On May 3, 1968 I saw a CREAM performance in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin bar with about 300 other fans. Eric Clapton played his guitar like his hair was on fire! Clapton later drifted off to BLIND FAITH and then launched a successful solo career. The consistent factor is Clapton’s extraordinary talent. The Cream of Clapton captures much of his best work. If you want one Eric Clapton album, this is the one I’d recommend. Are you a Clapton fan? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
- Cream: “I Feel Free” (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce) – 2:52 (from Fresh Cream, 1966)
- “Sunshine of Your Love” (Brown, Bruce, Eric Clapton) – 4:11 (from Disraeli Gears, 1967)
- “White Room” (Brown, Bruce) – 5:00 (from Wheels of Fire, 1968)
- “Crossroads” (Live) (Robert Johnson, arr. by Clapton) – 4:16 (from Wheels of Fire, 1968)
- “Badge” (Clapton, George Harrison) – 2:46 (from Goodbye, 1969)
- Blind Faith: “Presence of the Lord” (Clapton) – 4:50 (from Blind Faith, 1969)
- Solo: “Blues Power” (Clapton, Leon Russell) – 3:11 (from Eric Clapton, 1970)
- “After Midnight” (J.J. Cale) – 2:53 (from Eric Clapton, 1970)
- “Let It Rain” (Bonnie Bramlett, Delaney Bramlett, Clapton) – 5:04 (from Eric Clapton, 1970)
- Derek and the Dominos: “Bell Bottom Blues” (Clapton) – 5:02 (from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, 1970)
- “Layla” (Clapton, Jim Gordon) – 7:05 (from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, 1970)
- Solo: “I Shot the Sheriff” (Bob Marley) – 4:23 (from 461 Ocean Boulevard, 1974)
- “Let It Grow” (Clapton) – 4:58 (from 461 Ocean Boulevard, 1974)
- “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Bob Dylan) – 4:22 (Non-album single, 1975)
- “Hello Old Friend” (Clapton) – 3:36 (from No Reason to Cry, 1976)
- “Cocaine” (Cale) – 3:39 (from Slowhand, 1977)
- “Wonderful Tonight” (Clapton) – 3:42 (from Slowhand, 1977)
- “Promises” (Richard Feldman, Roger Linn) – 3:04 (from Backless, 1978)
- “I Can’t Stand It” (Clapton) – 4:09 (from Another Ticket, 1981)
George, you lucky man!
It took us 40 years more to see and hear Eric:
He did an open air concert with Steve Winwood in Munich on the Königsplatz (King’s Square – what else) around 2008 or 2010, my wife was so happy.
Eric is absolutely her number 1, I also like him very much but couldn’t choose between Steve, Eric and (much younger) Joe Bonamassa.
What I especially admire is their breadth of performances – from hard rock to romantic ballads.
Of course there are/were many other rockers we listen to all the time.
Wolf, like you and your wife I admire Clapton’s ability to play all kinds of music from hard rock to blues to romantic ballads.
Love his stuff—“White Room,” “Badge,” “Bell-Bottom Blues,” “Let It Rain,” etc. Although this collection does not include one of my favorite songs from Clapton’s later solo career, “Promises” (I think from around the time his marriage to Patti Boyd was breaking up). Speaking of “Let It Rain”: We recently watched the 2015 documentary “Music from the Canyon,” produced by Jakob Dylan and featuring the music created by artists who lived in Laurel Canyon in the 1960s. Clapton talked about how the riff in Steve Stills’s “Question” was the influence for the riff in “Let It Rain.” Clapton was funny: “Obviously I cribbed it,” he said (the riffs are almost identical), to which Dylan said, “We’ll edit that out.” They didn’t—lol.
This reminds me of all those documentations of Eric’s concerts some of which we bought on DVD/Bluray:
The one and only Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park and the series of Crossroads Guitar Festivals he did in the USA – with lots of fantastic blues and rock performers
Wolf, Clapton is a magnet for other talented performers. His Crossroads series certainly proves that.
Deb, I’ve seen Eric Clapton interviewed many times and he’s very funny in a dry way. I’ll have to find “Promises” and give it a listen today.
It shouldn’t be hard for you to find “Promises,” since it’s right here on the album you’re talking about. Deb just missed it in the listing.
Jeff and Deb, oops!
I did miss it! As Jeff points out, “Promises” is right there.
Who isn’t? My brother, like you, was a big fan, though in those days he mostly talked about Ginger Baker’s “insane” drumming.
Jeff, during that performance in Milwaukee, Clapton and Jack Bruce walked off the stage and Ginger Baker played a drum solo for over 10 minutes!
He was one of the greats for sure. I need to listen to his music again. I am losing a lot of it.
Patti, I like THE CREAM OF CLAPTON because it shows Clapton’s career arc. Clapton’s made a lot of great music!
For anyone interested in buying this disc, there’s a two disc version called COMPLETE CLAPTON that has this as the first disc and a second disc that takes him up to 2005 or so.
I bought the first Clapton compilation, HISTORY OF ERIC CLAPTON, on vinyl back in the day and loved it, played it all the time. Then I bought the 4-cd box set, CHRONICLES. Haven’t played that in ages. It’s time.
There’s a 3-disc set called FOREVER MAN that seems to pick up where CROSSROADS left off. I may have to pick that up.
Jeff, I have to admit I prefer Clapton’s Rock & Roll songs rather than his bluesy stuff.
Well, you know me, my tastes extend in (almost) all directions. I’m not majorly into the blues, but listening to early Fleetwood Mac definitely gave me an appreciation for them. I don’t go out of my way to listen to them, but I enjoy them when I do.
Jeff, I can take the blues in small doses. But, I rarely listen to a whole album of it in one sitting.
Great stuff. I have a Complete Clapton which contains about twice as many songs but still leaves out his early work with the Yardbirds and John MayaLL. It also leaves out his solo on The Beatles While My Guitar Gently Weeps( Prince also does a great version of this on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison) and Cocaine. I love Clapton but slightly prefer Jeff Beck as a guitar player. Unfortunately Beck was not much of a singer. A lot of great guitar players came out at about the same time-Beck, Clapton, Hendrix, Page, Duane Allman and the underappreciated Rory Gallagher.
Steve, I’ll have to unearth my Jeff Beck CDs and give them another listen. As you point out, Beck’s voice is not his strong point.
For my money, it’s hard to beat WHITE RAIN, but Clapton keeps proving me wrong.
Jerry, Eric Clapton’s impressive talent always gives my ears sound candy!
Started listening to him when he was with Mayhal, bought and wore out Cream and Blind Faith, love 461 Ocean Boulevard. Same with Layla. So, yes, I’m a fan.
Rick, many of those early Clapton CDs sound great today. Much of that era doesn’t hold up.
Was the Milwaukee venue ‘Stone Toad’ ?
j.padrig, the Milwaukee venue was THE SCENE.
Thanks for the reply. If I had not gone with you, I would have missed the best concert of my life!
j.padrig, that 1968 CREAM performance was like nothing I’ve ever seen!!!