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NBC Insider The Kelly Clarkson Show

Kelly Clarkson Does Sam Cooke Proud by Nailing This Cover of ''Lost and Lookin'''

The vocal powerhouse did a blues-y rendition of the 1963 track. 

By Jackie Manno

On The Kelly Clarkson Show on January 31, Kelly Clarkson put her own unique spin on a deep cut song by one of the most influential soul singers of all time. 

How to Watch

Check your local listings for The Kelly Clarkson Show.

For her performance of ''Lost and Lookin''' by Sam Cooke, Clarkson started off with a blues-y upright bass, then crooning in a swanky tone. She also pulled off some perfect runs and belted her heart out, using the perfect amount of grit in her voice. 

With her genuine and soulful cover, Clarkson did Cooke justice by keeping the structure of the original tune, yet shaking things up with her powerful voice. 

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What to know about ''Lost and Lookin''' by Sam Cooke

''Lost and Lookin''' is the second track off of Cooke's tenth studio album Night Beat, which was released in 1963. The lyrics tell the story of someone who wants their partner back after being suddenly abandoned by them. In the song, the instrumental is simple and straightforward, while Cooke tells the story with his voice in a straightforward tone that convincingly conveys pain. 

Night Beat was the second to last album that Cooke released before his death in 1964. In 2007, The Guardian put the album on its ''1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die'' list. 

A split of Kelly Clarkson and Sam Cooke

''A successful sweet-toned gospel singer, Sam Cooke realised he could get more money - and girls - by wading into the burgeoning US pop market. He brought a spiritual intensity to every cute mainstream confection he recorded, but his beautiful voice was never more mesmerising than on this hushed and gracious final album,'' the outlet wrote of the project. 

In 2020, Paste listed Night Beat as the 36th best album of the 1960s, describing it as ''an airtight pop record, sold with a sincerity.''

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The lyrics to ''Lost and Lookin''' by Sam Cooke

I'm lost and I'm looking for my baby
Wonder why my baby can't be found
I'm lost and I'm looking for my baby
Lord knows my baby ain't around
So I'm lost and I'm looking for my baby
Wonder why my baby can't be found
Lost and I'm searching for my baby
Lord knows my baby ain't around

Crying for my baby
Crying all alone
Calling for you
Come home, come home

I'm lost and I'm calling for my baby
Baby, won't you please come home
I'm lost and I'm calling for my baby
I need you 'cause I'm so alone