Eric and the Beatles. A Playlist

As the Beatles came to prominence in the early sixties, British music was moving from folk based tunes to Blues based songs. However, as Britain did not have a history of  home-grown Blues Music it was all borrowed from America and especially music from the South.
There were many great blues artists who came over to Britain and the rest of Europe for tours. My friends and I managed to see just about all of them; the Legends.

In the fall of last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the release of the Beatles White album. One of the stand-out tracks on that album was George Harrison's composition, While My Guitar Gently Weeps. On the anniversary of the original release, Apple reissued a re-mastered version of the double album with extras.

One of the features of that track was Eric Clapton‘s uncredited solo guitar break. Of course we all know that George and Eric were good friends, this was the period that Eric had fallen in love with George’s wife Patti,  who Eric did eventually marry. But George and Eric remained good friends all their lives.

Back in those days record labels controlled their contracted artists were very stringently. Especially  about guest appearances on other major artists tracks; hence, the lack of accreditation for Eric‘s solo. Of course this was ridiculous because everybody knew that it was Eric Clapton. The rumours  and gossip columns in the tabloids revealed everything. The special interest in Eric Clapton was because back then, and still now 50+ years later, is considered one of the greatest rock guitarist.

Here is a track by George Harrison When We Was Fab, it too is a collaboration with Eric Clapton.

Clapton came to prominence with the group the Yardbirds. As they moved from their original blues based styling  to more progressive rock, Clapton left them and joined John Mayall's  Bluesbreakers. He recorded one album with them.  On the cover is a photo of the band with Eric being extra cool and reading a famous British comic called the Beano.
Ever since then the album is known as the Beano album. Rambling on my mind from that album is a track where Eric not only plays guitar but also does the vocals with Mayall's band backing him.

The irony of Clapton leaving the Yardbirds because he felt they were getting too progressive is that Eric left  John Mayall's band pretty soon to form the supergroup Cream. Cream were at the forefront of progressive rock. One of their first singles was a hit I feel free.

Cream only lasted about 30 months, Clapton was disillusioned with the music business and was heavily into drugs. However, he still wished  form a group where all the players  had similar sensibilities. That group was Derek and the dominoes. They’re really only famous for one track Layla. Once Eric got himself together and started performing again in the early 70's he released 461 Ocean Blvd. and re-started his career and never looked back. On the 30th anniversary of that album's release it was re-issued with a second disc of a live recording where Eric does Layla. Unlike the Derek and the Dominoes' version it doesn’t have a long Piano coda.

Layla  was about his love for Patti Boyd, as is Wonderful Tonight.
On August 1, 1971, George Harrison got some friends together and put on the first Rock for Charity concert. Two shows at Madison Square Garden’s which were released as the Concert for Bangladesh. From that album,  is the track called Bangladesh. George does the lead vocals, along with his pal Eric Clapton on guitar, and many other famous performers.

In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were promoting their efforts to stop the Vietnam war and foster peace. They were in Toronto when John got the idea for a peace concert which occurred in Toronto in that august. Of course it was recorded an album released later. Be truthful it’s not a very good album, it was very disorganized and it comes through on the recording quality. However one of the best tracks is John Lennon doing Money (that’s what I want), The old Barrett strong number that they did all those years ago in the Cavern and Hamburg. John is backed up by Eric Clapton and Keith Richards on this track.
In the Beatles early days, they played many Carl Perkins tunes, one track that Ringo sang on was called Matchbox. This is a live concert of  Carl's where he does Matchbox with  Ringo and Eric Clapton on it.

After George Harrison passed away Ringo wrote and recorded a wonderful track called Never Without You. An homage to his friend. Of course, Ringo invited George’s friend Eric Clapton to sing and play on the track as well.

Repeating the same  theme  Without You, is John Lennon's drinking Buddy,  Harry Nilsson’s hit from 1972. It topped the charts that year. The tune is a cover of Badfinger's song Without You from their first album.

In early 1992, Columbia records put on a show at Madison Square Garden‘s to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of Bob Dylan‘s first album. Anybody who is anybody is in that concert. There’s a CD released and a DVD with a boat full of great music. At the concert  Eric does a  version of Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice (it’s all right). It’s an amazing rendition of the song that’s been covered by hundreds of other artists.

Playlist
While my guitar gently weeps
When we was Fab
Rambling on my mind
I Feel free
Layla
Wonderful tonight
Bangladesh
Money (that’s what I want)
Matchbox
Never without You
Without You
Don't think twice (it's alright)