The group debuted at the Lyceum Theatre in London on June 14, 1970 where the announcer mispronounced their provisional name of Eric and the Dynamos to Derek and the Dominos, the band decided to take up the new name and undertook a summer tour of England. From late August to early October, working at Criteria Studios in Miami with legendary Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, the band recorded Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, a brilliant double album now widely regarded as Clapton's masterpiece. Most of the material, including Layla (which soon became an FM radio staple) was inspired by Clapton's unrequited love for Pattie Boyd who was married to his best friend George Harrison. Clapton was seeing Pattie secretly at the time and Whitlock was dating her sister. It was not until much later that the affair was open; Boyd moved in with Clapton in 1974 and married him in 1979. However, they were separated in 1985 when Clapton started a relationship with Yvonne Khan Kelly and they divorced in 1988. The two-part song "Layla" was recorded in separate sessions; the opening guitar section was recorded first, with the second section following several months later. The second section was an elegiac piano piece composed and played by drummer Jim Gordon; early on, he objected to it being added onto Layla, but after some arguing among the band's members he finally agreed.
The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of slide guitar virtuoso Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. Clapton recorded most of the album while lying on the floor strung out on drugs. The band was heavily into drugs at this time, but, unlike many artists such as The Beatles, Clapton feels this did not hurt the recording process. 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 who previously knew each other only by reputation, met backstage after the show, and then both bands repaired to the studio to jam (an impromptu session which, happily, was captured on tape). Clapton and Allman "fell in love" with each other's playing and became instant friends, so Allman was immediately invited to become the fifth member of The Dominos. (These studio jams were eventually released as part of the 3-CD 20th-anniversary edition of the album.)
When Allman and Clapton met, The Dominos had already recorded three tracks (I Looked Away, Bell Bottom Blues and Keep On Growing); Allman debuted on the fourth cut, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, and contributed some of his most sublime slide-guitar playing to the remainder of the LP. The album was heavily blues-influenced and featured a winning combination of the twin guitars of Allman and Clapton, with Allman's incendiary slide-guitar a key ingredient of the sound. 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.
Got to Get Better in a Little While
Derek and the Dominos Lyrics
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I'm seeing things I don't want to see.
Sniffing things that ain't no good for me.
I'm going down fast, won't you say a prayer for me?
[Chorus:]
It's got to get better in a little while.
It's got to get better in a little while.
It's got to get better in a little while.
It's got to get better in a little while.
The sun's got to shine on my guitar someday.
Revolution all across the land.
Just like Sly, you got to take a stand.
Please don't hurt nobody, don't knock them down;
Give them a helping hand to get off the ground.
[Chorus]
Still one thing that you can do;
Fall down on your knees and pray.
I know the Lord's gonna answer you.
Don't do it tomorrow, do it today.
[Chorus]
In "Got to Get Better in a Little While," Derek and the Dominos explore the sense of desperation and struggle present in addiction. The song is a cry for help, with the singer admitting to seeing things they don't want to see and sniffing things that aren't good for them. The repeated plea for someone to say a prayer for them suggests that the singer is beyond self-help and needs outside intervention. The chorus, with its hopeful repetition that things will get better in a little while, underscores the singer's desire for change and their belief that it is possible.
The song shifts from the personal to the political in the second verse, with mention of a "revolution all across the land." The reference to "Sly" is likely a nod to Sly and the Family Stone, a band that often incorporated social and political messages into their music. The plea for nonviolence and cooperation--"please don't hurt nobody, don't knock them down; give them a helping hand to get off the ground"--indicates that the singer sees change as possible through collective action and empathy.
The song ends with a call to action: "fall down on your knees and pray," with the assurance that the Lord will answer. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that change is imminent and that it's worth holding on for.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you know what's wrong with me?
I'm struggling and need your help to figure out what's going on.
I'm seeing things I don't want to see.
I'm experiencing things that are difficult and unpleasant.
Sniffing things that ain't no good for me.
I'm doing things that are harmful and self-destructive.
I'm going down fast, won't you say a prayer for me?
I'm spiraling out of control and need your support to help me through it.
It's got to get better in a little while.
I'm hopeful that things will improve soon.
The sun's got to shine on my guitar someday.
I'm hoping for a brighter future that is full of opportunity and success.
Revolution all across the land.
I believe that big changes are coming, and I want to be a part of them.
Just like Sly, you got to take a stand.
I'm inspired by others who have stood up for what they believe in and want to follow in their footsteps.
Please don't hurt nobody, don't knock them down;
I want to do good in the world and help others whenever I can.
Give them a helping hand to get off the ground.
I believe in lifting people up and supporting them when they're struggling.
Still one thing that you can do;
Despite everything, there is always something positive you can do.
Fall down on your knees and pray.
Prayer can be a powerful tool for finding peace and strength in difficult times.
I know the Lord's gonna answer you.
I have faith that there is a higher power looking out for us.
Don't do it tomorrow, do it today.
Don't wait to take positive action; start making changes right now.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind