Blind Faith formed in London, England, in late 1968 when Eric Clapton (ex-Cream) and Steve Winwood (ex-Traffic) were at loose ends following the demise of their former bands and began to spend time together again, jamming and working on new material at Clapton's house in Surrey (they had previously collaborated on a Clapton project called Eric Clapton & The Powerhouse. At Winwood's instigation, Cream's former drummer Ginger Baker was invited along, and they subsequently spent some time recording in the studio. Rick Grech, bassist with Family, was invited to join them...and he left Family, mid-tour! Record producer Jimmy Miller came in to bring some focus to the recording of further material.
News of the formation of the group created a buzz of excitement among the public, and a free concert was scheduled for London's Hyde Park on June 7, 1969. Their small repertoire was reported by the music press as having disappointed the crowd of 100,000 who were also expecting to hear songs from the days of Cream and Traffic. The recording of their album continued; followed by a short tour of Scandinavia, then a U.S. tour from July 11 (Newport) to August 24 (Hawaii), supported by Free and Delaney & Bonnie and Friends.
Audience reaction in the USA was similar to that in the UK, and the band was forced to appease them by playing a couple of Cream and Traffic songs. The management pressure to cash in on the hyperbole (the Press dubbed them a supergroup), and Baker's view that the group was a continuation of Cream soured feelings within the band, and they disbanded immediately after completing the U.S. tour.
An expanded, deluxe edition of the album was released in 2001, with previously unreleased tracks and jams included. Two live tracks from the Hyde Park concert, "Sleeping in the Ground" by Sam Myers and the Rolling Stones song "Under My Thumb" are also available on Winwood's 4-CD retrospective The Finer Things.
The band dissolved in 1969 after only a year together. Winwood reformed Traffic, and later, a solo career. Clapton stepped out of the spotlight, first to sit in with the Plastic Ono Band, and then to tour as a sideman for Delaney & Bonnie and Friends.
Upon its release, Blind Faith topped Billboard's Pop Albums chart in America (as it did the UK charts) and peaked at #40 on the Black Albums chart, an impressive feat for a British rock quartet.
Had To Cry Today
Blind Faith Lyrics
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The feeling's the same as being outside of the law
Had to cry today
Well, I saw your sign and I missed you there
I'm taking the chance to see the wind in your eyes while I listen
You say you can't reach me but you want every word to be free
Had to cry today
And I missed you there
Had to cry today
is a song that expresses the feelings of longing and regret that come with missed opportunities. The opening line, "It's already written that today will be one to remember," sets the stage for an inevitability about the situation. The singer is outside of the law, meaning that they are not able to act on their desires. The repetition of "Had to cry today" emphasizes the emotional weight of the missed opportunity.
The second verse suggests that the singer is trying to connect with someone, but they are unable to do so. They want to see "the wind in your eyes," which could be interpreted as seeing the truth or vulnerability in someone's expression. The line "you say you can't reach me but you want every word to be free" could be interpreted as the other person not being able to connect with the singer, but still wanting to express themselves openly.
Line by Line Meaning
It's already written that today will be one to remember
Today is going to be a significant day, and the events that occur will be remembered
The feeling's the same as being outside of the law
The emotions experienced are similar to being an outlaw, going against societal norms
Had to cry today
I had no other choice but to cry today due to my emotions
Well, I saw your sign and I missed you there
I missed the opportunity to be with someone who I saw a sign for
I'm taking the chance to see the wind in your eyes while I listen
I'm taking a risk to observe someone's eyes and words simultaneously
You say you can't reach me but you want every word to be free
Someone acknowledges their inability to reach me, but still desires to express themselves freely
And I missed you there
I once again missed the opportunity to be with someone who I saw a sign for
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEVE WINWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind