Cincinnati Babyhead

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CB’s Favorite Solos – Eric Clapton

This a favorite song by one of my favorite bands, Cream. It also has one of my all time favorite guitar solos. Eric Clapton lays down a short solo that absolutely got me and has never let go. Like all good solos that I like, I anticipate it every time. The song is only just over 2 and a half minutes long. Proof that short and sweet works. A perfectly placed solo.

Eric does his thing about 3/4 of the way through. The song is so cooly crafted and Clapton puts the cap on it with his sound. What a great piece of rock guitar. I never tire of it. This was one good band and Eric shows us why he is one of the best. Pretty close to a perfect piece for me.

One of those songs if I heard on the radio, I stopped what I was doing and waited for EC to do his thing. One of the reasons I like this kind of music. It moves me. My ears love it.

(Any song that uses the name “Mable” has it going on for me).

45 comments on “CB’s Favorite Solos – Eric Clapton”

  1. Francisco Bravo Cabrera
    September 12, 2021

    I am totally with you on this song. Always loved it and the solo is smashing good. Interesting the title “Badge”…George Harrison wrote the song with Clapton and he had actually written “bridge” indicating the bridge of the song and Clapton could not read his handwriting and thought it was Badge the title of the song because really the song had nothing to do with a badge…good memories with that song CB, glad you reminded me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 12, 2021

      I knew about the Harrison connection. You hear his spacey guitar before Clapton. Great collaboration.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Francisco Bravo Cabrera
        September 12, 2021

        Yes, you do hear it…thanks CB!

        Like

  2. Phil Strawn
    September 12, 2021

    Yeah Baby…the best guitar solo from that era. That is back when Clapton played a Gibson 335 and not that cheap assed Fender. Gotta wonder, who was Mable? Perhaps Patti Boyd Harrison? You did some digging on this one CB.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 12, 2021

      It grabs you like it does me. I just thought the “Mable” thing was so cool.

      Like

      Reply
    • Jim S.
      September 12, 2021

      I have a ’78-era 335, now worth about 8x what I paid for it. The biggest problem is it’s a semi-hollow body and so tends to feed back. You have to stuff it with something like cotton. Eddie Van Halen wanted to play one but his bandmates told him he looked like Roy Orbison.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Phil Strawn
        September 13, 2021

        Well that is true. My 1963 Gibson 335 was semi-hollow and did feed back, but, that is what I wanted at times. I recieved that guitar on my 16th birthday and had it until 1993 when it was stolen. My go to guitar since 2001 has been a 1980 Epiphone Casino hollow body, same as the 335 but with P-90 pickups. I have never had a problem with feedback, but, I never played as loud as I did in the 60s. Yeah, it’s kind of a Roy Orbison style instrument.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Yeah, Another Blogger
    September 12, 2021

    A powerful band. They took the music world by storm. Did you ever see any of the three of them in person?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 12, 2021

      They still sound good to me. Saw Clapton a couple times. Really wanted to see the other two but never got a chance. I think I saw Ginger riding his bike in my neighborhood once.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • Jim S.
      September 12, 2021

      While it’s not quite the same thing, I’ve recently seen two incarnations of a Cream Tribute band, both helmed by Ginger Baker’s son Kofi. The second one had Clapton’s nephew on guitar and if I recall correctly, Jack Bruce’s son. This is fairly recent, I’d say 2019.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 12, 2021

        Just listened to Bruce help out with Spectrum Road’. CB’s alley all the way.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        September 13, 2021

        Don’t think I know Spectrum Road.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 13, 2021

        Fusion band that Bruce was a part of. Inspired by Tony Williams his old Lifetime mate. So I think you get the idea.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        September 13, 2021

        CB is a Brucologist

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 13, 2021

        He opens up this song. Yeah I like the guys music .

        Like

  4. Phil Strawn
    September 12, 2021

    I saw them at Dallas Memorial Auditorium. Our band, The Orphans, was suppose to open the show, but our manager decided to put his favorite band, Kenny and The Kasuals instead of us. We did get a backstage pass but failed to meet Cream. Back in the 60s, at least in Texas, popular local bands usually opened the major shows because they could be had for no pay. It was for “the exposure” don’t ya know. We did 3 shows with Iron Butterfly in 68, for the exposure. One thing about Cream, they were as loud as Zepplin. I’m talking “grab your head and stagger around screaming” loud. Of course, Clapton was superb.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 12, 2021

      Cool stuff Phil. Love it.

      Like

      Reply
      • Phil Strawn
        September 12, 2021

        Thanks CB. I didn’t know how lucky I was to be able to do these things. I was only 17 with the thought process of a teen. One more thing, Kenny and the Kasuals released a 45 about 2 weeks before this show, so our management company, Mark Lee Productions thought they should get the exposure for record sales. We released our 45 about 2 months after this show, so there ya go. I’m working on a post about our band and will include one of our 45s for your listening pleasure.

        Liked by 2 people

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 12, 2021

        I look forward to the take and music.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. deKE
    September 12, 2021

    Short n Sweet can come in handy at times thats for sure CB. Love reading this kind of stuff.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. Jim S.
    September 12, 2021

    Excellent tune from a great band there, C to the B. Nothing I love better than to drive around and listen to Cream play a “Spoonful” or some other long jam for 20 minutes. My guitar buddy Bill is enamored of this tune. Every time I call him and say, “Hey what are you playing?” he seems to be endlessly mining this tune. As one of the commenters mentioned, the title has no real meaning. But that didn’t stop Clapton from (stupidly I think) adding the phrase “Where is my badge?” to live versions. Wha?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 12, 2021

      He cut a few more solo’s I dig (Presence Of The Lord) but something about this one gets me. The whole song is so tight and yeah coming from a jam band.

      Like

      Reply
      • Jim S.
        September 12, 2021

        Cream was always more about the song – at least on record – than the jam.

        Like

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 12, 2021

        Agreed. Even that AM favorite by Baker ‘Toad’.

        Like

  7. christiansmusicmusings
    September 13, 2021

    Love that tune. Great pick, CB!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Vinyl Connection
    September 13, 2021

    I recall seeing Clapton in Melbourne sometime around the ‘Journeyman’ album (which was an excellent disc). He sure wasn’t shy about taking a solo. But I guess he’d earned the right, eh?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. 1537
    September 13, 2021

    Defective person, but a hell of a player back in his drinking days!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 13, 2021

      Talking to a friend recently he educated me on some recent Eric wisdom. He was a different cat back in those other days.. The music had something my ear liked.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. keepsmealive
    September 16, 2021

    Great choice. I didn’t have to listen to this again (I can hear it in my head quite clearly, probably note for note) but I played it again anyway.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. badfinger20 (Max)
    September 17, 2021

    I love the bass riff in this. I wish Eric and George would have done more together…well with the exception of sharing a wife. Those Brit rock stars…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • cincinnatibabyhead
      September 17, 2021

      George probably wanted to be in the band. Jack and Ginger were so good together playing music.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • badfinger20 (Max)
        September 17, 2021

        He probably would have loved to escaped the Beatles at that time.
        I read a story the other day that Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis wanted Paul McCartney to join them in a supergroup but he was in a remote place and couldn’t be reached in 69. That would have been different.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        September 17, 2021

        Davis craved that mass appeal even though he played the opposite.

        Liked by 1 person

      • badfinger20 (Max)
        September 17, 2021

        Yes I do agree… I’ve read that about him…nothing wrong with that…with Bitches Brew he did get a taste of it.

        Liked by 1 person

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This entry was posted on September 12, 2021 by in 1968 single, Badge, Cream, Eric Clapton, Rock and Roll and tagged , .

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