''The History of Eric Clapton'' is a compilation double LP, released in 1972 by

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

in the United Kingdom, and

Atco Records ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the comp ...

in the United States. It features Eric Clapton performing in various bands between 1964 and 1970, including

The Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock band, formed in London in 1963. The band's core lineup featured vocalist and harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist and later bassist Chris Dreja and bassist/producer Paul Samwell ...

Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

Blind Faith Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They were eagerly anticipated by the music press following on the success of each of the member's former bands, including Clapton a ...

and

Derek and the Dominos Derek and the Dominos was an English–American blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. All four members had previous ...

. The compilation is notable for helping Clapton's career when he was battling heroin addiction and making the song "

Layla "Layla" is a song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, originally recorded by Derek and the Dominos, as the thirteenth track from their only studio album, ''Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' (1970). Its contrasting movements were compos ...

" famous. It is also notable for being perhaps the first compilation in rock music to collect music of a single rock musician that spans time, bands, music styles and record labels. The album cover picture was taken at George Harrison's

Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were he ...

while Clapton was playing "

While My Guitar Gently Weeps "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album '' The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). It was written by George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist. Harrison wrote "While ...

" on a

Gibson Byrdland The Byrdland is an electric guitar made by Gibson. Its name derives from the names of guitarists Billy Byrd and Hank Garland for whom Gibson originally custom-built the guitar. Thinline series The Byrdland is the first of Gibson's Thinline s ...

hollow-body A semi-acoustic guitar, hollow-body electric, or thinline is a type of electric guitar that was first created in the 1930s. It has a sound box and at least one electric pickup. The semi-acoustic guitar is different to an acoustic-electric guit ...

guitar.

Content

The album has two versions of "Tell the Truth", both different from and recorded before " Tell the Truth" on ''

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs ''Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' is the only studio album by the English–American rock band Derek and the Dominos, released in November 1970 as a double album. It is best known for its title track, " Layla", and is often regarded as Eri ...

'' (1970). "Tell the Truth" on this compilation is a fast up-beat version originally released as a single in July 1970, while "Tell the Truth – Jam" is a long and slow instrumental

jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and ente ...

from the Layla sessions which had never been released before. The "Tell the Truth" single also appeared later on ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' (1988) and on '' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs 40th Anniversary Deluxe and Super Deluxe Edition'' (2011). "Tell the Truth – Jam" was featured on '' The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition'' (1990) as "Tell the Truth (Jam #1)"; a second "Tell the Truth" jam, also featured on ''The Layla Sessions'', was unreleased at the time of ''The History of Eric Clapton'' compilation. The U.S. release of this compilation replaced " Tales of Brave Ulysses" with "Tribute to Elmore", a Clapton and Jimmy Page homage to American blues musician

Elmore James Elmore James ( Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ...

. "Tribute to Elmore" was one of several jams performed by Clapton, Page and Jeff Beck which were recorded by Page and released later without consulting Clapton or Beck.

Reception

In a review at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

, Bruce Eder wrote that the tracks on ''The History of Eric Clapton'' "seemed boundless at the time", from the "primitive and straightforward" "I Ain't Got You" to "

" at, what was then, the end of his career. What Eder found extraordinary about this 11-song collection is that it, at the time, only covered two years of Clapton's solo career, but "still doesn't make a bad summation of his best work." He added that the "Tell the Truth" jam alone makes ''The History of Eric Clapton'' a "priority acquisition," even for Clapton diehards. Robert Christgau was a little more critical of the album, saying that while it has several "worthwhile oddities" (the "Tell the Truth" single and its studio jam, plus

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician ...

' "Teasin), he felt that there should have been more from

the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock band, formed in London in 1963. The band's core lineup featured vocalist and harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist and later bassist Chris Dreja and bassist/producer Paul Samwell ...

and the Bluesbreakers. Reviewing the album in ''

Journal-News The ''Journal-News'' is a daily newspaper published by Cox Enterprises in Liberty Township, Butler County, Ohio, United States. It formed in 2013 from the merger of the '' Hamilton JournalNews'' in Hamilton and '' The Middletown Journal'' in Mi ...

'' in 1972, Michael O'Connor wrote that while many critics belittled the collection, calling it a "rehash" and a "ripoff", he felt that, despite its weaknesses and bad song selection, it is a good introduction to Eric Clapton, and "really isn't that bad a trip". O'Connor praised Clapton's work with

on side four, particularly the "Tell the Truth" jam, and concluded that the compilation "wets my appetite for a future album".

Track listing

UK tracks

US tracks

On the U.S. Atco LP SD2-803, track 3, "Tales of Brave Ulysses" is replaced with:

Track notes

*A1 – from ''The Yardbirds Featuring Performances by Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page'' (1970); recorded September 1964 *A2 – from '' Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton'' (1966); recorded April 1966 *A3 (UK release) – from ''

Disraeli Gears ''Disraeli Gears'' is the second studio album by the British rock band Cream. It was released in November 1967 and reached No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart. Search "Cream" in ''Name of Artist'', and No. 1 on the Swedish and Finnish charts. The alb ...

'' (1967); recorded May 1967 *A3 (US release) – from '' Blues Anytime Vol. 1'' (1968); recorded June 1965 *A4 – from '' What's Shakin''' (1966); recorded March 1966 *A5 – from ''Disraeli Gears'' (1967); recorded May 1967 *A6 – from ''

Wheels of Fire ''Wheels of Fire'' is the third album by the British rock band Cream. It was released in the US in June 1968 as a two-disc vinyl LP, with one disc recorded in the studio and the other recorded live. It was released in the UK on August 9. It ...

'' (1968); recorded March 1968 *B1 – from ''Wheels of Fire'' (1968); recorded March 1968 *B2 – from ''

Goodbye Goodbye, Good bye, or Good-bye is a parting phrase and may refer to: Film * ''Goodbye'' (1918 film), a British drama directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Goodbye'' (1995 film) (''Tot Ziens!''), a Dutch film directed by Heddy Honigmann * ''Goodbye'' ...

'' (1969); recorded October 1968 *C1 – from ''

'' (1969); recorded June 1969 *C2 – from '' Delaney & Bonnie & Friends on Tour with Eric Clapton'' (1970); recorded December 1969 *C3 – from ''Delaney & Bonnie & Friends on Tour with Eric Clapton'' (1970); recorded December 1969 *C4 – from ''Get Ready'' (1970); recorded January 1970 *C5 – from '' Eric Clapton'' (1970); recorded January 1970 *D1 – " Tell the Truth" single (1970); recorded June 1970 *D2 – previously unreleased; recorded August 1970 *D3 – from ''

'' (1970); recorded August–September 1970

Charts

References

Works cited

External links

LP sleeve artwork
at FreeCovers.net (Internet Archive copy) {{DEFAULTSORT:History Of Eric Clapton Eric Clapton compilation albums 1972 compilation albums Polydor Records compilation albums Atco Records compilation albums