Up next in the Aged White Rocker series is Eric Clapton. Apart from acknowledging Clapton’s guitar god status, I haven’t really given his career much thought or attention. I can probably count on one hand the songs of his I know well.
I don’t know if this disconnect represents a massive hole in my music collection or if Clapton just isn’t my cup of tea. I do know that I very much like the one album of his I won, Slowhand. It’s not something I listen to very often (ok, I’ll be honest, I probably haven’t listened to it in its entirety in more than a decade) but revisiting it for this blog I recognize it as the classic 70’s rock album it is.
Slowhand is best known for ‘Cocaine’ and ‘Wonderful Tonight,’ the very different songs that open the record. But the song that’s always touched me the most is ‘We’re All the Way,’ a middle track so quiet and delicate it’s in danger of floating away.
Haven’t I been with you all the way?
There’s no time like now to make amends.
After all, we are more than friends.
This could be the time for you and me.
We could go wherever we should be.
So don’t put words between us we shouldn’t say,
And don’t be acting halfway
When you know we’re all the way.
There are times when I don’t see the light.
I don’t know if what I do is right.
But when I’m wrong, it’s never meant for you,
So don’t confuse my love with what I do.
Meet Me In Montauk 
Another one that brings back a flood of memories jarred by one of those fabulous mix tapes you made me all those years ago. I adore “Wonderful Tonight,” but I agree that
“delicate” is the perfect word to describe this gem.
I know just litlle pieces of the lore around Clapton – how he and George Harrison loved the same woman, and the tragic way his young son died being the two major stories that captured my attention. Yet for how explosive those stories are, I never recall seeing Clapton splattered all over TMZ. I guess he fought his drug demons before there was a 24 hour cycle to catch it all on tape.
Regardless, when I hear a song like today’s SOTD or “Wonderful Tonight,” I hear a sensitive artist, not a rock guitar god – though I have no doubt he deserves that title as well.
Great song from a great album. I too own only a limited amount of Clapton music, but, though I could be wrong, I don’t think I am missing out on music that would be so incredibly meaningful to me. Still, whenever “Layla” comes on a classic rock station, I find it mandatory to turn it up (usually to Amy’s chagrin).
Just love the lyrics and sound of this song.