Don't Wait
In a sense, nearly every album Eric Clapton recorded after 1970 has been a … Read Full Bio ↴In a sense, nearly every album Eric Clapton recorded after 1970 has been a tribute to J.J. Cale. On that first solo album, Clapton cut a cover of Cale's "After Midnight" and while he was under the spell of Delaney Bramlett for that album, soon enough Slowhand began drifting toward the laconic shuffle that was Cale's stock in trade. Clapton never hesitated to credit Cale, dropping his name in interviews, turning "Cocaine" into a modern standard, even going so far as to record an entire duet album with the Oklahoma troubadour called The Road to Escondido in 2006. In other words, E.C. owed J.J. little but after Cale passed at the age of 74, the guitarist decided to pay a full-scale tribute in the form of the 2014 LP The Breeze: An Appreciation of J.J. Cale. Working with most of his regular band, Clapton also invited a host of friends who share a soft spot for Cale, including Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, and the Oklahoma-based singer Don White, whose vocals are within the range of the departed Cale. All of these musicians don't distract from E.C.'s version of J.J.: everybody slides into an exceedingly laid-back, pristine roots groove, one that barely rises above a steady simmer -- only "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" boogies, but "Cajun Moon" skips along, too -- and one that's executed with the precision of old pros. Occasionally, a personal stylistic quirk stamps a track with a signature -- there's no mistaking Willie's idiosyncratic phrasing or Knopfler's Strat -- but otherwise, everybody is operating at the same relaxed pace, differences between the musicians disappearing alongside the distinctions between songs. It's all perfectly pleasant and a convincing testament to what Clapton learned from Cale, although its silvery monochromatic shuffles suggest J.J. was a little more one-dimensional than he actually was.

Don't Wait
Eric Clapton & Friends Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't wait
Don't wait
Don't wait for the good times to come
We got 'em right here, we're on the run
Don't wait
Don't wait

I'm going back
I'm going back
Going way back, back in time
Another place, another mind
I'm going back
I'm going back

Walk on
Walk on
Walk on straight ahead
Don't look around, don't turn your head
Walk on
Walk on

Fly away
Fly away
Fly away, away with me
I never been so flying free
Fly away
Fly away

Bye bye
Bye bye
Please don't ever say
You're leaving me, you're going away




Bye bye
Bye bye

Overall Meaning

The song "Don't Wait" by Eric Clapton & Friends is a call to live in the moment and not chase after happiness that's just around the corner. The repeated phrase "Don't wait" urges listeners to seize the day and appreciate the good times in the present rather than anxiously waiting for better times in the future. The line "we got 'em right here, we're on the run" suggests that happiness is already attainable and waiting for it will only make us miss out on the joys of life that we have access to in the present.


The second stanza takes the listener on a journey back to another era or perhaps a different state of mind. The phrase "going way back, back in time, another place, another mind" indicates that the singer is reminiscing about a past experience or time when life was different. They might be longing for that simpler, happier time, or they may be trying to learn from their past and apply it to their present.


The chorus changes to "walk on" and "fly away", suggesting that the singer is ready to move forward and let go of the past. They urge themselves and the listener to keep going, take risks and embrace freedom. Finally, the song ends with the bittersweet phrase "bye bye", which might indicate the singer's readiness to let go of the past and live in the present.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't wait
Don't hesitate


Don't wait
Don't delay


Don't wait for the good times to come
Don't hold out for better opportunities


We got 'em right here, we're on the run
We have plenty of good times now and we're not staying in one place for too long


Don't wait
Don't procrastinate


Don't wait
Don't put things off


I'm going back
I'm returning


I'm going back
I'm revisiting


Going way back, back in time
Going to a distant past


Another place, another mind
A different location or state of mind


I'm going back
I'm retracing my steps


I'm going back
I'm reminiscing


Walk on
Keep moving forward


Walk on
Don't stop


Walk on straight ahead
Stay focused on your goals


Don't look around, don't turn your head
Don't get distracted or lose sight of what's ahead


Walk on
Keep pushing forward


Walk on
Don't give up


Fly away
Escape


Fly away
Start over


Fly away, away with me
Let's start fresh together


I never been so flying free
I've never felt so liberated


Fly away
Let's leave it all behind


Fly away
Let's move on


Bye bye
Farewell


Bye bye
Goodbye


Please don't ever say
Don't tell me


You're leaving me, you're going away
You're departing and leaving me behind


Bye bye
Take care


Bye bye
See you later




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHRISTINE LAKELAND, J. J. CALE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@bodoor8172

Everything is perfect about this song, the arrangement, vocals, and the Hammond organ gives me goosebumps all over, fucking love this song.

@lieutenantdan4278

That guitar tone is just insane!

@demonic_angel_68

Incredible

@darthvader3465

clapton and mayer are both gods

@beenderedonedat

say what thou wilt but John Mayer did a phenomenal job on this one! absolutlety outstanding!

@tamunajordania2485

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@SG13232

I mean, it absolutely does not get better than Clapton and Mayer together on a JJ song…

@kathif17

I hear a little/ lot of ❤JJ in this song

@kathif17

Love IT A little JJ Cale VIBE ❤❤❤❤😢

@kathif17

Love my Clapton and JJ Cale

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