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.
Blues Power
Derek and the Dominos Lyrics
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Bet you didn't think I knew how to rock n' roll
Lord, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul
Ain't no need for me to be a wallflower
Knew all the time but now I'm gonna let you know
I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul
Ain't no need for me to be a wallflower
'Cause now I'm living on blues power
That you didn't think I knew how to rock n' roll
Lord, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul
Ain't no need for me to be a wallflower
'Cause now I'm living on blues power
All the time but now I'm gonna let you know
I gotta keep on rocking, no matter if it's fast or slow
Ain't gonna stop until the twenty-fifth hour
'Cause now I'm living on blues power
The lyrics of "Blues Power" by Derek and the Dominos are a lively declaration of the singer's love for rock and roll, blues, and their soulful combination. The opening lines of the song, "Bet you didn't think I knew how to rock n' roll, Lord, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul," are a bold assertion of the singer's musical prowess. Likewise, the line, "Ain't no need for me to be a wallflower,'Cause now I'm living on blues power," reveals the newfound confidence that the singer has in himself and his craft.
Throughout the song, the singer repeatedly emphasizes his love for the boogie-woogie and his commitment to blues power. He sings, "Knew all the time but now I'm gonna let you know, I gotta keep on rocking, no matter if it's fast or slow, Ain't gonna stop until the twenty-fifth hour.'Cause now I'm living on blues power." These lyrics imply that for the singer, nothing is more important than his love for music, and he will continue playing it until the end.
In essence, "Blues Power" is a song that conveys the message of staying true to oneself and one's passions. It embodies the soulful merge of rock and blues that was heavily influenced by Eric Clapton's style. Ultimately, the song is a timeless anthem that celebrates the power of music and its ability to inspire and uplift the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, four
Counting off for the start of the song.
Bet you didn't think I knew how to rock n' roll
Saying that others may be surprised that they can indeed rock and roll.
Lord, I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul
Expressing how deeply rooted the love for blues and rock and roll is within the artist.
Ain't no need for me to be a wallflower
Implying that there is no reason to be passive or shy when it comes to enjoying music.
'Cause now I'm living on blues power
Emphasizing that they live for the feeling of blues and rock and roll.
Knew all the time but now I'm gonna let you know
Feeling that others were unaware of how much they love the music, but they are now making it known.
I got the boogie-woogie right down in my very soul
Stating once again how Blues and Rock and Roll are a part of them.
All the time but now I'm gonna let you know
Reiterating that the love for Blues and Rock and Roll has always been there but is now surfacing.
I gotta keep on rocking, no matter if it's fast or slow
Expressing the desire to keep enjoying the music without slowing down or stopping.
Ain't gonna stop until the twenty-fifth hour
Not intending to stop regardless of how long they have been rocking and enjoying blues music.
'Cause now I'm living on blues power
Concluding that Blues Power is a vital part of their life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEON RUSSELL, ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind