"Dig It" Lyrics

by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Richard Starkey

As Released by the Beatles (1970)

Like a rolling stone
Like a rolling stone
A - like a rolling stone
Like the FBI
And the CIA
And the BBC
BB King
And Doris Day
Matt Busby.

Dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it
((That was Can You Dig It? by Georgie Wood))
Dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it, dig it...
((And now we'd like to do Hark the Angels Come...))

June 1, 1969 - Al Capp

Taped: Sunday 1 June 1969

John and Yoko's infamous conversation with cartoonist Al Capp, filmed at Hôtel Reine Elizabeth in Montréal.

Outtake of the Week: "Run For Your Life" (Take 5)

The first song recorded for Rubber Soul, "Run For Your Life" in take 5 featured a different vocal delivery from John than on the more relaxed released take.



Next installment: July 3

Beatle People: Alan White

Alan White (born 14 June 1949) is an English rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes. In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists including John Lennon, George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker, and The Ventures.

Biography

Born in Pelton, County Durham, White began learning to play the piano at age six and after switching to drums, played publicly with a local band at 13. Later he worked with a number of bands during the late 1960s, notably the Alan Price Set, before being invited to join Ginger Baker's Airforce with Steve Winwood in 1968. The following year, 1969, White received a call from John Lennon (he thought it was a prankster) asking him to join the Plastic Ono Band for a show that became the hit album, Live Peace in Toronto. He also performed with Lennon on the legendary Imagine album and the single, "Instant Karma". When Lennon introduced White to fellow Beatle alumnus, George Harrison, he was asked to perform on the All Things Must Pass album, including the single, "My Sweet Lord".

In 1972, White was touring with Joe Cocker when he received an invitation to join Yes, to replace Bill Bruford who had left to join King Crimson. Three days after meeting with Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, White played at the first show of the group's US Close to the Edge tour. Despite the fact that White had spent time in the studio with the band and even tried playing some of the Close to the Edge material, it is something of a legend that he learned the entire repertoire of extremely complex music in just three days. White and the band gave each other three months to see if he fit in, and over thirty years later, he has appeared on every Yes album since.

Alan White released his only solo album, Ramshackled, in 1976. However, it is usually considered a White solo album in name only, as everything except the drumming (and including all the songwriting) is done by the various musicians White gathered to help with the project.

In addition to his drum playing, White has played piano and written music for several Yes albums. When he is not performing with Yes or travelling around the world conducting drum clinics, White spends time with his wife of over twenty years, Gigi, and their two children, Jesse (also a musician) and Cassi.

New band projects in the 2000s

Alan White had guested with local Seattle band MerKaBa on a number of occasions and Alan White and MerKaBa also had links with another local band, Treason. In 2003, Alan White joined sessions for a new MerKaBa album, but these evolved into a new band, called White, and an album's worth of demo recordings under the name Loyal. As well as Alan, the band consisted of Kevin Currie (from MerKaBa; lead vocals), Karl Haug (from Treason]; electric & acoustic guitars, lap steel), Steve Boyce (from MerKaBa; bass, guitar, backing vocals) and Ted Stockwell (from Treason and MerKaBa; keys, guitar). Stockwell left the band and, in April 2005, was replaced by Alan's former colleague in Yes, keyboardist Geoff Downes. A new album, White, was recorded, partly based on the Loyal demos. The album was released in 2006, with a cover by Roger Dean.

The band has played live (with various keyboardists) in the Seattle area. They were due to join the abortive More Drama Tour. The More Drama Tour, scheduled to begin in North America in August 2005, was to have seen three acts, The Syn, White and Steve Howe touring together, with Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White and Geoff Downes playing Yes material at the end of the evening (with Kevin Currie handling lead vocals). However, the tour was cancelled shortly before it was due to begin. Alan White later joined The Syn touring band for dates in the first half of 2006.

Recently, Alan White has been working on projects with Billy Sherwood, notably a new band, Circa:, with a third Yes alumnus, Tony Kaye.

Trivia

* White is a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United F.C.

* For the song "Owner of a Lonely Heart", White played the first recording only with the bass drum and snare, because all the other drums were being packed up as the group played. White then recorded each individual instrument (cymbals, toms, hi-hat, etc.) afterwards and dubbed them over the original track.

Discography

Solo:

* Ramshackled (1976)

With White:

* White (2006)

With The Alan Price Set:

* A Price on His Head (1967)
* The Amazing Alan Price (EP), (1967)
* This Price is Right, (1968)

With John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band:

* John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, 1970
* Live Peace in Toronto, September 13 1969
* Imagine, (John Lennon, 1971)
* Fly, (Yoko Ono, 1971)

Guest appearances/sessions:

* The Downbeats: "My Bonnie" (single)
* The Blue Chips: "I'm on the Right Side" (single)
* The Blue Chips: "Some Kind of Loving" (single)
* The Blue Chips: "Good Loving Never Hurts" (single)
* The Gamblers: "Dr Goldfoot (and His Bikini Machine)" (single)
* Happy Magazine: "Satisfied Street" (single)
* Happy Magazine: "Who Belongs to You" (single)
* Johnny Almond Music Machine: Patent Pending (1969)
* Johnny Almond: "Solar Machine" (single) (1969)
* Doris Troy: You Tore Me Up Inside
* Billy Preston: Encouraging Words (1969)
* George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (2001)
* Gary Wright: Extraction (1970)
* Denny Laine and Balls: "Fight for My Country" (single) (1971)
* Jesse Davis: Jesse Davis
* Sky: Don't Hold Back (1971)
* Brian Short: Anything for a Laugh (1971)
* Donovan: "The Music Makers" (1973)
* Chris Squire: Chris Squire's Swiss Choir (2007; re-release of "Run with the Fox")

and work with Yes, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Billy Sherwood, Trevor Rabin, Esquire and The Syn

Wikipedia

Paul McCartney's Tribute to Michael Jackson

"It's so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.

"I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family and to his countless fans all around the world."
- Paul McCartney

New John Lennon Acoustic Guitar Demos (1966)

Previously only written about in Doug Sulpy's books, these demos, reportedly recorded in 1966 at Kenwood, are now available publicly for the first time:

Mr. Moonlight:



Hold On (I'm Coming):

"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" Lyrics

by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Original Manuscript, "(the continuing story of) Bungalow Bill" (1968)

Hey Bungalow Bill
what did you kill
Bungalow Bill?

(1) He went hunting with his elephant
and gun
In case of accidents he always
took his mum
He's an all american bullet headed
saxon mother's sons [sic]
all the children sing

(2) Deep in the jungle where the mighty tiger
lies
our hero's elephants were
taken by surprise
so captain marvel zapped him right
between the eyes
all the children sing



As Released by the Beatles (1968)

Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?

He went out tiger hunting with his elephant and gun
In case of accidents he always took his mom
He's the all-American bullet-headed Saxon mother's son.

All de children sing:
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?

Deep in the jungle where the mighty tiger lies
Bill and his elephants were taken by surprise
So Captain Marvel zapped him right between the eyes. (Zap!)

All de children sing:
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?

The children asked him if to kill was not a sin
[But when he looked so fierce] his mommy butted in
If looks could kill it would have been us instead of him.

All the children sing:
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?
Hey, Bungalow Bill
What did you kill
Bungalow Bill?

Robert Whitaker on the Butcher Album Cover - Part 3

WHITAKER: I'll keep repeating that it's unfinished artwork. Here in '93 I actually started working on what I originally had as a concept and behind the heads of each Beatle would've been a golden halo and in the halo would've been put semi-precious stones. And then their background would have been more gold so that it was rather like a Russian icon. And again, playing on the spoof and the pun of making an icon, it's actually canonizing the Beatles, thereby saying they have godlike images, which is slightly after John Lennon's saying, "We're more popular than Jesus," which at the time was true. It probably still is. But that even upset a lot of people. But in a material world, that was an extremely true statement. If you wish to look into a spiritual world, and go on about Jesus, well I'm not going to sit here and do it.

In fact in this exhibition, we were going make an enormous print of it and put it behind closed doors, and you'd have to go in one at a time and be sworn to almost the Secrecy Act. I mean, one of the statements I heard was that the dolls in the picture could upset pedophiles, and I mean, I've never heard such crap in all my life, but that was one of the statements from one of the people at the Apple company.

Q: Are they embarrassed by the picture?

WHITAKER: I just don't think... I would agree with the conception of the fact that the way the record cover was produced without, frankly, my finished artwork on it, it is a sort of image that they wanted to have around and yet... John almost his last written words were about this record cover, saying they were as bored as I was, just doing happy set-up snaps for publicity purposes in the studio. And this was a complete breakaway from it and you know, they were sort of I think amused at the time when we did. In fact, there was an enormous amount of laughter because that wasn't all that I did, I mean there was George Harrison bashing nails into John's head, I mean, with a hammer. It all goes down to sort of René Magritte, that sort of thing.

"Day Tripper" Lyrics

by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

As Released by the Beatles (1965)

Got a good reason
For taking the easy way out
Got a good reason
For taking the easy way out, now.

She was a day tripper
One-way ticket, yeah
It took me so long to find out
And I found out.

She's a big teaser
She took me half the way there
She's a big teaser
She took me half the way there, now.

She was a day tripper
One-way ticket, yeah
It took me so long to find out
And I found out.

Aah, aah, aah.

Tried to please her
She only played one night stands
Tried to please her
And she only played one night stands, now.

She was a day tripper
Sunday driver, yeah
It took me so long to find out
And I found out.

Day tripper, yeah
Day tripper, yeah
Day tripper
Day tripper, yeah
Day tripper
Day tripper.

Photos of Pattie Boyd - Part 7

Beatle People: Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream, and as a solo performer, being the only person to be inducted three times. Often viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Clapton was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #53 on their list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Although Clapton has varied his musical style throughout his career, it has always remained grounded in the blues. Yet, in spite of this focus, he is credited as an innovator in a wide variety of genres. These include blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and the Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Additionally, Clapton's chart success was not limited to the blues, with chart-toppers in Delta Blues (Me and Mr. Johnson), pop ("Change the World") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"). One of his most successful recordings was the hit love song "Layla," which he played with the band Derek and the Dominos and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", which has been his staple song since his days with Cream.

Early years

Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, the son of 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton and Edward Walter Fryer, a 24-year-old soldier from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Fryer shipped off to war prior to Clapton's birth and then returned to Canada. Clapton grew up with his grandmother, Rose, and her second husband Jack, believing they were his parents and that his mother was his older sister. Their surname was Clapp, which has given rise to the widespread but erroneous belief that Clapton's real surname is Clapp (Reginald Cecil Clapton is the name of Rose's first husband, Eric Clapton's maternal grandfather). Years later, his mother married another Canadian soldier, moved to Canada and left young Eric with his grandparents in distant Surbiton. Clapton received an acoustic Spanish Hoya guitar for his 13th birthday, but found learning the steel-stringed instrument very difficult and nearly gave up. Despite his frustrations, he was influenced by the blues from an early age and practiced long hours to learn chords and copy the music of blues artists that he listened to on his Grundig Cub tape recorder.

After leaving school in 1961, Clapton studied at the Kingston College of Art but was dismissed at the end of the academic year because his focus remained on music rather than art. Around this time Clapton began busking around Kingston, Richmond and the West End of London. When he was 17 years old Clapton joined his first band, an early British R&B group called, "The Roosters." He stayed with this band from January through August 1963. In October of that year, Clapton did a brief seven gig stint with Casey Jones and the Engineers.

1960s

In 1963, Clapton joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band, and stayed with them until March 1965. Synthesizing influences from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Freddie King and B. B. King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the British music scene. The band initially played Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay blues numbers and began to attract a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones' residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They toured England with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson II; a joint LP, recorded in December 1963, was issued belatedly under both their names, in 1965. In March 1965, just as Clapton left the band, the Yardbirds had their first major hit, "For Your Love," on which Clapton played guitar.

It was during this time period that Clapton's Yardbirds rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja recalled that whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would stay on stage and replace it. The English audiences would wait out the delay by doing what is called a "slow handclap". Clapton told his official biographer, Ray Coleman, that, "My nickname of 'Slowhand' came from Giorgio Gomelsky. He coined it as a good pun. He kept saying I was a fast player, so he put together the slow handclap phrase into Slowhand as a play on words."

Still obstinately dedicated to blues music, Clapton was strongly offended by the Yardbirds' new pop-oriented direction, partly because, "For Your Love," had been written by pop songwriter-for-hire Graham Gouldman, who had also written hits for teen pop outfit Herman's Hermits and harmony pop band The Hollies. Clapton recommended fellow guitarist Jimmy Page as his replacement; but, Page was at that time unwilling to relinquish his lucrative career as a freelance studio musician, so Page in turn recommended Clapton's successor, Jeff Beck. While Beck and Page played together in the Yardbirds, the trio of Beck, Page, and Clapton were never in the group together. However, the trio did appear on the 12-date benefit tour for Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis, as well as on the album Guitar Boogie.

Clapton joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, in April 1965, only to quit a few months later. In the summer of 1965, he left for Greece with a band called The Glands which included his old friend Ben Palmer on piano. In November 1965, he rejoined John Mayall. It was during his second Bluesbreakers' stint that his passionate playing established Clapton's name as the best blues guitarist on the club circuit. Although Clapton gained world fame for his playing on the immensely influential album, Blues Breakers, this album was not released until Clapton had left the Bluesbreakers for good. Having swapped his Fender Telecaster and Vox AC30 amp for a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar and Marshall amplifier, Clapton's sound and playing inspired a well-publicised graffito that deified him with the famous slogan, "Clapton is God." The phrase was spray-painted by an admirer on a wall in an Islington Underground station in the autumn of 1967. The graffiti was captured in a now-famous photograph, in which a dog is urinating on the wall. Clapton is well reported to have been embarrassed by the slogan, saying in The South Bank Show profile of him made in 1987, "I never accepted that I was the greatest guitar player in the world. I always wanted to be the greatest guitar player in the world, but that's an ideal, and I accept it as an ideal." The phrase began to appear in other areas of Islington throughout the mid-60s.

Cream

Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in July 1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroups. Cream was also one of the earliest "power trios", with Jack Bruce on bass (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers and the Graham Bond Organization) and Ginger Baker on drums (another member of the GBO). Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was all but unknown in the United States; he left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten, and had yet to perform there. During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, though Bruce took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown. Cream's first gig was an unofficial performance at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester on 29 July 1966 before their full debut two nights later at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Cream established its enduring legend with the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows.

In early 1967, Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was rivaled by the emergence of Jimi Hendrix, an acid rock-infused guitarist who used wailing feedback and effects pedals to create new sounds for the instrument. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on 1 October 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a shattering double-timed version of "Killing Floor". In return, top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles avidly attended Hendrix's early club performances. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognised in UK music polls as the premier guitarist.

It was with Cream that Clapton first visited the United States. They went to New York in March 1967 for a nine show stand at the RKO Theater. They returned to New York to record Disraeli Gears from 11 May 1967 – 15 May 1967. Cream's repertoire varied from soulful pop ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful") and featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing. Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming backed up Clapton and Bruce, securing Cream as a power trio.

In 28 months, Cream had become a commercial success, selling millions of records and playing throughout the US and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first blues-rock bands to emphasise musical virtuosity and lengthy jazz-style improvisation sessions. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "Crossroads" (#28, 1969) - a live version of Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues." Although Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as a guitar hero reached new heights, the supergroup was destined to be short-lived. The legendary infighting between Bruce and Baker and growing tensions among all three members eventually led to Cream's demise. Another significant factor was a strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour, which affected Clapton profoundly.

Cream's farewell album, "Goodbye", featured live performances recorded live at The Forum, Los Angeles, 19 October 1968, and was released shortly after Cream disbanded in 1968; it also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison, whom he had met and become friends with after the Beatles had shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album. By all accounts the presence of an outsider, especially of Clapton's calibre, had the effect of bringing peace to the disharmonious band. In the same year of release as the White Album, Harrison released his solo debut Wonderwall Music that became the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar, who would go largely uncredited due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guest. A year after Harrison's death in 2001, Clapton helped organise the tribute concert, for which he was musical director.

Since their 1968 breakup, Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A full-scale reunion of the legendary trio took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce, and Baker playing four sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall (the scene of their 1968 farewell shows) and three more at New York's Madison Square Garden that October. Recordings from the London shows were released on CD, LP, and DVD in September/December 2005.

Blind Faith & Delaney and Bonnie and Friends

A desultory spell in a second super group, the short-lived Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic and Ric Grech of Family, resulted in one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The super group debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969. They later performed several dates in Scandinavia and began a sold-out American tour in July before their one and only album was released. The LP Blind Faith was recorded in such haste that side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". The album's jacket image of a topless pubescent girl was deemed controversial in the United States and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after less than seven months. While Winwood returned to Traffic, by now Clapton was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded Cream and Blind Faith.

Clapton decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, who had been the support act for Blind Faith's U.S. tour. He also played two dates that fall with The Plastic Ono Band. Clapton became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who encouraged him in his singing and writing. Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills), Clapton recorded his first solo album during two brief tour hiatuses, fittingly named Eric Clapton. The album included the Bramlett composition, "Bottle Of Red Wine" and "Let It Rain". It also yielded the unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J. J. Cale's "After Midnight". Clapton went with Delaney and Bonnie from the stage to the studio with the Dominos to record George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in spring 1970. During this busy period, Clapton also recorded with other artists including Dr. John, Leon Russell, Plastic Ono Band, Billy Preston and Ringo Starr.

1970s

Taking over Delaney & Bonnie's rhythm section—Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Gordon (drums)—Clapton formed a new band which was intended to counteract the "star" cult that had grown up around him and show that he could be a member of an ensemble. The band was called "Eric Clapton and Friends" at first, and the name "Derek and the Dominos" was an accident, which occurred when the band's provisional name of "Eric and the Dynamos" was misread as Derek and the Dominos. Clapton's biography, though, argues that Ashton told Clapton to call the band "Del and the Dominos", Del being his nickname for Clapton. Del and Eric were combined and the final name became "Derek and the Dominos".

Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison had brought him into contact with Harrison's wife Pattie Boyd, with whom he became deeply infatuated. When she spurned his advances, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. This album contained the monster-hit single, love song "Layla", inspired by the classical Persian poet Nezami Ganjavi's The Story of Layla and Majnun, a copy of which his friend Ian Dallas had given him. The book moved Clapton profoundly as it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful, unavailable woman and who went crazy because he could not marry her.

Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with Clapton on Cream's Disraeli Gears, the band recorded a double-album. The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the elegiac piano part. The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd—who was also producing the Allmans—invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists met first onstage, then played all night in the studio and became friends. Duane first added his slide guitar to "Tell the Truth" on 28 August as well as "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". In four days, the five-piece Dominos recorded "Key to the Highway", "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", and "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad". When September came around, Duane briefly left the sessions for gigs with his own band, and the four-piece Dominos recorded "I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues", and "Keep on Growing." Duane returned to record "I am Yours", "Anyday", and "It's Too Late." On the 9th, they recorded Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the title track. The following day, the final track, "Thorn Tree in the Garden" was recorded.

The album was heavily blues-influenced and featured a combination of the twin guitars of Allman and Clapton, with Allman's incendiary slide-guitar a key ingredient of the sound. Many critics would later notice that Clapton played best when in a band composed of dual guitars; working with another guitarist kept him from getting "sloppy and lazy and this was undeniably the case with Duane Allman." It showcased some of Clapton's strongest material to date, as well as arguably some of his best guitar playing, with Whitlock also contributing several superb numbers, and his powerful, soul-influenced voice.

Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a blistering version of "Little Wing" as a tribute to him which was added to the album. On 17 September 1970, one day before Hendrix's death, Clapton had purchased a left-handed Stratocaster that he had planned to give to Hendrix as a birthday gift. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews upon release. The shaken group undertook a U.S. tour without Allman, who had returned to the Allman Brothers Band. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the surprisingly strong live double album In Concert. The band had recorded several tracks for a second album in London during the spring of 1971 (five of which were released on the Eric Clapton box-set Crossroads), but the results were mediocre.

Tom Dowd and Duane Allman were not there to help them and Derek and the Dominos soon disintegrated messily in London. Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident on 29 October 1971. Although Radle would remain Clapton's bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), the split between Clapton and Whitlock was apparently a bitter one, and it was not until 2003 that they worked together again (Clapton guested on Whitlock's appearance on the Later with Jools Holland show). Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic and years later murdered his mother during a psychotic episode. Gordon was confined to 16-years-to-life imprisonment, later being moved to a mental institution, where he remains today.

Solo career

Clapton's career successes in the 1970s were in stark contrast to his personal life, which was troubled by romantic longings and drug and alcohol addiction. In addition to his (temporarily) unrequited and intense attraction to Pattie Boyd, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, resulting in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued the show). In January 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organised a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert" to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight To The Blind") is notable as he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes in an attempt to force the director to remove his earlier scene from the movie and leave the set.

In 1974, now partnered with Pattie (they would not actually marry until 1979) and no longer using heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a more low-key touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, keyboardist Dick Sims, drummer Jamie Oldaker and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (better known as Marcella Detroit of 1980s pop duo Shakespears Sister). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with an emphasis on more compact songs and fewer guitar solos; the cover-version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was Clapton's first #1 hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd continued the trend of 461. The album's original title The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd) was changed before pressing, as it was felt its ironic intention would be misunderstood. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here. Clapton continued to release albums and toured regularly. Highlights of the era include No Reason to Cry, whose collaborators included Bob Dylan and The Band, and Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight", another song inspired by Pattie Boyd, and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine."

1980s

In 1981, Clapton was invited by producer Martin Lewis to appear at the Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Clapton accepted the invitation and teamed up with Jeff Beck to perform a series of duets—reportedly their first-ever billed stage collaboration. Three of the performances were released on the album of the show and one of the songs was featured in the film of the show. The performances heralded a return to form and prominence for Clapton in the new decade. Many factors had influenced Clapton's comeback, including his "deepening commitment to Christianity", to which he had converted prior to his heroin addiction.

In 1984, he performed on Pink Floyd member Roger Waters's solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking and went on tour with Waters following the release of the album. Since then Waters and Clapton have had a close relationship. In 2005 they performed together for the Tsunami Relief Fund. In 2006 they performed at the Highclere Castle, in aid of the Countryside Alliance, playing two set pieces of "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb". As Clapton recovered from his addictions, his album output continued in the 1980s, including two produced with Phil Collins, 1985's Behind the Sun, which produced the hits "Forever Man" and "She's Waiting", and 1986's August.

August, a polished release that was suffused with Collins's trademark drum and horn sound, became Clapton's biggest seller in the UK to date and matched his highest chart position, number 3. The album's first track, the hit "It's In The Way That You Use It", was also featured in the Tom Cruise-Paul Newman movie The Color of Money. The horn-peppered "Run" echoed Collins' "Sussudio" and rest of the producer's Genesis/solo output, while "Tearing Us Apart" (with Tina Turner) and the bitter "Miss You" echoed Clapton's angry sound. This rebound kicked off Clapton's two-year period of touring with Collins and their August collaborates, bassist Nathan East and keyboard player/songwriter Greg Phillinganes. Despite his own earlier battles with alcoholism, Clapton remade "After Midnight" as a single and a promotional track for the Michelob beer brand, which had also marketed earlier songs by Collins and Steve Winwood. Clapton won a British Academy Television Award for his collaboration with Michael Kamen on the score for the 1985 BBC television thriller serial Edge of Darkness. In 1989, Clapton released Journeyman, an album which covered a wide range of styles including blues, jazz, soul and pop. Collaborators included George Harrison, Phil Collins, Daryl Hall, Chaka Khan, Mick Jones, David Sanborn and Robert Cray.

Tragedies

In 1984, while still married to Pattie Boyd, Clapton began a year-long relationship with Yvonne Kelly. The two had a daughter, Ruth, in January 1985. Clapton and Kelly did not make any public announcement about the birth of their daughter, and she was not publicly revealed as his child until 1991. Boyd did not know of the existence of Ruth until 1991; she stated that "[what] cut deepest was that Eric had known about the child all along. While declaring undying love to me and pleading with me to go back to him, he had been paying Yvonne maintenance for the past six years."

Hurricane Hugo hit Montserrat in 1989 and this resulted in the closure of Sir George Martin and John Burgess's recording studio AIR Montserrat, where Kelly was Managing Director. Kelly and Ruth moved back to England, and the myth of Eric's secret daughter began as a result of newspaper articles published at the time. Clapton and Boyd divorced in 1989 following his affair with Italian model Lori Del Santo, who gave birth to their son Conor in August 1986. Boyd herself was never able to conceive children, despite attempts at in vitro fertilization. Their divorce was granted on grounds of "infidelity and unreasonable behaviour."

The early 1990s saw tragedy enter Clapton's life again. On 27 August 1990, fellow guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was touring with Clapton, and two members of their road crew were killed in a helicopter crash between concerts. Then, on 20 March 1991, Conor, who was four years of age, died when he fell from the 53rd-story window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment, landing on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "Tears in Heaven", which was co-written by Will Jennings. He received a total of six Grammys that year for the single "Tears in Heaven" and the Unplugged album.

1990s and 2000s

In October 1992, Clapton was among the dozens of artists performing at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert. Recorded at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the live two-disk CD captured a show full of celebrities performing classic Dylan songs, before ending with a few performances from Bob Dylan himself. Despite the presence of 10 other guitarists on stage, including George Harrison, Neil Young, Roger McGuinn, Steve Cropper, Tom Petty, and Dylan, Clapton played the lead on a nearly 7-minute version of Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," one of Clapton's early hit singles, as part of the finale.

While Unplugged featured Clapton playing acoustic guitar, his 1994 album From the Cradle contained new versions of old blues standards highlighted by his electric guitar playing. The album showed that Clapton could still effectively play blues along the more mainstream music featured in his other records. Clapton's 1996 recording of the Wayne Kirkpatrick/Gordon Kennedy/Tommy Sims tune "Change the World" (featured in the soundtrack of the movie Phenomenon) won a Grammy award for song of the year in 1997, the same year he recorded Retail Therapy (an album of electronic music with Simon Climie under the pseudonym TDF). The following year, Clapton released the album Pilgrim, the first record featuring brand new material for almost a decade. Clapton finished the twentieth century with critically-acclaimed collaborations with Carlos Santana and B. B. King.

In 1996 Clapton had a relationship with singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow. They remain friends, and Clapton appeared as a guest on Sheryl Crow's Central Park Concert when the duo performed a Cream hit single "White Room". Later, Clapton and Crow performed an alternate version of "Tulsa Time" with other guitar legends at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in June 2007. In 1999 Clapton, then 54, met 23-year-old store clerk Melia McEnery in Los Angeles while working on an album with B. B. King. They married in 2002 at St Mary Magdalen church in Clapton's birthplace, Ripley, Surrey, and as of 2005 have three daughters, Julie Rose (June 13, 2001), Ella May (January 14, 2003), and Sophie Belle (February 1, 2005). He wrote the song "Three Little Girls", featured on his 2006 album The Road to Escondido, about the contentment he has found in his home life with his wife and daughters.

Following the release of the 2001 record Reptile, Eric performed "Layla" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Party at the Palace in 2002. In November of that year he organised and hosted the Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall, a tribute to George Harrison, who had died a year earlier of cancer. The concert featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Ravi Shankar, and others. In 2004, Clapton released two records packed full of covers by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, Me & Mr Johnson. The same year Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Clapton #53 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

In May 2005, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker reunited as Cream for a series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Concert recordings were released on CD and DVD. Later, Cream performed in New York at Madison Square Garden. Back Home, Clapton's first album of new original material in nearly five years, was released on Reprise Records on 30 August. In 2006 he invited Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II to join his band for his 2006-2007 world tour. Trucks is the third member of The Allman Brothers Band to support Clapton, the second being pianist/keyboardist Chuck Leavell who appeared on the MTV Unplugged album and the 24 Nights performances at the Royal Albert Hall theatre of London (RAH) in 1990 and 1991, as well as Clapton's 1992 U.S. tour.

On 20 May, 2006, Clapton performed with Queen drummer Roger Taylor and former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters at the Highclere Castle, in support of the Countryside Alliance. On 13 August 2006, Clapton made a guest appearance at the Bob Dylan concert in Columbus, Ohio, playing guitar on three songs in Jimmie Vaughan's opening act. A collaboration with guitarist J. J. Cale, titled The Road to Escondido, was released on 7 November 2006, featuring Derek Trucks and Billy Preston. The 14-track CD was produced and recorded by the duo in August 2005 in California. The chemistry between Trucks and Clapton convinced him to invite The Derek Trucks Band to open for Clapton's set on his 2007 Crossroads Tour, with Trucks remaining on set afterward, performing with Clapton's band throughout his performances.

The rights to Clapton's official memoirs, written by Christopher Simon Sykes and published in 2007, were sold at the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair for USD $4 million.

In 2007, Clapton learned more about his father, a Canadian soldier who left the UK after the war. Although Clapton's grandparents eventually told him the truth about his parentage, he only knew that his father's name was Edward Fryer. This was a source of disquiet for Clapton, as witnessed by his 1998 song "My Father's Eyes". A Montreal journalist named Michael Woloschuk researched Canadian Armed Forces service records and tracked down members of Fryer's family, finally piecing together the story. He learned that Clapton's father was Edward Walter Fryer, born 21 March 1920, in Montreal and died 15 May 1985 in Newmarket, Ontario. Fryer was a musician (piano and saxophone) and a lifelong drifter, who was married several times, had several children and apparently never knew that he was the father of Eric Clapton. Clapton thanked Woloschuk in an encounter at Macdonald Cartier Airport, in Ottawa, Canada.

In September 2008, Clapton performed at a private charity fundraiser for The Countryside Alliance at Floridita in Soho, London, that included such guests as the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Influences

Clapton has performed songs by myriad artists, most notably Robert Johnson and J. J. Cale. Other artists Clapton has covered include Bob Marley, Bo Diddley and Bob Dylan. He cites Freddie King, B. B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin and primarily Robert Johnson as major influences of his guitar playing. In his book, Discovering Robert Johnson (which he co-authored with several other writers), Clapton called Johnson "...the most important blues musician who ever lived. He was true, absolutely, to his own vision, and as deep as I have gotten into the music over the last 30 years, I have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice, really. ... it seemed to echo something I had always felt." In 1974, Clapton persuaded Freddie King to sign with RSO, Clapton's record label at the time. He has recorded more than six of J. J. Cale's originals and has put out an album with him. Other artists with whom Clapton has made collaborations include Frank Zappa, B. B. King, George Harrison, Santana, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters, John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band. Clapton also collaborated with singer/songwriter John Mayer on his 2006 album release, Continuum. Mayer cites Clapton in his liner notes Eric Clapton knows I steal from him and is still cool with it. Clapton and Mayer wrote several songs together which have yet to be released. Clapton's influence inspired Mayer to write "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" which loosely holds characteristics of Clapton's musical and fashion style.

Guitars

Clapton's choice of electric guitars has been as notable as the man himself, and alongside Hank Marvin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, Clapton exerted a crucial and widespread influence in popularizing particular models of the electric guitar. With the Yardbirds, Clapton played a Fender Telecaster, a Fender Jazzmaster and a 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335. He became exclusively a Gibson player for a period beginning in mid-1965, when he purchased a used Gibson Les Paul Sunburst Standard guitar from a local guitar store in London. Clapton commented on the slim profile of the neck, which would indicate it as a 1960 model.

Early during his stint in Cream, Clapton's first Les Paul Standard was stolen. He continued to play Les Pauls exclusively with Cream (one bought from Andy Summers was almost identical to the stolen guitar) until 1967 when he acquired his most famous guitar in this period, a 1964 Gibson SG. In early 1967, just before their first US appearance, Clapton's SG, Bruce's Fender VI and Baker's drum head were repainted in psychedelic designs created by the visual art collective known as The Fool. In 1968 Clapton bought a Gibson Firebird and started using the 1964 Cherry-Red Gibson ES-335 again. The aforementioned 1964 ES-335 had a storied career. Clapton used it at the last Cream show in November, 1968 as well as with Blind Faith, played sparingly for slide pieces in the 1970s, heard on Hard Times from Journeyman and the From the Cradle sessions and tour. It was sold for $847,500 at the 2004 auction. Gibson produced a limited run of 250 "Crossroads 335" replicas. The 335 was only the second electric guitar Clapton bought.

Clapton played a refinished red Les Paul on the Beatles' studio recording of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", then gave the guitar to George Harrison. His SG found its way into the hands of George Harrison's friend Jackie Lomax, who subsequently sold it to musician Todd Rundgren for US$500 in 1972. Rundgren restored the guitar and nicknamed it "Sunny", after "Sunshine of Your Love." He retained it until 2000, when he sold it at an auction for US$150,000. At the 1969 Blind Faith concert in Hyde Park, London Clapton played a Fender Custom Telecaster, which was fitted with Brownie's neck.

In late 1969, Clapton made the switch to the Fender Stratocaster. "I had a lot of influences when I took up the Strat. First there was Buddy Holly, and Buddy Guy. Hank Marvin was the first well known person over here in England who was using one, but that wasn't really my kind of music. Steve Winwood had so much credibility, and when he started playing one, I thought, oh, if he can do it, I can do it." First was "Brownie" used during the recording of Eric Clapton which in 1974 became the backup to the most famous of all Clapton's guitars, "Blackie." In November 1970 Eric bought six Fender Stratocasters from the Sho-bud guitar shop in Nashville, Tennessee while on tour with the Dominos. He gave one each to George Harrison, Steve Winwood and Pete Townshend.

He used the best components of the remaining three to create "Blackie", which was Clapton's favourite stage guitar until its retirement in 1985. It was first played live January 13, 1973 at the Rainbow Concert. Clapton called the 1956/57 Strat a "mongrel". On 24 June, 2004, Clapton sold "Blackie" at Christie's Auction House, New York for $959,500 to raise funds for his Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addictions. "Brownie" is now on display at the Experience Music Project. The Fender Custom Shop has since produced a limited run of 275 'Blackie' replicas, correct in every detail right down to the 'Duck Brothers' flight case, and artificially aged using Fender's 'Relic' process to simulate years of hard wear. One was presented to Eric upon the model's release.

Another moment involving Clapton's guitars resulted in Hard Rock Café's unique and gigantic collection of memorabilia. In 1971, Clapton, a regular at the original Hard Rock Café in Hyde Park, London, gave a signed guitar to the café to designate his favourite bar stool. Pete Townshend, in turn, donated one of his own guitars, with a note attached: "Mine's as good as his! Love, Pete." From there, the collection of memorabilia grew, resulting in Hard Rock Café's atmosphere. In 1988 Fender honoured Clapton with the introduction of his signature Eric Clapton Stratocaster. These were the first two artist models in the Stratocaster range and since then the artist series has grown to include models inspired both by Clapton's contemporaries such as Rory Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, and by those who have influenced him such as Buddy Guy. Clapton uses Ernie Ball Slinky and Super Slinky strings. Clapton has also been honoured with signature-model 000-28EC and 000-42EC acoustic guitars made by the famous American firm of C.F. Martin & Co. His 1939 000-42 Martin that he played on the Unplugged album sold for $791,500 at auction. Clapton plays a custom 000-ECHF Martin these days.

In 1999, Clapton auctioned off some of his guitar collection to raise over $5 million for continuing support of the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, which he founded in 1997. The Crossroads Centre is a treatment base for addictive disorders such as drugs and alcohol.In 2004, Clapton organised and participated in the Crossroads Guitar Festival to benefit the Centre. A second guitar auction, including the "Cream" of Clapton's collection - as well as guitars donated by famous friends - was also held on 24 June 2004. His Lowden acoustic guitar sold for $41,825. The total revenue garnered by this auction at Christie's was US $7,438,624.

Other media appearances

Clapton frequently appears as a guest on the albums of other musicians. For example, he is credited on Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms album, as he lent Mark Knopfler one of his guitars for the album. He also played lead guitar and synthesizer on The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Roger Waters' debut solo album after leaving Pink Floyd. Other media appearances include the Toots & the Maytals album True Love where he played guitar on the track "Pressure Drop". He can also be heard at the beginning of Frank Zappa's album, "We're Only In It For The Money", repeating the phrase, "Are you hung up?" over and over again. In 1985, Clapton appeared on the charity concert Live Aid in Philadelphia with Phil Collins, Tim Renwick, Chris Stainton, Jamie Oldaker, Marcy Levy, Shaun Murphy and Donald 'Duck' Dunn. In 1988 he played with Dire Straits and Elton John at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. Two years later, Dire Straits, Clapton and Elton John made a guest appearance in a charity show held at Knebworth.

On 12 September 1996, Clapton played a party for Armani at New York City's Lexington Armory with Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East and Steve Gadd. Sheryl Crow appeared on one number, performing "Tearing Us Apart", a track from August, which was first performed by Tina Turner during the Prince's Trust All-Star Rock show in 1986. It was Clapton's sole US appearance that year, following an open-air concert at Hyde Park with Dave Bronze, Andy Fairweather-Low, The Kick Horns, Jerry Portnoy, Chris Stainton and backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles. A video recording from the footage of the Hyde Park concert has been released as a VHS video cassette in 4 August 1997; the DVD version appeared in 20 November 2001.

Clapton was featured in the rock opera film, Tommy as the Preacher. He also appeared in Blues Brothers 2000 as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys. In addition to being in the band, he had a small speaking role. Clapton has also appeared in an advertisement for the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. In March 2007, Clapton appeared in an advertisement for RealNetwork's Rhapsody (online music service).

Awards and honours

1983

* Presented the Silver Clef Award from Princess Michael of Kent for outstanding contribution to British music.

1993

* "Tears In Heaven" won three Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Male Pop Vocal Performance. Clapton also won Album of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance for "Unplugged" and Best Rock Song for "Layla".

1994

* Awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to music.

2000

* Inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time, this time as a solo artist. He was earlier inducted as a member of the bands Cream and The Yardbirds.

2004

* Promoted to CBE, receiving the award from the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace as part of the New Year's Honours list.

Clapton's music in film and TV

* Mean Streets (1973) - "I Looked Away"
* The Hit (1984) - Score
* Back to the Future (1985) - Heaven Is One Step Away
* The Color of Money (1986 film) - "It's In The Way That You Use It"
* SpaceCamp (1986 film) - "Forever Man" plays when Tate Donovan's character arrives at the Space Camp.
* The German car manufacturer Opel and Vauxhall in the UK used the guitar riff of Clapton's Layla in its advertising campaign throughout in 1987-95.
* Lethal Weapon 2 (1988) - "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
* Goodfellas (1990) - "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love" "Soundtracks for Goodfellas". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/soundtrack. Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
* Rush (1991)_ Clapton wrote the score
* Wayne's World (1992) - "Loving your Loving"
* Peter's Friends (1992) - "Give Me Strength"
* Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) Clapton contributed to the score and co-wrote and co-performed the song "It's Probably Me" with Sting and "Runaway Train" with Elton John.
* True Lies (1994) - "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Twister (1996 film) (1996) - "Motherless Child"
* Phenomenon (1996 film) - "Change the World"
* Patch Adams (film) (1998)- "Let It Rain"
* Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) - "Pilgrim"
* City Of Angels (1998) - "Further On Up The Road"
* Runaway Bride (1999) - Blue Eyes Blue
* The Story of Us (1999) - "(I) Get Lost" (featured multiple times)
* Friends (2000) - The One with the Proposal, Part 2, "Wonderful Tonight"
* Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000) - "River of Tears"
* A Knight's Tale (2001) - "Further On Up The Road"
* Futurama - episode 30% Iron Chef - "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Blow (2001) - "Strange Brew"
* Friends (2002) - The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two, "River of Tears"
* The Sopranos in season four episode of the TV crime drama "Whitecaps" (2002)- Tony Soprano is seen listening to "Layla" in his Suburban.
* School Of Rock (2003) - "Sunshine Of Your Love"
* Starsky & Hutch (2004) - "Cocaine"
* Anger Management (film) (2004) - "Strange Brew"
* Bad News Bears (2005) - "Cocaine"
* Lords of Dogtown (2005) - "Strange Brew"
* Lord of War (2005)- "Cocaine"
* The Simpsons - "Sunshine of your love"
* Fahrenheit 9/11 - "Cocaine"
* United States of Tara - "Cocaine"

Wikipedia

"Cry Baby Cry" Lyrics

by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

As Released by the Beatles (1968)

Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better.

The King of Marigold was in the kitchen
Cooking breakfast for the Queen
The Queen was in the parlour
Playing piano for the children of the King.

Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry.

The King was in the garden
Picking flowers for a friend who came to play
The Queen was in the playroom
Painting pictures for the children's holiday.

Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry.

The Duchess of Kirkaldy always smiling
And arriving late for tea
The Duke was having problems
With a message at the local bird and bee.

Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry.

At twelve o'clock a meeting round the table
For a seance in the dark
With voices out of nowhere
Put on specially by the children for a lark.

Cry baby cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry
Cry, cry, cry baby
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry
Cry, cry, cry
Make your mother sigh
She's old enough to know better
So cry baby cry.

Can you take me back where I came from
Can you take me back?
Can you take me back where I came from
Brother, can you take me back
Can you take me back?
Mmm can you take me where I came from
Can you take me back?

February 8-10, 1970 - Anthony Cox Tapes

Taped 8-10 February 1970

More than nine hours of private black & white footage of John and Yoko, circa February 1970, was uncovered in the States in March 2000. The amazing videotape, shot by Yoko's ex-husband. Tony Cox, was sold to a consortium of Beatles fans in America who planned to issue the footage as a documentary later that year. Cox talked about the tapes: "Several scenes focus on Lennon and Ono's visit to the Black House, a centre run by Michael X, a Trinidadian counterpart of Malcolm X, who was later executed for murder. The couple (John and Yoko) shoot a promotional film for the Black House and then smoke hashish with Michael X." Other scenes in the footage describe Yoko as being stoned, and John snapping at her, "As usual, she doesn't know what we're talking about." In an intimate scene, John is seen perched on the edge of the bed, humming and strumming, trying to pick out a tune that would eventually be the song 'Mind Games' while Yoko is seen tucked up in bed, apparently asleep. In another, they are talking about Yoko's new hairstyle. "It took years off her," John remarks. "She was an old hag before I met her." Other scenes include John discussing whether he should pay for a new lake at his Ascot estate or consider "conning Apple again!" Then, during a tour of London's sights, John gives vulgar names to landmarks such as Nelson's Column and refers to piles of rubbish in the streets as "Prince Philip's mess".

Beatles Covers: The Byrds - I'm a Loser

Holy Grail Recording #4 - Etcetera (1968)

In this series, In The Life Of...The Beatles presents the top 10 unreleased recordings of the Beatles.

A Beatles song that has never been heard to this day, "Etcetera" was recorded at EMI Studios on August 20, 1968 as a demo by Paul McCartney, who had previously (back in 1965) intended to give the song to Marianne Faithfull. Paul took the tape home after the session, so he retains the only known copy. Revisiting the song in 1968, Paul may have reworked the song, as he was initially dissatisfied with it himself:

McCARTNEY: "I knew Marianne Faithfull so it was natural that I would be asked to write a song at some point. I did write a song but it was not a very good one. It was called 'Etcetera' and it's a bad song. I think it's a good job that it's died a death in some tape bin. Even then I seem to remember thinking it wasn't very good. There was always the temptation to keep your better songs for yourself and then give your next-best songs to other established people, so when it was someone like Marianne, who at that time was a newcomer, those people would tend to end up with fairly dreadful offerings of mine. I suppose, thinking back on it, after 'As Tears Go By' maybe they were looking for more sort of a 'Yesterday', something more poignant, more baroque. I probably thought, well, this is really all I've got at the moment. I'll send it round and hope it's all okay, and maybe they'll put a baroque thing on it and that'll make it okay. She probably did 'Yesterday' because they figured, 'Well at least it's better than "Etcetera"'."

Here's a set of Marianne Faithfull's early performance clips, including "As Tears Go By" and "Yesterday":



Next installment: June 30

Beatle People: Mary Hopkin

Mary Hopkin (born 3 May 1950, Pontardawe, Wales) is a Welsh folk singer. She is best known as one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label, and for her 1968 single "Those Were the Days", which was a top-ten hit in both the UK and the U.S.

Early singing career

Hopkin was born in to a Welsh speaking family, and began her musical career as a folk singer with a local group called the Selby Set and Mary. She released an EP of Welsh language songs for a local record label called Cambrian, which was based in her home town, before signing to The Beatles' Apple Records. The model Twiggy saw her winning the British ITV television talent show, Opportunity Knocks, and recommended her to Paul McCartney. She became one of the first artists to record on the Beatles' Apple record label.

Her debut single, "Those Were the Days", produced by Paul McCartney, was released in the UK on 30 August 1968 (catalogue number APPLE 2). Despite competition from a well-established star, Sandie Shaw, who released her version of the same song as a single that same year, Hopkin's version became a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart, and reached #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. On 2 October 1968 Hopkin appeared at St Paul's Cathedral, London for the 'Pop Experience' where she sang "Morning Of My Life", "Turn Turn Turn" and "Plaisir D'amour."

In December 1968 the NME music magazine reported that Hopkin was 'sympathetically considering' a lead acting role in Stanley Baker's forthcoming film, Where's Jack?. Ultimately she instead sang the title song.

On 21 February 1969 her debut album, Postcard, also produced by McCartney, was released. It included covers of three songs from Donovan, who also played on the album, and one song each from George Martin and Harry Nilsson. It reached number three on the UK Albums Chart, although it proved to be her solitary success story in that particular chart. In the United States Postcard reached #28 on the Billboard albums chart.

The next single was "Goodbye," written by Paul McCartney (but credited to Lennon/McCartney), released on 28 March 1969 (APPLE 10); it reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart. It was kept off the top of the charts by the Beatles' single "Get Back". "Goodbye" has never been officially released by the Beatles, although a demo version can be found on some of the Beatles' bootlegs.

She represented the United Kingdom in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest singing "Knock Knock, Who's There?". Author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor notes in The Eurovision Song Contest — The Official History that she gave a very comfortable performance and sang in a crystal clear voice, but despite being the pre-contest favourite, Hopkin came second to "All Kinds of Everything", performed by Irish singer Dana.

"Knock Knock, Who's There?" was released as a single on 23 March 1970, reaching #2 again in the UK. Her second album, Earth Song, Ocean Song, was released by Apple on 1 October 1971. The record was produced by her husband Tony Visconti and included cover versions of songs written by Cat Stevens, Gallagher and Lyle, and Ralph McTell.

After the hit singles

After marrying Visconti in 1971, Hopkin withdrew from the pop music scene to have a family. Although reportedly unhappy with show business, Hopkin did not stop recording. She travelled to Australia with Visconti in January 1972 and performed at a large outdoor rock festival in South Australia, as well as giving concerts in several major cities. With the help of Visconti, 1972 saw the release of the Christmas song "Mary Had a Baby" / "Cherry Tree Carol" on Regal Zonophone Records, which was re-released in 1973. Later that year, the single "Summertime Summertime" / "Sweet And Low" was released on Bell Records under the name of Hobby Horse.

Although no other singles or albums came out in her name until 1976, she sang on numerous recordings that her husband Visconti produced, such as those featuring Tom Paxton, Ralph McTell, David Bowie (Low), Bert Jansch, The Radiators From Space, Thin Lizzy, Carmen, Sarstedt Brothers, Osibisa, Sparks, Hazel O'Connor and Elaine Paige.

On all of these recordings (and also on her husband's own album Inventory) she is credited as Mary Visconti. During this time, she also appeared on various TV shows such as Cilla Black's and various radio programmes.

Return to recording

In 1976, she returned to recording under her own name, and released the single "If You Love Me (I Won't Care)" (originally recorded by Édith Piaf), which reached #32 in the UK chart. The B-side, "Tell Me Now", was an original composition by Hopkin. Her next single was "Wrap Me In Your Arms", with the B-side again written by Hopkin ("Just A Dreamer"). These singles came out on Visconti's Good Earth Records label. Several songs recorded for an album at the time have now been released under Hopkin's own label, Mary Hopkin Music.

Two members of Steeleye Span (Bob Johnson and Pete Knight) chose Hopkin to play "Princess Lirazel" on their concept album The King of Elfland's Daughter. She also appeared at the Cambridge Folk Festival with Bert Jansch. 1976 also saw the birth of her second child. Before the 1970s ended, Decca released a compilation album of Hopkin's Cambrian recordings, The Welsh World of Mary Hopkin.

1980s

Hopkin's first project in the 1980s was a well-reviewed stint playing the Virgin Mary in Rock Nativity at the Hexagon Theatre in Reading, Berkshire. After this, Mike Hurst (record producer and formerly of The Springfields) asked her to sing lead in a new group named Sundance that he had formed with Mike de Albuquerque of ELO. Their only single, "What's Love", allowed them to tour the UK with Dr. Hook, but Hopkin quickly left the group, dissatisfied with the gigs. In 2002, Hurst released recordings from this time on the Angel Air label.

Hopkin and Visconti divorced in 1981. The following year she provided melismatic vocals on "Rachael's Song" for the Vangelis soundtrack of Blade Runner. Around 1984, Peter Skellern asked her to join him and Julian Lloyd Webber in a band called Oasis. Their album Oasis was released on WEA along with two singles. A tour of the UK was planned but was brought to an abrupt end because Hopkin became ill. The group disbanded shortly afterwards.

During the 1980s Hopkin appeared in several charity shows, including an appearance at the London Palladium with Ralph McTell. In 1988, she took part in George Martin's production of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. She played the character Rosie Probert and notably performed a piece called "Love Duet" with Freddie Jones as Captain Cat. The making of the record was filmed and made into a special edition of The South Bank Show, where Hopkin and Jones were shown rehearsing and recording "Love Duet". In 1992, the cast reunited for a performance of the play as a tribute to Thomas in the presence of Prince Charles for The Prince's Trust.

Hopkin recorded an album called Spirit in 1989. This was released on the Trax label and is a collection of light classical songs and featured the single "Ave Maria". The record was produced by Benny Gallagher of Gallagher and Lyle, who had contributed songs to her during her days at Apple Records.

1990s to present

Early in 1990, she was asked to sing with The Chieftains at the London Palladium in a charity show, and later joined them on a tour of the UK.

She continued to do projects of her choosing, working with people like Julian Colbeck, she wrote the lyrics and performed a song on his CD Back to Bach. Also, there was Marc Cerrone's The Collector, a stage play/opera, for which she performed two tracks on the CD and video. She worked again with her old guitarist Brian Willoughby and Dave Cousins (of Strawbs) on their CD The Bridge. Hopkin also appeared on a Beatles' tribute album by RAM Pietsch.

Around 1996, the Welsh label Sain bought Cambrian's back catalogue and released all Hopkin's Welsh recordings on a CD called The Early Years, which removed the overdubbed drums found in the Decca recordings.

In 1999, she was again invited to join The Chieftains on their UK tour, and later that year performed a few concerts in Scotland with Benny Gallagher and Jim Diamond. More recently there have been three TV documentaries about her, one each for HTV, BBC Television and S4C.

She made a guest appearance on The Crocketts' album The Great Brain Robbery, sang the theme song for Billy Connolly's BBC TV series The World Tour, and re-recorded "Those Were The Days" with Robin Williams rapping. She also appeared in the Sarah Sugarman film Very Annie Mary and duetted with Dolly Parton on her 2005 album, Those Were the Days, which went to #48 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart (#9 U.S. Country) and number 35 in the UK.

In September 2005 she released a retrospective album on her own label, Mary Hopkin Music, entitled Live at the Royal Festival Hall. It was followed in December 2006 by a Christmas recording, "Snowed Under", released as an mp3 download on the Welsh online store, Disaudio.

In 2007 to celebrate her 57th birthday, she released an album called Valentine, on her new eponymous label. It included 12 previously unheard tracks dating from 1972 to 1980, three of which were written by Hopkin. In 2008, a new album, Recollections, was released on her own label. It included eleven tracks that were originally recorded between 1970 and 1986, alongside a CD of three Christmas songs, which included "Mary Had a Baby" and "Cherry Tree Carol" (these tracks were first released on Regal Zonophone in 1972) and "Snowed Under", which was released in 2006 as a download only.

Discography

Chart singles

• "Those Were The Days" (1968)
• "Goodbye" (1969)
• "Temma Harbour" (1970)
• "Knock Knock, Who's There?" (1970)
• "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" (1970)
• "Think About Your Children" (1970)
• "Let My Name Be Sorrow" (1971)
• "Water, Paper & Clay" (1972)
• "If You Love Me (I Won't Care)" (1976)

Wikipedia

Paul McCartney & Wings - Unsurpassed Masters Vol. 1

Label: Strawberry Records, STR 002

(Red Rose Speedway Outtakes + Live in Newcastle)

1. Big Barn Bed (McCartney)
2. The Mess (McCartney)
3. When The Night (McCartney)
4. Single Pigeon
5. Thank You Darling (McCartney)
6. Mary Had A Little Lamb (P. McCartney & L. McCartney)
7. Loup (McCartney)
8. Tragedy (McCartney)
9. Seaside Woman (L. McCartney)
10. Wild Life (McCartney)
11. Little Woman Love/C Moon (P. McCartney & L. McCartney)
12. Maybe I'm Amazed (McCartney)
13. My Love (McCartney)
14. Live And Let Die (McCartney)

More satisfying in some ways than the Red Rose Speedway album itself, this bootleg features excellent quality studio and live tracks from that era. The inclusion of a studio version of "The Mess" (inexplicably left off Red Rose Speedway) and the unreleased "Tragedy" are definite highlights, presented below:

"I've Got a Feeling" Lyrics

by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

As Recorded by John Lennon (Demo 1968)

Everyone had a hard year
Everyone had a good time
Everyone had the boot in
Everyone saw the sun shine

Everyone had a hard year
Everyone let their hair down
Everyone pulled their socks up
Everyone put their feet down

Everyone had a hard year
Everyone put their feet up
Everyone had a face-lift
Everyone had a new cup

Everyone, everyone
Everyone, everyone
Everyone, everyone

Everyone had a hard year
Everyone had a good time
Everyone had the boot in
Everyone saw the sun shine

Everyone had a hard year
Everyone let their hair down
Everyone pulled their socks up
Everyone put their feet down

Everyone had a good time
Everyone put their feet up
Everyone had a wrong time
Everyone had a wrong time



Original Manuscript (1969)

I've got a feeling
A feeling deep inside - oh yeah
I've got a feeling
A feeling I can't hide. Oh no.

Everybody had a hard year
Everybody had a good time
Everybody had a wet dream
Everybody saw the sun shine
Oh yeah oh yeah

As Released by the Beatles (1970)

I've got a feeling, a feeling deep inside
Oh yeah, oh yeah (that's right).
I've got a feeling, a feeling I can't hide
Oh no, no - oh no, oh no.
Yes, yeah, I've got a feeling, yeah.

Oh please believe me, I'd hate to miss the train
Oh yeah, (yeah) oh yeah
And if you leave me, I won't be late again
Oh no, oh no, oh no, yeah, yeah!

I've got a feeling, yeah, I've got a feeling.
All these years I've been wandering round the world
Wondering really how come nobody told me
All that I was looking for was somebody who looked like you.

Ooo I've got a feeling that keeps me on my toes
Oh yeah, oh yeah ((oh yeah))
I've got a feeling I think that everybody knows
Oh yeah, oh yeah ((oh yeah)), oh yeah - yeah, yeah!
I've got a feeling yeah - (yeah).

Everybody had a hard year
Everybody had a good time
Everybody had a wet dream
Everybody saw the sun shine
Oh yeah (oh yeah), oh yeah, oh yeah.

(Yeah) everybody had a good year
Everybody let their hair down
Everybody pulled their socks up (yeah)
Everybody put the fool down, oh yeah - (yeah)

Ooo - hu, everybody had a good year ((I've got a feeling))
Everybody had a hard time ((a feeling deep inside, oh yeah))
Everybody had a wet dream (oh yeah)
Everybody saw the sun shine.

Everybody had a good year ((I've got a feeling))
Everybody let their hair down ((a feeling I can't hide, oh no))
Everybody pulled their socks up (oh no, no)
Everybody put their foot down, oh yeah (yeah).

I've got a feeling ((oh yeah))
I've got a feeling (oh yeah)
I've got a feeling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh my soul.
Oh it's so hard.