| Eric Clapton | ||||
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| Released | 12 August 1970 (US) [1] | |||
| Recorded | November 1969 – March 1970 | |||
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:11 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Delaney Bramlett | |||
| Eric Clapton chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Eric Clapton | ||||
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Eric Clapton is the debut solo studio album by English rock musician Eric Clapton, released in August 1970 by Atco and Polydor Records.
After being in several successful rock bands including The Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith, Clapton recorded an album under his own name in late 1969 and early 1970. The album cover, photographed by Barry Feinstein, [2] depicts Clapton sitting in a Los Angeles photo studio [3] while smoking a cigarette, his Fender Stratocaster Brownie electric guitar leaning between his legs.
Clapton recorded some tracks in November 1969 at London's Olympic Studios and went on to record more songs in 1970 in two sessions; one in January 1970 at the Village Recorders Studio in West Los Angeles and a second session in March the same year at Island Studios in London. A large number of musicians that worked with Clapton on the album had been working with the band Delaney & Bonnie, which previously opened the Blind Faith gigs. The musicians included the core of Derek & the Dominos, including co-creator and co-songwriter Bobby Whitlock, who can be heard on "Let It Rain".
The song "Let it Rain" had originally been recorded with different lyrics as "She Rides". Three mixes of the album were done, one by Delaney Bramlett, one by Tom Dowd and one by Clapton himself. The 11-track album, Dowd mix was the one used for the original release. Bramlett's 10-track album mix without "Told You for the Last Time", is included in the Deluxe Edition released on CD in 2006. [4]
In an interview from 2006, promoting The Road to Escondido , Clapton recalled that he was very happy making this album and was pleased with the results of the recording sessions, but also noted that "the only thing [he] didn't like about the album is [his] voice", because it sounds so "high" and "young", which Clapton disliked, because he "always wanted to sound like an old guy". [5]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B [7] |
| Q |  [8] |
Contemporary reviews were largely positive. Rolling Stone noted the "warm, friendly" aspect of the record, commending "Clapton's voice" and the "mean guitar". [9] Robert Christgau rated the album with the "B" mark and noted: "I blame a conceptual error, rather than Clapton's uncertain singing, for the overall thinness. As a sideman, Clapton slipped into producer Delaney Bramlett's downhome bliss as easily as he did into Cream's blues dreamscape, but as a solo artist he can't simulate Delaney's optimism". [7]
In a retrospective review for AllMusic Stephen Thomas Erlewine feels that Clapton "sounds more laid-back and straightforward than any of the guitarist's previous recordings. There are still elements of blues and rock & roll, but they're hidden beneath layers of gospel, R&B, country, and pop flourishes. And the pop element of the record is the strongest of the album's many elements". Erlewine finishes his summary by stating "it's encouraging to hear him grow and become a more fully rounded musician, but too often the album needs the spark that some long guitar solos would have given it. In short, it needs a little more of Clapton's personality." [10] Q magazine described the album as swinging "like leaves in the breeze". [8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slunky" | Bonnie Bramlett · Eric Clapton | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Bad Boy" | B. Bramlett · Clapton | 3:34 |
| 3. | "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" | B. Bramlett · Leon Russell | 3:29 |
| 4. | "After Midnight" | J. J. Cale | 2:51 |
| 5. | "Easy Now" | Clapton | 2:57 |
| 6. | "Blues Power" | Clapton · Russell | 3:09 |
| Total length: | 17:56 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bottle of Red Wine" | B. Bramlett · Clapton | 3:06 |
| 2. | "Lovin' You Lovin' Me" | B. Bramlett · Clapton | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Told You for the Last Time" | B. Bramlett · Steve Cropper | 2:30 |
| 4. | "Don't Know Why" | B. Bramlett · Clapton | 3:10 |
| 5. | "Let It Rain" | B. Bramlett · Clapton [11] | 5:02 |
| Total length: | 17:11 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slunky" | 3:33 |
| 2. | "Bad Boy" | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" | 3:29 |
| 4. | "After Midnight" | 2:51 |
| 5. | "Easy Now" | 2:57 |
| 6. | "Blues Power" | 3:08 |
| 7. | "Bottle of Red Wine" | 3:06 |
| 8. | "Lovin' You, Lovin' Me" | 3:19 |
| 9. | "Told You for the Last Time" | 2:30 |
| 10. | "Don't Know Why" | 3:10 |
| 11. | "Let It Rain" | 5:02 |
| 12. | "Blues in 'A'" (session outtake) (bonus track) | 10:25 |
| 13. | "Teasin'" (King Curtis with Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton & Friends) (bonus track) | 2:14 |
| 14. | "She Rides" ("Let It Rain" alternate version) (bonus track) | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 54:41 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slunky" | 3:33 |
| 2. | "Bad Boy" | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Easy Now" | 2:57 |
| 4. | "After Midnight" | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Blues Power" | 3:19 |
| 6. | "Bottle of Red Wine" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Lovin' You, Lovin' Me" | 4:03 |
| 8. | "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" | 3:48 |
| 9. | "Don't Know Why" | 3:43 |
| 10. | "Let It Rain" | 5:03 |
| 11. | "Don't Know Why" (Olympic Studios version) (bonus track) | 5:12 |
| 12. | "I've Told You for the Last Time" (Olympic Studios version) (bonus track) | 6:46 |
| 13. | "Comin' Home" (Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Featuring Eric Clapton, single A-side, 1969) (bonus track) | 3:14 |
| 14. | "Groupie (Superstar)" (Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Featuring Eric Clapton, single B-side, 1969) (bonus track) | 2:48 |
| Total length: | 54:50 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Slunky" | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Bad Boy" | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Easy Now" | 2:58 |
| 4. | "After Midnight" | 3:17 |
| 5. | "Blues Power" | 3:19 |
| 6. | "Bottle of Red Wine" | 3:07 |
| 7. | "Lovin' You, Lovin' Me" | 4:04 |
| 8. | "Lonesome and a Long Way from Home" | 3:48 |
| 9. | "Don't Know Why" | 3:44 |
| 10. | "Let It Rain" | 5:03 |
| 11. | "Don't Know Why" | 5:12 |
| 12. | "I've Told You for the Last Time" | 6:47 |
| 13. | "Blues in 'A'" | 10:26 |
| 14. | "She Rides" | 5:09 |
| Total length: | 74:15 | |
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [12] | 17 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [13] | 14 |
| US Billboard 200 [14] | 13 |
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [15] | 49 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [16] | 196 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [17] | 162 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [18] | 23 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [19] | 63 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [20] | 14 |
Backless is the sixth solo studio album by Eric Clapton. Produced by Glyn Johns, and released by RSO Records, Backless reached no. 8 on the pop charts. While the single "Promises" only reached no. 37 on the UK Singles Chart, it was a much bigger success in the US, reaching no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up single, "Watch Out for Lucy", was the B-side of "Promises", but reached no. 40 on the Billboard 100 on its own merit. Later in 1980 "Tulsa Time" was #30 on the Billboard 100 with the 1977 song "Cocaine" as B-side. It was Clapton's last studio album to feature his longtime bassist Carl Radle who died in 1980.
Just One Night is a 1980 double album by Eric Clapton, recorded live at the Budokan Theatre, Tokyo, Japan, December 1979 when Clapton was touring to support Backless, his latest record at that time. The sleeve contains a Japanese painting by Ken Konno. The album reached No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK, and was certified gold by RIAA.
Derek and the Dominos were a short-lived English–American blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by singer-guitarist Eric Clapton, keyboardist-singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. All four members had previously played together in Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, during and after Clapton's brief tenure with Blind Faith. Dave Mason supplied additional lead guitar on early studio sessions and played at their first live gig. Another participant at their first session as a band was George Harrison, the recording for whose album All Things Must Pass marked the formation of Derek and the Dominos.
Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert is a live album by Eric Clapton, recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London on 13 January 1973 and released in September that year. The concerts, two on the same evening, were organised by Pete Townshend of the Who and marked a comeback by Clapton after two years of inactivity, broken only by his performance at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971. Along with Townshend, the musicians supporting Clapton include Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood and Jim Capaldi. In the year following the two shows at the Rainbow, Clapton recovered from his heroin addiction and recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974).
Robert Stanley Whitlock is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memphis soul acts such as Sam & Dave and Booker T. & the M.G.'s before he joined Delaney & Bonnie and Friends in 1968. His association with Delaney & Bonnie bandmate Clapton led to Whitlock's participation in sessions for George Harrison's 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass, in London, and the formation of Derek and the Dominos that year. On the band's sole studio album, the critically acclaimed Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Whitlock wrote or co-wrote seven of the album's fourteen tracks, including "Tell the Truth", "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?"
Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Bobby Whitlock, Dave Mason, Steve Howe, Rita Coolidge, and King Curtis.
"After Midnight" is a rock song by J. J. Cale, first released in 1966. Eric Clapton later covered it for his eponymous album, released in 1970. Clapton's rendition became a success, prompting Cale to re-record the song for his own 1971 album Naturally. In 1987, Clapton later re-recorded the song for a Michelob beer commercial and then released the re-recording as a single. "After Midnight" has been considered one of Clapton's signature songs throughout his career. Other artists covered the song in later years.
Money and Cigarettes is the eighth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, recorded after his first rehabilitation from alcoholism. Produced by Clapton and Tom Dowd with, apart from Albert Lee, a new backing band of veteran session musicians including Donald "Duck" Dunn, Roger Hawkins, and Ry Cooder. The album was moderately successful commercially, reaching Top 20 chart positions in several countries. Critical reception was lukewarm.
On Tour with Eric Clapton is a 1970 album by Delaney & Bonnie with Eric Clapton, recorded live at the Fairfield Halls, England. Released on Atco Records, it peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 in April 1970, at No. 39 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified a gold record by the RIAA.
The Road to Escondido is a collaborative studio album by J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton. It was released on 7 November 2006. Contained on this album are the final recordings of keyboardist Billy Preston. The album is jointly dedicated to Preston and Brian Roylance.
"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell, with a songwriting credit also given to Delaney Bramlett, that has been a hit for many artists in different genres in the years since. The best-known versions are by the Carpenters in 1971, and by Luther Vandross in 1983.
Motel Shot is a studio album by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, released in 1971. The album, their third for Atco/Atlantic and fifth overall, is a mostly acoustic set. The album's title refers to the impromptu, sometimes late-night, jam sessions pursued by touring musicians when on the road.
To Bonnie from Delaney is the fourth album by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. It was their first studio album for the Atco/Atlantic label, and their fourth album overall. Coincidentally, Atco/Atlantic's parent company purchased the Bramletts' previous label Elektra Records around this time.
The Original Delaney & Bonnie, also known by its subtitle Accept No Substitute, is the second studio album by American recording duo Delaney & Bonnie. It was recorded with many of the "friends" that would form the core of their best-known 1969–70 touring band, including Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle and Rita Coolidge.
Eric Clapton at His Best is a two-LP compilation of Eric Clapton's work after he left his earlier band Cream, released in September 1972. It was concurrently released with a two-LP compilation of Cream tracks, Heavy Cream, along with "at His Best" solo retrospectives by Cream's other members Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.
Backtrackin' is a two-disc compilation album by Eric Clapton spanning the years 1966 to 1980. It was released in 1984. The compilation contains all of Clapton's best known songs with Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, and his solo 1970s work through his 1980 live album Just One Night. This compilation album is made in Germany and is only available in the United States as an import. It was originally released by Starblend Records, and has since been reissued by Polydor Records. This 2 CD compilation is currently out of print in some markets while still available in some form in others.
Delaine Alvin "Delaney" Bramlett was an American singer and guitarist. He was best known for his musical partnership with his wife Bonnie Bramlett in the band Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, which included a wide variety of other musicians, many of whom were successful in other contexts.
Bobby Whitlock is the debut solo album by American songwriter and rock musician Bobby Whitlock, released in early 1972. The album features all of the former members of Derek and the Dominos – Whitlock, Eric Clapton, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon – although never all together. Other contributors include George Harrison, the sessions for whose 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass had led to the formation of the Dominos; Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett; and ex-Manfred Mann bassist Klaus Voormann.
"Let It Rain" is a song and single written and released by the British rock musician Eric Clapton and Bonnie Bramlett; it appears on his 1970 debut studio album Eric Clapton. In 1972 it was released as a single as part of the promotion for his compilation album Eric Clapton at His Best
"Bottle of Red Wine" is an uptempo blues rock song, written and recorded by the British rock musician Eric Clapton for his eponymous studio album Eric Clapton in 1970 under Polydor Records. The recording was produced by Delaney Bramlett and is of a three-minute and six second duration. Polydor Records released the song as the B-side to the 1970 single release "Blues Power". The song is written in the key of C major, played with the blues scale. Music critic Robert Christgau notes, that the tune does not deserve a "classic status". The title is also included on the 1972 compilation album Eric Clapton at His Best.
