Disraeli Gears

[uwe]

I don't rush out to buy every new Clapton album and be hard-pressed to really name a favorite one, but I don't turn off the radio or roll my eyes when he comes on either (well, the truly horrible Lay Down Sally might push me over the ledge).

For some reason, I like his interviews, he's a very reflective interview partner, all those decades of therapy did not go to waste.

When he plays a solo, it is 99% of the time pleasant, fluid and tasteful, which is sufficient for my requirements. He is also recognizable.

And though it has been played to death and even banalized via thoughtless covers, his Tears in Heaven is one of the most beautiful songs about the loss of a young child which is any parent's personal armageddon. And Wonderful Tonight is another song (played to death) that captured an intimate moment oh so well. So if I think about it, Eric the composer and lyricist sometimes tends to impress me more than Eric the lead guitarist (he's of course fine, but I'm personally more into Hendrix' maverick'ism and sexual love affair with the guitar, Blackmore's dark drama or EvH's inventiveness and firestarterdom) - and the way he has molded his career he would probably be very pleased with my assessment. 

But then I didn't have the luck to see Cream live in their prime - did anyone here? I'd probably be writing differently if I had. I really liked the RAH reunion concert as an excellent nostalgic snapshot, but did not expect that anything more would develop from it. Clapton would probably prefer to stand in for Robbie Robertson in a The Band reunion even if Ginger and Jack still lived.

[Pilgrim]

I'm typically in the minority on Clapton in that I rather like his 70s solo stuff. A couple of high school friends were really into him, so I'd hear it pretty regularly hanging out with them. For me, it went downhill after his 1980 live album "Just One Night".

I'm pretty much a Clapton fan of all eras. To me, Disraeli Gears was an eye-opener and one of the truly great albums of the 60s. It put Clapton a step above most other guitarists and he's never fallen off.

[Dave W]

I don't rush out to buy every new Clapton album and be hard-pressed to really name a favorite one, but I don't turn off the radio or roll my eyes when he comes on either (well, the truly horrible Lay Down Sally might push me over the ledge).

What on earth is wrong with Lay Down Sally? It's still a crowd favorite.

Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Albert Lee, Keb' Mo, Earl Klugh and James Burton can't be wrong.



It even made the Billboard Country Top 40, and Red Sovine did a country version that also charted.

[uwe]

I hate it, always have. The verse is barely bearable, the banal chorus pure torture for me. It's so awful, even Red Sovine's atrocity couldn't make it any worse - and he tried hard. Jaunty infantile nonsense track. I'd rather listen to amp feedback from Cream.

I'm writing this even though it was co-written and -sung by the great Marcella Detroit (aka Marcy Levy), whom I consider a clever songwriter(ess).

[Dave W]

Of course you don't have to like it, no disputing personal taste. I'm just shocked by such a harsh reaction.

Albert Lee obviously disagrees.

"Red Sovine's atrocity"? Really? Red's biggest hits were his maudlin recitations, like Giddyup Go. His Lay Down Sally was a refreshing change. Meanwhile, this dark gem didn't even chart.

[uwe]

I actually like this, much better than his Lay Down Sally cover, but you can't polish a turd.