It took CB about one note to dig this song. He was hooked, knocked out whatever you want to call it. He didn’t even have to think about it, he was feeling it. He was introduced to J.J. Cale and his music and he wanted to hear more but for now this was going to hold him over.
J.J. knew what he was singing about. He hung out after midnight. Piano starts it off then that voice comes in and then it’s all over but sitting back and enjoying one of the coolest songs ever. Throw in some bass, drums, bongos, great lyrics and a slick guitar lick and it’s all there.
Cale sets the mood and takes us into that magic time. CB was a night owl (still is) so this was speaking his language. Just over two minutes of coolness.
There’s cool and there’s J.J. Cale cool. ‘After Midnight’ nails it.
So “Let it all hang out” and “cause talk and suspicion”
Just a perfect track. The man has perfect poise.
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I like everything about this guy and his music. 100% original. Good thing for other artists covering his tunes so he could make some $$$$.
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Compared to Clapton’s cover, what, better? Worse? Different? In CB’s opinion, of course.
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I like the Clapton version also. Different take but it works. JJ liked EC’s version better. He made some dough. Things I’ve heard Eric say, JJ was a huge influence in his music. You can here it in a lot of EC’s music.
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Yeah, Clapton initially got into mellower stuff thanks to The Band. (Upcoming series). And he loved Cale and all those Tulsa guys. Quite a shift from the raw, fiery blues he initially wanted to play all the time.
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‘No Reason to Cry’ is one of my fave Clapton albums. I agree on the shift he took but it worked. JJ and all those guys were kindred spirits. (The Band is one of CB’s top bands, look forward to it). You are more up on the research than CB, didn’t Eric use some of those guys off Cale’s ‘Naturally’ , Carl Radle?
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Yeah, he also worked with Jamie Oldaker and of course, Leon Russell. He had a real affinity for Southern US musicians. (Delaney Bramlett, Duane. George Terry, etc.) All in my EC series. 🙂
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Yup. I was going to comment on this stuff on your EC piece. I loved what he was doing here. JJ was a big influence, Duane, Bramlett all the guys you mentioned.
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BTW. you probably know this but ‘No Reason to Cry’ is the one the Band plays on.
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Probably why I liked it so much. You’re my partner on rock n roll Jeopardy. (Rick Danko’s solo album had Eric all over it). JJ, the Band, CCR the Boss all those kinds of guys opened up all that American music rooted in Rock n roll, country, blues. CB was like a sponge.
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How did I miss this post? Love JJ.
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Jersey, glad you found it. I think i did an earlier take on ‘Naturally’. JJ is cool for so many reasons. I was so lucky to be turned onto this kind of music early on. It kinda sets a certain tone. Hows your digging into “the Americana’ music going? I’ll leave you alone to discover all the great music that lays ahead of you. I’ll be living vicariously through your trip.
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It’s going juuuuust fine CB. I’m doing Credence and Tom Petty at the mo’.
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Both top notch. Those early CCR tunes,’Run Through the Jungle’, ‘Green River’, ‘Put a Spell on You’, ‘Susie Q’…were some of the first rock n roll I heard. So when Bruce came along I could hear the same influences. Then Petty with all his great stuff. ‘I Need to Know, ‘Listen to Her Heart’, ‘Breakdown….You’re getting the same stuff that CB ate up and still does. I’m diggin it with you. Does this mean some Jersey takes?
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John Fogerty was insanely talented. What an amazing trail he blazed.
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Talk about a guy who had issues with the music industry. Amazing he’s still standing. Some of CB’s favorite music. Never sounds old. You know you’re on the right track when Bruce brings down the house with ‘Travelin Band’
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It’s that ‘timeless’ quality that is the true mark of great music.
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