In the mid-1960s Clapton left the Yardbirds to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton formed the power trio Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce, in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop". After Cream broke up, he formed blues rock band Blind Faith with Baker, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech. Clapton's solo career began in the 1970s, where his work bore the influence of the mellow style of J. J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market. Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded with Derek and the Dominos; and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded with Cream. Following the death of his son Conor in 1991, Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "Tears in Heaven", which was featured on his Unplugged album.
Clapton has been the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2004 he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. He has received four Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In his solo career, Clapton has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.
Anyone For Tennis
Eric Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The auctioneer is bidding for a box of fading years
And the elephants are dancing on the graves of squealing mice.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
And the ice creams are all melting on the streets of bloody beer
While beggars stain the pavement with fluorescent Christmas cheer
And the Bentley driving guru is putting up his price.
And the prophets in the boutiques give out messages of hope
With jingle bells and fairy tales and blind colliding scopes
And you can tell they're all the same underneath the pretty lies.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
The yellow Buddhist monk is burning brightly at the zoo
You can bring a bowl of rice and a glass of water too
And fate is setting up the chessboard while death rolls out the dice.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't the be nice?
These lyrics by Eric Clapton in the song Anyone for Tennis use a combination of absurdity and irony to comment on societal norms and expectations. The opening lines set the stage for a surreal scene where an auctioneer is selling a box of fading years, and elephants are seen dancing on graves. This bizarre imagery is followed by a call for tennis, which seems almost out of place in comparison to the preceding lines. This juxtaposition highlights the frivolity of recreational activities like tennis in the face of more significant issues in the world.
The next verse is even more surreal, as ice cream melts on the "streets of bloody beer," and beggars add to the festive atmosphere with "fluorescent Christmas cheer." Meanwhile, a Bentley-driving guru is raising his price, perhaps suggesting that even spirituality can be commodified and marketed. Again, the call for tennis seems to offer a kind of distraction from the harsh reality of these images.
The final verse takes on a more serious tone, as Clapton references Buddhist monks and the concept of fate within a game of chess. The line "fate is setting up the chessboard while death rolls out the dice" can be interpreted as a commentary on the randomness of life and death, and the idea that ultimately we have little control over our fate. This existential reflection contrasts with the frivolity of tennis, and perhaps suggests that we should focus on deeper issues than mere recreation and entertainment.
Line by Line Meaning
Twice upon a time in the valley of tear
In a sorrowful and miserable valley, there were two separate instances of hardship
The auctioneer is bidding for a box of fading years
An auction is taking place for old and deteriorating items, such as memories and experiences
And the elephants are dancing on the graves of squealing mice.
The strong and powerful are casually destroying and disrespecting the weak and defenseless
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
In contrast to the bleak surroundings, how about we take a break and play a game of tennis? It would be enjoyable and pleasant.
And the ice creams are all melting on the streets of bloody beer
The scene is chaotic and unpleasant, with ice cream melting on dirty streets filled with blood and alcohol
While beggars stain the pavement with fluorescent Christmas cheer
Despite their difficult situation, the poor and needy strive to maintain a festive and cheerful spirit, albeit in a garish way
And the Bentley driving guru is putting up his price.
Even the wealthiest and most knowledgeable individuals are constantly increasing their demands and expectations
And the prophets in the boutiques give out messages of hope
In luxurious and fashionable stores, unreliable and superficial individuals provide false promises of a better future
With jingle bells and fairy tales and blind colliding scopes
Their message is filled with trivial and fanciful elements, with no actual foundation or practicality
And you can tell they're all the same underneath the pretty lies.
Despite their outward differences and supposed expertise, these individuals are all the same in their deceitful and dishonest nature
The yellow Buddhist monk is burning brightly at the zoo
Even a peaceful and enlightened figure like a monk is subjected to suffering and hardship, illustrated by the image of a burning monk at a zoo exhibit
You can bring a bowl of rice and a glass of water too
In an attempt to help or show respect, one can offer simple and humble gifts like rice and water
And fate is setting up the chessboard while death rolls out the dice.
Life itself is a game, where fate is the strategist arranging the pieces and death is the unpredictable element rolling the dice
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't the be nice?
Amidst all the chaos and suffering, playing a game of tennis would be a pleasant and welcome change of pace.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, MARTIN SHARPE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Oliviacaptain
Twice upon a time in the valley of tear
The auctioneer is bidding for a box of fading years
And the elephants are dancing on the graves of squealing mice.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
And the ice creams are all melting on the streets of bloody beer
While beggars stain the pavement with fluorescent Christmas cheer
And the Bentley driving guru is putting up his price.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
And the prophets in the boutiques give out messages of hope
With jingle bells and fairy tales and blind colliding scopes
And you can tell they're all the same underneath the pretty lies.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
The yellow Buddhist monk is burning brightly at the zoo
You can bring a bowl of rice and a glass of water too
And fate is setting up the chessboard while death rolls out the dice.
Anyone for tennis, wouldn't that be nice?
@Lvdd
Cream is a hidden gem that must be found at least once in your life.
@aIbertinho
Wouldnt that be nice?
@ryanlawrence9010
CREAM is GOD.
@johnlagan2160
Found them years ago mate
@dt9r
hidden??
@bruzrkgro-malog2953
Greatest rock and roll band.
@tommygunner8680
A very underated Cream song and Eric's voice is great in this tune.
@sicksideworldwide1599
I second the motion
@LohiHarHar
@@sicksideworldwide1599 Kyllä! Ja pojat oli täysin selevistä päitten,
@simonvaughan6017
For a novelty song, it has a certain charm, but it's nothing to write home about.