Eric Clapton - Cream of Clapton
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Artist: Eric ClaptonEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1995-03-07
Music Label: Polydor / Umgd
Soundtracks:
- I Feel Free
- Sunshine Of Your Love
- White Room
- Crossroads
- Badge
- Presence Of The Lord
- Blues Power
- After Midnight
- Let It Rain
- Bell Bottom Blues
- Layla
- I Shot The Sheriff
- Let It Grow
- Knockin' On Heaven's Door
- Hello Old Friend
- Cocaine
- Wonderful Tonight
- Promises
- I Can't Stand It
Music reviews of Cream of Clapton
Music Review: Mostly effective one-disc compilation of Clapton
Rating: 5 Stars
The thing with Eric Clapton is that he's been in so many bands it's hard to come up with an effective single disc greatest hits. Cream of Clapton does its best, and nearly succeeds, as it takes material from Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek & The Dominoes. The crucial ingredient is that distinctive wailing blues-based guitarwork forming his signature. And chart numbers aside, Clapton's music has been a mainstay for classic rock stations along with Led Zeppelin, Boston, and other 70's music giants.
The four most classic Cream songs are here, such as the rollicking "I Feel Free," the live version of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," and the all-time classics "Sunshine Of Your Love" with that hardy churning guitar throughout the song and "White Room," which need no introduction save for those who have just wakened up after being trapped in a glacier in the Alps. The mid-paced "Badge," co-penned by George Harrison, is also included. The sole representative from Blind Faith is "Presence of the Lord" with his soaring vocals, and a piano/guitar backing, and a killer guitar solo midsong.
The ballad "Wonderful Tonight" (from Slowhand) with backing vocals from Yvonne Elliman ("If I Can't Have You") proves that Clapton can do a great love song. Elliman also assists Clapton in "Hello Old Friend" and his only #1 solo hit, his cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff." The mellow and mantra-sounding "Let It Grow," also from 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), seems a throwback to flower power with its let love flow and grow lyrics. Those two songs signaled a new Clapton, shorter songs and no more long guitar solos.
"Blues Power" from his self-titled album he made with three members of Delaney & Bonney, whom he had joined earlier, shows a return to classic 60's rock. His cover of J.J. Cale's "After Midnight," from the same album, is the original quick-paced version rather than the slower redone version used in the series of rock singer Michelob commercials in the mid-80s. "Let It Rain" sounds like something Ringo Starr or George Harrison might've done during their solo years.
Inbetween solo albums, Clapton formed Derek & the Dominoes. "Bell Bottom Blues," with its pleading falsetto harmony refrain "I don't wanna fade away/give me one more day" was later redone by Clapton in 1973, where it reached #78, better than its original #91 charting. However, the #10 "Layla" became another signature Clapton tune, memorable to its way intense guitar and that reflective lengthy piano and guitar solo afterwards. It was resurrected on his 1992 live acoustic set Unplugged, where it reached #12.
The irony here is that his cover of J.J. Cale's "Cocaine," is included, whereas it's A-side, "Tulsa Time," is not. And speaking of covers, he does a reggae-like version of Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door."
Later songs like "I Can't Stand It" with the frustration of having a mate fooling around, proves Clapton had staying power in the 80's, as it scraped the Top Ten, but topped the adult contemporary charts for two weeks. The brisk country-like "Promises" with its radio-friendly packaging was another Top Ten, reaching #9 in 1978.
I have no objection to the selection, as those who want "I'm So Glad" and "Wrapping Paper" can get The Very Best of Cream. The most blatant omission is "Lay Down Sally," a #3 hit from the Slowhand album, also with Elliman providing vocal support. Maybe "Give Me Strength" could've been another candidate, but why quibble? Getting this and the followup, Clapton Chronicles is the best way to go.
Description of Cream of Clapton
Eric Clapton Merchandise
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For a single disc, this is an admirable chronological tour of superstar Eric Clapton's mid-'60s-to-early-'80s career. It begins too late to include his gestational work with the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. However, the singer-guitarist's days in Cream ("Sunshine of Your Love," "Crossroads," "White Room"), in Blind Faith ("Presence of the Lord"), as a fledgling solo artist ("After Midnight," "Let It Rain"), in Derek and the Dominos ("Layla," "Bell Bottom Blues"), and through the rest of the '70s ("I Shot the Sheriff," "Cocaine," "Wonderful Tonight," "Promises") to his '81 hit "I Can't Stand It" are well documented by this collection's 19 cuts. The down side is that the CD also vividly illustrates how insubstantial Clapton's work turned in the mid-'70s. But that won't be a problem for fans seeking hits. --Ted Drozdowski
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