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.
Let It Rain
Derek and the Dominos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what you get when you mine
She want to ride my wave
And some more but a nigga in the way
Let me make your dream's come true
Cause he not doing nothing but messing up your mood
Fuck what he bought you let me help you come new
Dior shopping with a mix of jimmy cho
I can do it since he wouldn't
It's just a couple dollars it don't mean nothing
I go crazy for my baby
You stay in your bag and he not in nothing
Travel the world with me I can show you something
You been on my mind all day
Thinking about your body I wanna grab you by the waist
Would you be with me if you can have it your way
Only need one chance for you to see
She want to link
Gucci shopping know you love double g's
Let's take trip's over seas
Don't over think baby just let it be
Let it be
I can help you move on let it be
Let it be
Come and live your dreams and let it be
I'm not trying to hear nothing else
I'll be outside ill let you know when I'm almost there
Tiptoe keep it low don't make him aware
I want you all to my self I don't like to share
I might not be the best nigga to text
But I fasho can make it up with the sex
Ass up face down grip neck
Baby girl turn around to your chest
Come make me feel lucky
Trying to be more to you than just company
Bed calling your phone come get comfy
And come see what happens next when you touch me
You been on my mind all day
Thinking about your body I wanna grab you by the waist
Would you be with me if you can have it your way
Only need one chance for you to see
She want to link
Gucci shopping know you love double g's
Let's take trip's over seas
Don't over think baby just let it be
Let it be
I can help you move on let it be
Let it be
Come and live your dreams and let it be
The lyrics to Derek and the Dominos's song Let It Rain can be interpreted as an ode to music and its power to move us, both emotionally and spiritually. The first verse talks about letting a song rise from our soul and singing it day and night, with strength to the heart of the one who knows the voice that he's hearing. This can be interpreted as a call to embrace music as a means of expressing oneself and finding strength in it. The second verse talks about not letting this song die out, as we feel the heart of God and cry out to love like only He can love, becoming His hands and feet. This can be interpreted as a call to use music as a means of connecting with something greater than ourselves, and spreading love and positivity through it.
The chorus emphasizes the power of music to bring people together, as the sons and daughters shout with joy and peace in love abound, and there's no way we'll ever quiet down because our God is alive. This can be interpreted as a call to use music to celebrate life and connect with others in a meaningful way. Finally, the repeated lyric "We will never look back, you're all we can see now" can be seen as a declaration of commitment to the present moment and to the power of music to keep us grounded and focused on what truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
Let a song rise from our soul singing day and night
A call to let an unending song of praise come from deep within us.
Let it go
Letting go of everything and surrendering to God's will and plan.
Strength to the heart of the one who knows
As we sing this song, we ask God to strengthen our faith and our hearts so that we may continue to trust Him.
The voice that He's hearing
God hears our song, and we sing it for Him.
And we are never gonna let this song die out
We will continue to sing this song of praise without end, always giving thanks to God.
And we feel the heart of God
As we worship and sing, we feel the love and compassion of God for us.
So we cry out
In prayerful adoration, we cry out to God to praise Him further.
To love like only He can love
We ask God to help us love others the way He loves us, unconditionally and without reservation.
To become His hands and feet
We seek to be instruments of God's love, doing His work in the world.
Oh, we are never gonna let this song die out
Again, we vow to never stop singing this song to God.
So let the sons and daughters shout
All of God's children, regardless of age or background, are encouraged to sing out this song of praise together.
With joy and peace in love abound
Our praise is accompanied by feelings of great joy, peace, and love.
There's no way we'll ever quiet down
Our song of praise will never cease, even in the face of adversity and opposition.
Our God is alive
We affirm that our God is alive and present in our lives.
We will never look back
We will press on in our faith, never turning away from God.
You're all we can see now
God is the center of our lives, and everything we do is focused on pleasing Him.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Derek King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob G. Stewart
Bobby Whitlock's voice carried the vocals for sure ... Jim Gordon was a masterful drummer - maybe one of the top two or three in the business at the time ... Eric was at top form ... Not too many people mention Carl Radle - laying down that heavy and steady bass beat to carry everyone along. What a marvelous group of musicians.
c Tims
Couldn't agree more.
Kay Knapp
So glad I grew up in this era when musicians were master craftsmen of their instruments and it was all about the music. Doesn’t get any better than this.
Thomas Bedell
Agree 100%. So many damaged people fell but what was recorded remains as an inspiration to those of today.
RonnieV
Sandy?
Michael Griffith
One of Clapton's best guitar solos. Just incredible.
bill r
Bobby Whitlocks back up vocals and shouts and answers to Erics vocals in this song and all of them ,is a key piece of what made their overall sound work, and unique--all their own---often imitated never duplicated. They were my first concert---Thanksgiving weekend 1970 Painters MIll, Maryland, Theatre in the Round...they opened with Layla. I was 16.
Quang Nguyễn
Surely you have a nice memory!
Richard Hincemon
Everyone thinks of Eric Clapton when you think of Derek and the Dominos but Bobby whitlock's contribution is what made them great! Cheers
Thomas Bedell
What a memorable experience. I missed those opportunities although I was there to take advantage. Great band. They come out of Delaney and Bonnie and then Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Carl Radle not to go unmentioned.