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.
Have You Ever Loved a Woman?
Derek and the Dominos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So much you tremble in pain?
Have you ever loved a woman
So much you tremble in pain?
And all the time you know
She bears another man's name.
But you just love that woman
You just love that woman
So much it's a shame and a sin.
But all the time you know
She belongs to your very best friend.
Have you ever loved a woman
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Have you ever loved a woman
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Something deep inside of you
Won't let you wreck your best friend's home.
The song "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" by Derek and the Dominos is a heart-wrenching tale of forbidden love. The lyrics describe a man who is deeply in love with a woman who is already taken, and not just by anyone but his best friend. The pain and torment of his situation are evident in the lines “So much you tremble in pain,” and “So much it's a shame and a sin,” highlighting the complexity of his emotions.
The lyrics also reveal the man's internal struggle as he grapples with the realization that he cannot act on his feelings without causing harm to his friend's marriage. The line “Something deep inside of you won't let you wreck your best friend's home” speaks to this inner turmoil, suggesting that despite his desire, he ultimately chooses to respect his friend's relationship and suffer in silence.
Overall, "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" is a powerful and emotional song that captures the often-complicated nature of human relationships and the pain that can come with unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever loved a woman
Have you experienced the feeling of loving a woman
So much you tremble in pain?
To an extent where it causes immense emotional distress
And all the time you know
Despite being aware of the fact
She bears another man's name.
The woman is legally married to another man
But you just love that woman
You cannot resist your feelings towards her
So much it's a shame and a sin.
It's considered morally incorrect and inappropriate to feel such emotions towards a married woman
But all the time you know
Despite being fully aware
She belongs to your very best friend.
The woman is the property of the closest friend and confidant
And you know you can't leave her alone?
Despite the knowledge of the situation, you are unable to distance yourself from her
Something deep inside of you
An internal conflict or struggle
Won't let you wreck your best friend's home.
Prevents you from being the cause of damaging the relationship between the woman and your best friend
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BILLY MYLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@olgami9417
Have you ever loved a woman so much you tremble in pain?
Have you ever loved a woman so much you tremble in pain?
And all the time you know she bears another man's name.
But you just love that woman so much it's a shame and a sin
You just love that woman so much it's a shame and a sin.
But all the time you know she belongs to your very best friend.
Have you ever loved a woman and you know you can't leave her alone?
Have you ever loved a woman and you know you can't leave her alone?
Something deep inside of you won't let you wreck your best friend's home.
@albertdadario8916
One of the best albums ever recorded. Too bad the band didn't stay together.
@Rustino44
Remember when true masters expressed themselves emotionally by playing instruments..God bless America and Long Live The American Blues!
@airsoftcrony6854
but this is a British Band?
@keithpower6611
My favourite blues song of the 70’s. Eric and Duane together are magic
@gilkenson53
for 45 years I have closed my eyes and imagined seeing these two guys trade solos.. Could you imagine sitting in the studio witnessing this!!!!?? Another example of why "Laya and Other Assorted Love Songs" this is my favorite recording of all time..
@MrDave54321
+George Gilkenson - Duane Allman brought out the best in Clapton on this album.
@bluesdog88
Totally with you George, It was the first time I ever heard the blues, at 15 years old I had never hear passion coming out of an instrument like that before, the tears were flowing!
@elvis_chen
God should not take Duane Allman that early :( We can send a LP there!
@tboned5641
Exactly what I think George!!
@j.h.7266
George, this has always been my favorite track on the album. Guitar playing that can’t be described... What a time and place for two legends to converge.