronology `` Talking Back to the Night '' ( 1982 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' ( 1982 ) `` Threw It Away '' ( 1983 ) Jennifer Warnes singles chronology `` Come to Me '' ( 1982 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' ( 1982 ) `` Nights Are Forever '' ( 1983 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' is a song written by Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte - Marie and Will Jennings that was recorded by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes for the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. It reached record stores in July of that year to coincide with the release of the film. The song is about the belief that love can withstand the struggles of a relationship and make it stronger. There were many temporary setbacks in making the record. The budget for the film did not allow for a new song to be written and produced. The film 's director did n't think Warnes had the kind of voice he wanted until she recommended that she sing a duet with Cocker, and the song 's producer had to practically drag Cocker into the studio to get him to record it. When the studio executives heard the finished product, they hated it and tried getting another song made in time to promote the film. `` Up Where We Belong '' reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and topped the charts in several other countries. It also sold one million copies in the U.S. and was recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America as one of the Songs of the Century. Cocker and Warnes were awarded the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and Nitzsche, Sainte - Marie, and Jennings won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Contents 1 Background 2 Composition and lyrics 3 Recording and aftermath 4 Reception 5 Awards and accolades 6 Live performances 7 Legacy 8 Credits and personnel 9 Chart performance 9.1 Weekly charts 9.2 Year - end charts 10 Certifications and sales 11 Notable cover versions and parodies 12 See also 13 References 14 Bibliography 15 External links Background On February 24, 1982, English rock and soul singer Joe Cocker performed `` I 'm So Glad I 'm Standing Here Today '' with the jazz group the Crusaders at the Grammy Awards. Their collaboration on the song for a Crusaders album had earned a nomination that year in the category of Best Inspirational Performance. Singer - songwriter Jennifer Warnes saw the show from home. She had been a fan of Cocker 's since her teens and at one time had a poster of him on her wall showing him performing at Woodstock, so this was a special moment. `` I was so moved, I was hollering out loud with joy, jumping up and down... After a difficult battle with drugs and alcohol, Joe was in total command once again. I knew at that moment that I would sing with Joe. '' Director Taylor Hackford was not budgeted for a new song to be produced for An Officer and a Gentleman. Meanwhile, plans were being made for An Officer and a Gentleman to be distributed by Paramount Pictures, and studio executive Frank Mancuso was `` very adamant about designing some kind of music element that would help pre-sell the movie. '' The film 's director, Taylor Hackford, was also interested in producing an original title song to help market it, but there was no money in the film 's budget for such a recording. He forged ahead on the idea, anyway, working with Joel Sill, who was head of music at Paramount at the time, without anyone else at the studio knowing that they were doing so. The director contacted his friend Gary George to consult with regarding the selection of a recording artist for the song. George, the former head of publicity at Warner Bros. Records, had recently become a manager and suggested Warnes, who was a client of his. The original idea to sing with Joe was mine. -- Jennifer Warnes `` Up Where We Belong '' - chorus The part of the chorus with the lyric `` Love, lift us up '', which was what drew Joe Cocker to the song. Problems playing this file ? See media help. Among the half dozen songs that Warnes had placed in the top half of the Billboard Hot 100 at that point was the number six hit `` Right Time of the Night '' from 1977. Her soundtrack credits included the Oscar - nominated `` One More Hour '' from Ragtime and the Oscar - winning `` It Goes Like It Goes '' from Norma Rae, which, like the Hackford film, also had a lead female character who worked in a factory. Hackford initially rejected the idea of Warnes singing a song for An Officer and a Gentleman `` because he felt she had too sweet a sound, '' but Warnes met with Sill and discussed the possibility of doing so : `` I suggested to Joel that I sing on that film in a duet with Joe Cocker. '' Sill thought this was an interesting idea but needed to convince Hackford of that. He said, `` I discussed with Taylor, since the film centered really around Richard ( Gere ) and Debra ( Winger ) primarily, that maybe we should have a duet '' and that with Cocker and Warnes they would be `` matching the characters to some degree. The dynamic between the two was the soft and the rough, that, to some degree, Debra Winger 's character was very, very soft in the picture, even though she was in a rough environment. And Richard Gere 's character, to some degree, was really a rough character until he was softened up by her. '' Hackford `` thought the duet could be very exciting '' and now had another friend in the music industry to ask for a favor : `` I 'd started in music, in public television, and I had done a show with Traffic years before. Chris Blackwell managed Traffic and had owned Island Records, and Joe Cocker was now recording for Island. I called Chris and said I want to do this, and he just, on the phone, said, ' OK, I 'll make this happen. ' '' What would initially convince Cocker to work on the project, however, was a small portion of the lyrics. He described it as `` the ' Up ' part, which is what made me realize it had hit potential. It was so unusual -- that ' Love, lift us up... ' '' Composition and lyrics The last scene of the movie brought the story to a happy ending, and Hackford said, `` I wanted to have a song at the end of this film that would cap that romantic spirit. Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Saint - Marie, his then - wife, had written the theme for this, and I wanted a song based on that theme. '' Nitzsche wanted to have Sainte - Marie write the lyrics, but Sill explained why they rejected that idea. `` She, kind of, was not in the genre that we were interested in, and I talked to Taylor about the lyricist I thought who would be great, who I 'd worked with before. '' That person, Will Jennings, was invited to the studio to view a rough cut of the film, which gave him inspiration for the structure and lyrics of what became `` Up Where We Belong ''. `` And all through the film I was hearing these bits and pieces of music, and at the end of it I had it in my head, you know, how there was a song. I heard a chorus here and a verse here and a bridge there, and so when I finished, Joel was there, and I said, ' Joel, just give me all the music from it, ' all of Nitzsche 's music, ' ' cause I got an idea. ' '' When Jennings presented Hackford with his demo, the director said it was `` a terrific song and really reflected -- I mean, after all, it was based on the score of the film. The words fit the movie. '' According to Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, `` Up Where We Belong '' is written in common time. It is in the key of D major and sung in a vocal range from A to G. The lyrics `` tell of the struggles of life and love and the obstacles in the way that we attempt to dodge. '' Recording and aftermath I almost did n't want to record ( `` Up Where We Belong '' ) -- the demo was dreadful ! -- Joe Cocker Sill described Stewart Levine as the `` record producer who we felt would give us the right interpretation of the song, add some soulfulness to it and also make it a hit record at the same time, '' but Levine had reservations of his own : `` I was living in a very rural part of upstate New York outside of Woodstock -- kind of dropped out for a bit -- and was n't too keen on coming to California to make a record. But Will 's involvement made me feel it was gon na be a good piece of work. '' When Jennings played the demo over the phone for him, Levine responded that it was `` great '', and Warnes was certain `` Up Where We Belong '' would be a hit. Cocker, on the other hand, was a much tougher sell and, despite appreciating some of the lyrics, described the demo as `` dreadful '', even though Jennings was the lyricist on `` I 'm So Glad I 'm Standing Here Today '' and his more recent single, `` Talking Back to the Night ''. `` Up Where We Belong '' -- movie version A part of the song taken from the version heard over the closing credits ) `` Up Where We Belong '' -- single version The same part of the song as heard on the hit record Cocker wanted to make the recording by himself, so Levine had Warnes record her vocals separately. Cocker had taken a break from touring to fly to Los Angeles for the session, but when it came time to record he, as Hackford described it, `` was terrified. He did n't even want to go into the studio. Stewart Levine had to go and talk him out of the hotel to get him there. '' Cocker admitted, `` I 'd sat with the words in the afternoon but still had n't remembered them, so we had to draw ' em up on big blocks of wood and stuff. '' A recording was made where the two voices were spliced together, but Warnes explained how persuasive their producer was in getting Cocker to agree to record the song alongside her : `` Stewart Levine was gently insistent on the duet. Stewart understood that the contrast in our voices, the aural chemistry, would work. So Joe and I sang the song together. One or two takes, that was all. '' Cocker came around to seeing a hit song once it was complete, saying, `` I knew it was a number one. Other people were saying, ' Well... perhaps ', but I could just feel it. '' Hackford said that `` the final version was absolute magic -- or at least Joel and I thought so. '' They now had to present this song that they were n't budgeted to make to the executives at Paramount. `` When we played it for Michael Eisner and Don Simpson, they hated the record and said it would never be a hit. '' Simpson even `` bet Joel Sill a hundred bucks that it would n't be. '' Hackford and Sill `` called another prominent record executive, who said, ' Forget it. Jennifer Warnes has never had a hit song and Joe Cocker 's a has - been. ' '' Eisner and Simpson made Hackford `` meet with various recording artist friends of theirs who tried to write songs, but their title songs did n't fit the movie. '' Hackford said, `` Finally, one of the famous artists who was involved looked at the movie and said, to his credit, ' Hey, I can write something, but it 's not going to work as well as the song you 've got. ' '' Because they were running out of time before the film 's release, Eisner and Simpson finally gave in, and `` Up Where We Belong '' made the final cut of the film and was released as a single in July 1982. Reception Some radio stations refused to play `` Up Where We Belong '', even going so far as to send their copies back to Island Records. Cocker said, `` I remember going into their offices in New York. I walked in and I said, ' How 's the single doing ? ' And this guy Mike Abrahams, who worked there, he said, ' This is how well it 's doing ' -- and the office was piled with returns. '' The single may have been recorded to promote the film, but, as Warnes pointed out, the success of the film, in a sense, was what sold the record : `` The film was great, and one should never underestimate having a major film behind your song. '' Paramount President and CEO Michael Eisner hated `` Up Where We Belong '' and said it would never be a hit. `` Up Where We Belong '' debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue dated August 21 of that year and enjoyed three weeks at number one during its 23 weeks there. That same issue also marked its first appearance on the magazine 's list of the 50 most popular Adult Contemporary songs in the U.S., where it stayed for 25 weeks, six of which were at its peak position at number three. It also reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart in 1983 and received Silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry on February 1 of that year for reaching sales of 250,000 copies. The Recording Industry Association of America awarded the song Platinum certification on January 17, 1989, for achieving sales of one million copies. Billboard reviewed the single at the time of its release in their July 31 issue. `` This unlikely vocal pairing could prove less of a long shot than it sounds, given the recent gains made by other soundtrack associations. Add radio 's ongoing affection for strong duets and a restrained performance by Cocker that matches him more sympathetically with Warnes 's gentler style, and this track should find friends at A / C and mainstream pop stations. '' Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic wrote, `` A gospel - inspired piece of pop song craftsmanship, the song moves with an underlying grace and subtle beauty. Faith, virtue, and, yes, the power of love is at the lyrical core here, and ( the songwriters ) convey this with a literate and timeless style. Truly a modern - day pop standard. '' Awards and accolades On January 29, 1983, Jennings, Nitzsche and Sainte - Marie won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Cocker and Warnes won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals on February 23 of that year. Two months later, on April 11, the songwriters won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Their tune also won the BAFTA film award for Best Original Song in 1984. On the Songs of the Century list compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2001 the song comes in at number 323. In 2004 it finished at number 75 on AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema, and in 2016 one of the duo 's live renditions of the song came in at number 18 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 20 Greatest Best Song Oscar Performances. Live Performances Singing with Joe was often risky and always thrilling -- Jennifer Warnes Warnes described the agreement that she and Cocker had that `` we toured the big wide world and never lip - synced once. That was our rule, no lip - syncing. Every performance was the real deal. '' One of their earliest live appearances was on the November 20, 1982, episode of Solid Gold. Saturday Night Live followed on February 5, 1983, and their performance at the 25th Annual Grammy Awards came later that month, on February 23. Backstage at the Grammys Warnes said about working with Cocker, `` I was told it was the weirdest pairing ever, '' and regarding their April 11 appearance at the 55th Academy Awards, she admitted, `` Neither of us were comfortable in the Oscar world. Joe performing in a white tuxedo, me in pink taffeta -- how absurd. '' In 2013 Cocker was honored in Berlin with a Goldene Kamera award, and Warnes joined him to sing the song at the ceremony. The day after Cocker 's death in 2014 Warnes wrote, `` I realized yesterday that we will never sing our song again. That thought makes me feel sick. We met last year in Berlin to sing together. I did n't know that would be our last time. '' Her visceral reaction to his death parallels the powerful chemistry they had in their many performances of the song, which she had summed up years earlier : `` I always thought the pairing had a strong ring of truth to it. It was so unlikely, because Joe has this well - known, very raw, masculine energy. I was less well known and had this very vulnerable, quintessential female energy and we were very polarized, as men and women often are these days. But we met in the middle. '' Legacy Joe Cocker strayed from his rock / blues roots in recording `` Up Where We Belong ''. The success of `` Up Where We Belong '' was not without its drawbacks for Cocker. He admitted that Island Records owner Chris Blackwell also hated the song and `` did n't even want to release it. '' They had put out Cocker 's first project for the label, Sheffield Steel, in June 1982, just a month before the song needed to be on store shelves if it was to coincide with the opening of the film. Cocker said, `` The song was recorded within a matter of hours. Sheffield Steel -- I spent a year on that. And the single eclipsed it overnight. '' But even ignoring its success, there was still the fact that the duet was n't what Blackwell had envisioned for Cocker 's output with the label. The singer said, `` It was n't R&B, and after doing Sheffield Steel it sort of rubbed him up the wrong way. '' Stewart Levine produced Cocker 's next LP, which was intended for Island, but, the singer revealed, as with the duet, Blackwell `` hated it, so we had a gentlemen 's agreement and packed up the deal at Island, and I went to Capitol. '' The new label was `` not enthusiastic either, feeling that the album had too many slow ballads. '' Another producer was brought in to give the album a different tone, and the result was the 1984 release Civilized Man. Peaking at number 133 on the Billboard 200, it was his lowest charting studio album in the U.S. at that point. Capitol had been responsible for rejuvenating the careers of Tina Turner and Heart in the mid-80s, so a push was on to do so for their new client with his next project, the 1986 album Cocker. Capitol 's vice president of a&r, Don Grierson, explained, `` After Civilized Man came out, Joe, Michael Lang ( Cocker 's manager ), and I spent a lot of time zeroing in on just what the heck Joe Cocker was really all about. And it 's my firm belief that Joe is a rocker. '' His feeling was that `` Up Where We Belong '' turned out to be a double - edged sword. `` It helped Joe in one sense, but it was very, very detrimental to him in another. It gave him a hit record and brought his name back to the mass market again. However, because it was such a pop, middle - of - the - road record, it took away Joe 's roots in the eyes of the public and certainly in the industry. '' Credits and personnel Credits adapted from album liner notes for The Best of Joe Cocker. Joe Cocker -- lead vocals Jennifer Warnes -- lead vocals Stewart Levine -- producer Abraham Laboriel -- bass Leon `` Ndugu '' Chancler -- drums Louis Shelton -- guitar Bobby Lyle -- keyboards Robbie Buchanan -- keyboards Paulinho da Costa -- percussion Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1982 -- 83 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 14 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 32 Canada ( RPM ) Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista ) 13 Germany ( Offiziele Deutsche Charts ) 6 Ireland ( IRMA ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Spain ( AFYVE ) Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 7 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 7 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1982 ) Rank Canada ( RPM ) Top Singles 23 U.S. Cash Box 9 Chart ( 1983 ) Rank Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 5 UK ( Gallup ) 56 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 45 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 27 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) Gold 35,000 Canada ( Music Canada ) Gold 5,000 Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) Gold 25,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Silver 250,000 United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,000,000 shipments figures based on certification alone Notable cover versions and parodies BeBe & CeCe Winans had a Christian radio hit with `` Up Where We Belong '', albeit with slightly different lyrics, as indicated here. Televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker suggested that Bebe & Cece Winans, two of the singers from The PTL Club, record `` Up Where We Belong '' after she heard the original duet in a record store, and Larnelle Harris helped Bebe make the lyrics more appealing to a Christian audience. Their 1984 cover of the song from their album Lord Lift Us Up reached number 27 on the Christian Radio Hits chart issued by SoundScan. The duo rerecorded their gospel version in 1996 for their Greatest Hits album, and their new version won the 1998 GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year. The part of the score of An Officer and a Gentleman that Jennings used in writing the chorus for `` Up Where We Belong '' can be heard in the final scene of the film in which Gere picks Winger up in his arms and carries her out of the factory past clapping co-workers. The last shot of the film freezes on their exit as the score comes to a big orchestral finish, and the credits start to roll as Cocker and Warnes begin singing the song at the chorus. Although `` Up Where We Belong '' is heard separately from the final scene, it has often taken the place of the score in send - ups of the grand finale over the years. Films and television shows that have used some variation of the song in doing this include Bridget Jones 's Baby, The Cleveland Show, Everybody Hates Chris, Family Guy, Friends, The Goldbergs, The Office, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Scrubs, The Simpsons, and South Park. See also List of number - one singles of 1982 ( Canada ) List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles of 1982 List of number - one singles in Australia during the 1980s References Jump up ^ O'Neil 1999, p. 330. Jump up ^ O'Neil 1999, p. 334. Jump up ^ Leszczak 2016, p. 25. ^ Jump up to : `` Joe Cocker Tribute : Jennifer Warnes Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of ' Up Where We Belong ' Duet Partner ''. Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2017. Jump up ^ Leszczak 2016, pp. 25 - 26. ^ Jump up to : Sill, Joel ( 2007 ). The Music of An Officer and a Gentleman ( bonus feature from An Officer and a Gentleman, Special Collector 's Edition ) ( DVD ). Paramount. ^ Jump up to : Byrge 2016, p. 81. ^ Jump up to : Leszczak 2016, p. 26. Jump up ^ Whitburn 2009, p. 1041. ^ Jump up to : Bronson 2003, p. 562. ^ Jump up to : Hackford, Taylor ( 2007 ). An Officer and a Gentleman, Special Collector 's Edition ( commentary track ) ( DVD ). Paramount. ^ Jump up to : Bean 2003, p. 152. ^ Jump up to : Jennings, Will ( 2007 ). The Music of An Officer and a Gentleman ( bonus feature from An Officer and a Gentleman, Special Collector 's Edition ) ( DVD ). Paramount. ^ Jump up to : `` Up Where We Belong -- Joe Cocker Digital Sheet Music ( Digital Download ) ''. MusicNotes.com. Alfred Music. Jump up ^ Levine, Stewart ( 2007 ). The Music of An Officer and a Gentleman ( bonus feature from An Officer and a Gentleman, Special Collector 's Edition ) ( DVD ). Paramount. ^ Jump up to : Bean 2003, p. 153. ^ Jump up to : `` Hackford Keynotes Billboard Confab : Early Music - Film Ties Best ''. Billboard. December 6, 1986. p. 51. ^ Jump up to : White 1990, p. 50. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn 2009, p. 1041. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn 2007, p. 178. Jump up ^ Roberts 2006, p. 136. ^ Jump up to : `` British single certifications -- Joe Cocker / Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 16, 2017. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Enter Up Where We Belong in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` Billboard 's Top Single Picks ''. Billboard. July 31, 1982. p. 51. Jump up ^ `` Up Where We Belong -- Joe Cocker, Jennifer Warnes ''. AllMusic. Retrieved October 4, 2017. Jump up ^ Sheward 1997, p. 159. ^ Jump up to : O'Neil 1999, pp. 346 - 347. Jump up ^ Wiley 1996, p. 1140. Jump up ^ British Film Institute 1985, p. 282. Jump up ^ Portwood, Jerry ; Ehrlich, David ; Fear, David. `` 20 Greatest Best Song Oscar Performances ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 7, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Show 11 ''. Solid Gold. Season 3. Episode 11. November 20, 1982. Jump up ^ `` Sid Caesar / Joe Cocker / Jennifer Warnes ''. Saturday Night Live. Season 8. Episode 12. February 5, 1983. Jump up ^ O'Neil 1999, p. 342. Jump up ^ Wiley 1996, p. 623. Jump up ^ `` Joe Cocker, raspy - voiced British singer, dies at 70 ''. Reuters. Retrieved October 11, 2017. Jump up ^ Bean 2003, p. 150. Jump up ^ Bean 2003, p. 152 - 153. ^ Jump up to : Bean 2003, p. 161. Jump up ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 166. ^ Jump up to : `` Cocker Returns To Rock No Longer A Civilized Man ''. Billboard. May 17, 1986. p. 20. Jump up ^ ( 1992 ) The Best of Joe Cocker by Joe Cocker ( CD booklet ). Hollywood : Capitol Records CDP 077778124320. Jump up ^ `` Hits of the World ''. Billboard. April 2, 1983. p. 52. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Top Singles '' ( PHP ). RPM. Vol. 37 no. 15. November 27, 1982. Retrieved February 28, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Contemporary Adult '' ( PHP ). RPM. Vol. 37 no. 17. December 11, 1982. Retrieved February 28, 2018. Jump up ^ Nyman 2005, p. 117. Jump up ^ `` Offiziele Deutsche Charts ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 15, 2018. Type `` Up Where We Belong '' in the Suchen field and press Enter. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts - All there is to know ''. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Type `` Up Where We Belong '' in the Search by Song Title field and press Enter. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. VG - lista. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando ( September 2005 ). Sólo éxitos : año a año, 1959 -- 2002 ( 1st ed. ). Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE. ISBN 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 16, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Joe Cocker : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 Singles ''. Cashbox. November 6, 1982. p. 4. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Singles of 82 '' ( PHP ). RPM. Vol. 37 no. 19. December 25, 1982. p. 17. Retrieved February 28, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Singles ''. Cashbox. December 25, 1982. p. 72. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). `` Top 25 Singles of 1983 ''. Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. p. 435. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ Scaping, Peter, ed. ( 1984 ). `` Top 100 singles : 1983 ''. BPI Year Book 1984. British Phonographic Industry. pp. 42 -- 43. ISBN 0 - 906154 - 04 - 9. Jump up ^ `` Top Adult Contemporary Singles ''. Billboard. December 24, 1982. p. TA - 26. Jump up ^ `` Talent Almanac 1984 : Top Pop Singles ''. Billboard. December 24, 1982. p. TA - 18. Jump up ^ `` Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes Up Where We Belong ARIA Accredited Gold Record ''. Roots Vinyl Guide. Retrieved April 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Joe Cocker -- Up Where We Belong ''. Music Canada. Retrieved April 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Spanish certifications for 1979 - 1990 '' ( PDF ). PROMUSICAE. p. 917. Retrieved April 16, 2017. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes -- Up Where We Belong ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 16, 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ Carpenter 2005, p. 457. ^ Jump up to : Powell 2002, p. 1053. Jump up ^ Powell 2002, p. 16. Jump up ^ Greatest Hits ( CD booklet ). Bebe & Cece Winans. Brentwood, Tennessee : EMI Records / Sparrow Records. 1996. Back cover. 7243 - 8 - 37048 - 2 - 8 -- via Discogs. Jump up ^ Maguire, Sharon ( Director ) ( 2016 ). Bridget Jones 's Baby ( Motion picture ). Universal Pictures. Jump up ^ `` Buried Pleasure ''. The Cleveland Show. Season 1. Episode 13. February 14, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Everybody Hates Food Stamps ''. Everybody Hates Chris. Season 1. Episode 9. November 17, 2005. Jump up ^ `` Emission Impossible ''. Family Guy. Season 3. Episode 11. November 8, 2001. Jump up ^ `` Chris Cross ''. Family Guy. Season 11. Episode 13. February 17, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Herpe the Love Sore ''. Family Guy. Season 12. Episode 16. April 6, 2014. Jump up ^ `` The One with the Chicken Pox ''. Friends. Season 2. Episode 23. May 9, 1996. Jump up ^ `` Jackie Likes Star Trek ''. The Goldbergs. Season 5. Episode 5. October 25, 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Return ''. The Office. Season 3. Episode 14. January 18, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Love Means Having to Say You 're Sorry ''. Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Season 4. Episode 9. November 19, 1999. Jump up ^ `` His Story IV ''. Scrubs. Season 6. Episode 7. February 1, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Life on the Fast Lane ''. The Simpsons. Season 1. Episode 9. March 18, 1990. Jump up ^ `` Erection Day ''. South Park. Season 9. Episode 7. April 20, 2005. Bibliography Bean, J.P. ( 2003 ), Joe Cocker : The Authorised Biography, Virgin Books, ISBN 1852270438 British Film Institute ( 1985 ), Ellis, Mundy, ed., BFI Film and Television Yearbook 85, Concert Publications, ISBN 0851701833 Bronson, Fred ( 2003 ), The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard Books, ISBN 9780823076772 Byrge, Duane ( 2016 ), Behind the Scenes with Hollywood Producers : Interviews with 14 Top Film Creators, McFarland, ISBN 9780786472116 Carpenter, Bil ( 2005 ), Uncloudy Days : The Gospel Music Encyclopedia, Hal Leonard, ISBN 9780879308414 Leszczak, Bob ( 2016 ), Dynamic Duets : The Best Pop Collaborations from 1955 to 1999, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 9781442271494 Nyman, Jake ( 2005 ), Suomi soi 4 : Suuri suomalainen listakirja ( in Finnish ) ( 1st ed. ), Tammi, ISBN 951 - 31 - 2503 - 3 O'Neil, Thomas ( 1999 ), The Grammys, Perigree Books, ISBN 0 - 399 - 52477 - 0 Powell, Mark Allan ( 2002 ), Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, Hendrickson Publishers, ISBN 1565636791 Roberts, David ( 2006 ), British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ), Guinness World Records, ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5 Sheward, David ( 1997 ), The Big Book of Show Business Awards, Billboard Books, ISBN 0 - 8230 - 7630 - X Whitburn, Joel ( 2007 ), Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961 -- 2006, Record Research, ISBN 0898201691 Whitburn, Joel ( 2009 ), Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles, 1955 -- 2008, Record Research, ISBN 0898201802 White, Adam ( 1990 ), The Billboard Book of Gold & Platinum Records, Billboard Publications, ISBN 0823075478 External links 1980s portal Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Joe Cocker Studio albums With a Little Help from My Friends Joe Cocker ! Joe Cocker I Can Stand a Little Rain Jamaica Say You Will Stingray Luxury You Can Afford Sheffield Steel Civilized Man Cocker Unchain My Heart One Night of Sin Night Calls Have a Little Faith Organic Across from Midnight No Ordinary World Respect Yourself Heart & Soul Hymn for My Soul Hard Knocks Fire It Up Live albums Mad Dogs & Englishmen Live in L.A. Space Captain Live in New York Joe Cocker Live On Air Standing Here - Live in Colorado The Complete Fillmore East Concerts Live at Woodstock Fire It Up : Live ( 2013 ) Compilations Cocker Happy Joe Cocker 's Greatest Hits The Best of Joe Cocker ( 1983 ) Joe Cocker Classics Volume 4 The Legend The Best of Joe Cocker ( 1992 ) The Long Voyage Home Greatest Hits The Anthology Greatest Love Songs The Ultimate Collection 1968 - 2003 Ultimate Collection Gold Icon Related articles Discography The Wonder Years ( TV series ) Jennifer Warnes Studio albums Jennifer Jennifer Warnes Shot Through the Heart Famous Blue Raincoat The Hunter The Well Singles `` Easy to Be Hard '' `` Right Time of the Night '' `` Do n't Make Me Over '' `` It Goes Like It Goes '' `` Up Where We Belong '' `` All the Right Moves '' `` First We Take Manhattan '' `` ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' Compilations Best of Jennifer Warnes Love Lifts Us Up : A Collection 1968 - 83 Academy Award for Best Original Song 1934 -- 1940 `` The Continental '' Music : Con Conrad Lyrics : Herb Magidson ( 1934 ) `` Lullaby of Broadway '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Al Dubin ( 1935 ) `` The Way You Look Tonight '' Music : Jerome Kern Lyrics : Dorothy Fields ( 1936 ) `` Sweet Leilani '' Music and lyrics : Harry Owens ( 1937 ) `` Thanks for the Memory '' Music : Ralph Rainger Lyrics : Leo Robin ( 1938 ) `` Over the Rainbow '' Music : Harold Arlen Lyrics : E.Y. Harburg ( 1939 ) `` When You Wish Upon a Star '' Music : Leigh Harline Lyrics : Ned Washington ( 1940 ) 1941 -- 1950 `` The Last Time I Saw Paris '' Music : Jerome Kern Lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II ( 1941 ) `` White Christmas '' Music and lyrics : Irving Berlin ( 1942 ) `` You 'll Never Know '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Mack Gordon ( 1943 ) `` Swinging on a Star '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Johnny Burke ( 1944 ) `` It Might as Well Be Spring '' Music : Richard Rodgers Lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II ( 1945 ) `` On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1946 ) `` Zip - a-Dee - Doo - Dah '' Music : Allie Wrubel Lyrics : Ray Gilbert ( 1947 ) `` Buttons and Bows '' Music : Jay Livingston Lyrics : Ray Evans ( 1948 ) `` Baby, It 's Cold Outside '' Music and lyrics : Frank Loesser ( 1949 ) `` Mona Lisa '' Music and lyrics : Ray Evans and Jay Livingston ( 1950 ) 1951 -- 1960 `` In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening '' Music : Hoagy Carmichael Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1951 ) `` High Noon ( Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin ' ) '' Music : Dimitri Tiomkin Lyrics : Ned Washington ( 1952 ) `` Secret Love '' Music : Sammy Fain Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1953 ) `` Three Coins in the Fountain '' Music : Jule Styne Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1954 ) `` Love Is a Many Splendored Thing '' Music : Sammy Fain Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1955 ) `` Que Sera, Sera ( Whatever Will Be, Will Be ) '' Music and lyrics : Jay Livingston and Ray Evans ( 1956 ) `` All the Way '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1957 ) `` Gigi '' Music : Frederick Loewe Lyrics : Alan Jay Lerner ( 1958 ) `` High Hopes '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1959 ) `` Never on Sunday '' Music and lyrics : Manos Hatzidakis ( 1960 ) 1961 -- 1970 `` Moon River '' Music : Henry Mancini Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1961 ) `` Days of Wine and Roses '' Music : Henry Mancini Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1962 ) `` Call Me Irresponsible '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1963 ) `` Chim Chim Cher - ee '' Music and lyrics : Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman ( 1964 ) `` The Shadow of Your Smile '' Music : Johnny Mandel Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1965 ) `` Born Free '' Music : John Barry Lyrics : Don Black ( 1966 ) `` Talk to the Animals '' Music and lyrics : Leslie Bricusse ( 1967 ) `` The Windmills of Your Mind '' Music : Michel Legrand Lyrics : Alan and Marilyn Bergman ( 1968 ) `` Raindrops Keep Fallin ' on My Head '' Music : Burt Bacharach Lyrics : Hal David ( 1969 ) `` For All We Know '' Music : Fred Karlin Lyrics : Robb Royer and Jimmy Griffin ( 1970 ) 1971 -- 1980 `` Theme from Shaft '' Music and lyrics : Isaac Hayes ( 1971 ) `` The Morning After '' Music and lyrics : Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn ( 1972 ) `` The Way We Were '' Music : Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics : Alan and Marilyn Bergman ( 1973 ) `` We May Never Love Like This Again '' Music and lyrics : Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn ( 1974 ) `` I 'm Easy '' Music and lyrics : Keith Carradine ( 1975 ) `` Evergreen ( Love Theme from A Star Is Born ) '' Music : Barbra Streisand Lyrics : Paul Williams ( 1976 ) `` You Light Up My Life '' Music and lyrics : Joseph Brooks ( 1977 ) `` Last Dance '' Music and lyrics : Paul Jabara ( 1978 ) `` It Goes Like It Goes '' Music : David Shire Lyrics : Norman Gimbel ( 1979 ) `` Fame '' Music : Michael Gore Lyrics : Dean Pitchford ( 1980 ) 1981 -- 1990 `` Arthur 's Theme ( Best That You Can Do ) '' Music and lyrics : Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen ( 1981 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' Music : Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte - Marie Lyrics : Will Jennings ( 1982 ) `` Flashdance... What a Feeling '' Music : Giorgio Moroder Lyrics : Keith Forsey and Irene Cara ( 1983 ) `` I Just Called to Say I Love You '' Music and lyrics : Stevie Wonder ( 1984 ) `` Say You, Say Me '' Music and lyrics : Lionel Richie ( 1985 ) `` Take My Breath Away '' Music : Giorgio Moroder Lyrics : Tom Whitlock ( 1986 ) `` ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' Music : Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz Lyrics : Franke Previte ( 1987 ) `` Let the River Run '' Music and lyrics : Carly Simon ( 1988 ) `` Under the Sea '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Howard Ashman ( 1989 ) `` Sooner or Later ( I Always Get My Man ) '' Music and lyrics : Stephen Sondheim ( 1990 ) 1991 -- 2000 `` Beauty and the Beast '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Howard Ashman ( 1991 ) `` A Whole New World '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1992 ) `` Streets of Philadelphia '' Music and lyrics : Bruce Springsteen ( 1993 ) `` Can You Feel the Love Tonight '' Music : Elton John Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1994 ) `` Colors of the Wind '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Stephen Schwartz ( 1995 ) `` You Must Love Me '' Music : Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1996 ) `` My Heart Will Go On '' Music : James Horner Lyrics : Will Jennings ( 1997 ) `` When You Believe '' Music and lyrics : Stephen Schwartz ( 1998 ) `` You 'll Be in My Heart '' Music and lyrics : Phil Collins ( 1999 ) `` Things Have Changed '' Music and lyrics : Bob Dylan ( 2000 ) 2001 -- 2010 `` If I Did n't Have You '' Music and lyrics : Randy Newman ( 2001 ) `` Lose Yourself '' Music : Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto Lyrics : Eminem ( 2002 ) `` Into the West '' Music and lyrics : Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox ( 2003 ) `` Al otro lado del río '' Music and lyrics : Jorge Drexler ( 2004 ) `` It 's Hard out Here for a Pimp '' Music and lyrics : Juicy J, Frayser Boy and DJ Paul ( 2005 ) `` I Need to Wake Up '' Music and lyrics : Melissa Etheridge ( 2006 ) `` Falling Slowly '' Music and lyrics : Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová ( 2007 ) `` Jai Ho '' Music : A.R. Rahman Lyrics : Gulzar ( 2008 ) `` The Weary Kind '' Music and lyrics : Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett ( 2009 ) `` We Belong Together '' Music and lyrics : Randy Newman ( 2010 ) 2011 -- present `` Man or Muppet '' Music and lyrics : Bret McKenzie ( 2011 ) `` Skyfall '' Music and lyrics : Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth ( 2012 ) `` Let It Go '' Music and lyrics : Kristen Anderson - Lopez and Robert Lopez ( 2013 ) `` Glory '' Music and lyrics : John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn ( 2014 ) `` Writing 's on the Wall '' Music and lyrics : James Napier and Sam Smith ( 2015 ) `` City of Stars '' Music : Justin Hurwitz Lyrics : Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( 2016 ) `` Remember Me '' Music and lyrics : Kristen Anderson - Lopez and Robert Lopez ( 2017 ) Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song 1960s `` Town Without Pity '' Lyrics by Ned Washington, Music by Dimitri Tiomkin ( 1961 ) `` Circus World '' Lyrics by Ned Washington, Music by Dimitri Tiomkin ( 1964 ) `` Forget Domani '' Lyrics by Norman Newell, Music by Riz Ortolani ( 1965 ) `` Strangers in the Night '' Lyrics by Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder, Music by Bert Kaempfert ( 1966 ) `` If Ever I Would Leave You '' Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe ( 1967 ) `` The Windmills of Your Mind '' Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Music by Michel Legrand ( 1968 ) `` Jean '' Music & Lyrics by Rod McKuen ( 1969 ) 1970s `` Whistling Away the Dark '' Lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Music by Henry Mancini ( 1970 ) `` Life Is What You Make It '' Lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Music by Marvin Hamlisch ( 1971 ) `` Ben '' Lyrics by Don Black, Music by Walter Scharf ( 1972 ) `` The Way We Were '' Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Music by Marvin Hamlisch ( 1973 ) `` I Feel Love '' Lyrics by Betty Box, Music by Euel Box ( 1974 ) `` I 'm Easy '' Music & Lyrics by Keith Carradine ( 1975 ) `` Evergreen '' Lyrics by Paul Williams, Music by Barbra Streisand ( 1976 ) `` You Light Up My Life '' Music & Lyrics by Joseph Brooks ( 1977 ) `` Last Dance '' Music & Lyrics by Paul Jabara ( 1978 ) `` The Rose '' Music & Lyrics by Amanda McBroom ( 1979 ) 1980s `` Fame '' Lyrics by Dean Pitchford, Music by Michael Gore ( 1980 ) `` Arthur 's Theme ( Best That You Can Do ) '' Music & Lyrics by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross, & Carole Bayer Sager ( 1981 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings, Music by Jack Nitzsche & Buffy Sainte - Marie ( 1982 ) `` Flashdance... What a Feeling '' Lyrics by Irene Cara, Keith Forsey, Music by Giorgio Moroder ( 1983 ) `` I Just Called to Say I Love You '' Music & Lyrics by Stevie Wonder ( 1984 ) `` Say You, Say Me '' Music & Lyrics by Lionel Richie ( 1985 ) `` Take My Breath Away '' Lyrics by Tom Whitlock, Music by Giorgio Moroder ( 1986 ) `` ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' Lyrics by Franke Previte, Music by John DeNicola & Donald Markowitz ( 1987 ) `` Let the River Run '' Music & Lyrics by Carly Simon / `` Two Hearts '' Lyrics by Phil Collins, Music by Lamont Dozier ( 1988 ) `` Under the Sea '' Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Music by Alan Menken ( 1989 ) 1990s `` Blaze of Glory '' Music & Lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi ( 1990 ) `` Beauty and the Beast '' Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Music by Alan Menken ( 1991 ) `` A Whole New World '' Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Alan Menken ( 1992 ) `` Streets of Philadelphia '' Music & Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen ( 1993 ) `` Can You Feel the Love Tonight '' Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Elton John ( 1994 ) `` Colors of the Wind '' Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Music by Alan Menken ( 1995 ) `` You Must Love Me '' Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber ( 1996 ) `` My Heart Will Go On '' Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings, Music by James Horner ( 1997 ) `` The Prayer '' Music & Lyrics by David Foster, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa ( 1998 ) `` You 'll Be in My Heart '' Music & Lyrics by Phil Collins ( 1999 ) 2000s `` Things Have Changed '' Music and lyrics by Bob Dylan ( 2000 ) `` Until... '' Music and lyrics by Sting ( 2001 ) `` The Hands That Built America '' Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge & Larry Mullen Jr. ( 2002 ) `` Into the West '' Music and lyrics by Annie Lennox, Howard Shore & Frances Walsh ( 2003 ) `` Old Habits Die Hard '' Music and lyrics by Mick Jagger & David A. Stewart ( 2004 ) `` A Love That Will Never Grow Old '' Lyrics by Bernie Taupin, Music by Gustavo Santaolalla ( 2005 ) `` The Song of the Heart '' Music and lyrics by Prince Rogers Nelson ( 2006 ) `` Guaranteed '' Music and lyrics by Eddie Vedder ( 2007 ) `` The Wrestler '' Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen ( 2008 ) `` The Weary Kind '' Music and lyrics by Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett ( 2009 ) 2010s `` You Have n't Seen the Last of Me '' Music & Lyrics by Diane Warren ( 2010 ) `` Masterpiece '' Music & Lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry ( 2011 ) `` Skyfall '' by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth ( 2012 ) `` Ordinary Love '' by U2 and Danger Mouse ( 2013 ) `` Glory '' by Common and John Legend ( 2014 ) `` Writing 's on the Wall '' by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes ( 2015 ) `` City of Stars '' by Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( 2016 ) `` This Is Me '' by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( 2017 ) Complete List ( 1960s ) ( 1970s ) ( 1980s ) ( 1990s ) ( 2000s ) ( 2010s ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Up_Where_We_Belong&oldid=839507260 '' Categories : 1982 singles 1982 songs Jennifer Warnes songs Joe Cocker songs Buffy Sainte - Marie songs Glen Campbell songs Yvonne Elliman songs Island Records singles Best Original Song Golden Globe winning songs Best Original Song Academy Award - winning songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles RPM Top Singles number - one singles Songs written by Jack Nitzsche Songs with lyrics by Will Jennings Pop ballads 1980s ballads Vocal duets Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Swiss Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for Spain Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States CS1 Finnish - language sources ( fi ) Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Deutsch Español Français Italiano Nederlands Português Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 3 May 2018, at 22 : 02. 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Question: who sings lift us up where we belong
Answer: Joe Cocker