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.
I Looked Away
Eric Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And tried to make me understand
That she would always be there
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
That she'd leave me in misery.
It seemed like only yesterday
She made a vow that she'd never walk away.
She took my hand
And tried to make me understand
That she would always be there
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
And if it seemed a sin
To love another man's woman, baby,
I guess I'll keep on sinning
Loving her, Lord, till my very last day.
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
The lyrics in Eric Clapton's song "I Looked Away" convey a sense of regret and lamentation for a lost love. The singer is reminiscing on a past relationship in which his partner tried to assure him of her loyalty and devotion. Despite her efforts, the singer admits that he "looked away" and didn't reciprocate her feelings, causing her to ultimately leave him. He expresses his loneliness and sorrow for not valuing her love when he had it.
The second verse reveals that the singer saw the breakup coming and knew he was the cause of it. He reflects on the promise his former partner made to stay with him, highlighting the devastating consequences of his inaction. The line "I'm such a lonely man" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's regret and isolation.
The final verse suggests that the singer may have been in a relationship with someone who was already taken, as he mentions the possibility that it "seemed a sin to love another man's woman." Despite this, he declares his intention to continue loving her until the end of his days.
Line by Line Meaning
She took my hand
She reached out to me, attempting to communicate and connect.
And tried to make me understand
She wanted me to comprehend her intentions and feelings.
That she would always be there
She conveyed her commitment to staying with me through thick and thin.
But I looked away
I chose to ignore her attempts to communicate, possibly out of fear or selfishness.
And she ran away from me today,
She left me alone, likely feeling unvalued and unrecognized.
I'm such a lonely man.
I feel isolated and empty without her presence in my life.
It came as no surprise to me
I knew deep down that the relationship was not working, and her decision to leave was expected.
That she'd leave me in misery.
I knew her departure would cause pain and unhappiness in my life.
It seemed like only yesterday
It felt like a recent memory when she promised never to leave.
She made a vow that she'd never walk away.
She committed herself to staying with me forever.
And if it seemed a sin
If loving her was considered immoral or inappropriate by societal standards,
To love another man's woman, baby,
To be romantically involved with someone who belongs to another man,
I guess I'll keep on sinning
I will continue to do what I know is wrong or frowned upon by others.
Loving her, Lord, till my very last day.
I will love her unconditionally, even if it means sacrificing my own happiness and well-being.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOBBY WHITLOCK, ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, ROBERT S. WHITLOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hanswigman
She took my hand
And tried to make me understand
That she would always be there
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
It came as no surprise to me
That she'd leave me in misery.
It seemed like only yesterday
She made a vow that she'd never walk away.
She took my hand
And tried to make me understand
That she would always be there
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
And if it seemed a sin
To love another man's woman, baby,
I guess I'll keep on sinning
Loving her, Lord, till my very last day.
But I looked away
And she ran away from me today,
I'm such a lonely man.
@mikeymumblesreal
Eric's voice. That feeling of this. So simple, pure unrestrained joy. Makes me cry like a baby. I surrender.
@duckbrew
This will indeed make e a grown man cry if he's not careful,as well as bell bottome blues ')
@edwardbrady8410
When the meaning of this song directly correlates to your life, crying is the easy part.
@randyv.4206
Hands down....One of my favorite songs of all time. Absolutely perfect in every way. And the fact it leads into Bell Bottom Blues. You don’t get a better one two then that.
@jeffreycolvin9124
My absolute favorite as well. Such a great opening song for the greatest album. Just sublime.
@margaretsimonsen5936
These songs, these two, amplify the ache that has been in my heart for decades. Precious pain
@stevehoran5595
I've felt that way since I first heard them; the best two song beginning to an album ever.
@Schizniit
The intro is one of my favorite things to play on guitar. By itself, it sounds like it could easily be country
@dimstath7546
@@Schizniit You re right! Just managed to figure it out. Can t stop playin it over and over
@robblair3703
This is one of my favourite songs on the album. Although that is akin to trying to choose a favourite child. The whole album is an absolute gem. The whole thing is incredible