Eric Clapton “Cocaine” charted

Cocaine J.J. Cale

Writer(s): J.J. Cale (see lyrics here) Released: September 1976 First Charted: September 1976 Peak: 45 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.75 video, 42.32 streaming

Cocaine Eric Clapton

Released: November 1977 (B-side) First Charted: June 14, 1980 (live version) Peak: 30 US, 36 CB, 35 HR, 1 CL, 3 CN, 57 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.2 UK, 0.45 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 108.63 video, 351.12 streaming

Awards (Clapton): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: J.J. Cale was an American singer/songwriter and guitarist who became best known through covers of his songs done by Lynyrd Skynyrd (“Call Me the Breeze”) and Eric Clapton (“Cocaine,” “After Midnight”). Cale’s original version of “Cocaine” was released on his fourth album, Troubadour, in 1976. The song was a #1 hit in New Zealand. The better-known version, however, was by Eric Clapton. He recorded the song for his 1977 album Slowhand. The album “marked a resurgence of sorts for Clapton, arriving after a string of releases failed to live up to the promise heard on 1974’s 461 Ocean Boulevard.” UCR Clapton’s version was “driven by a relatively laid-back blues beat,” UCR “maintaining the same relaxed vibe as the original.” UCR It “wasn’t so much a lyrically based song as it was a somewhat understated showcase of Clapton’s superior skill with the guitar.” UCR Clapton has described it as “quite cleverly anti-cocaine.” WK He said, “It’s no good to write a deliberate anti-drug song…because…it would disturb them to have someone else shoving something down their throat. So the best thing to do is offer something that seems ambiguous – that on study or on reflection can be seen to be anti.” WK The song was released as the B-side of “Lay Down Sally” in November 1977. However, a live version of “Cocaine” was released as a single in June 1980 in support of Clapton’s live album Just One Night. All Music Guide’s Richar Gilliam called it one of Clapton’s “most enduringly popular hits.” AMG It is “arguably one of his finest moments, and a staple of his set list decades after its release.” UCR Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for J.J. Cale DMDB encyclopedia entry for Eric Clapton AMG All Music Guide song review by Richard Gilliam UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/31/2022.

Eric Clapton “Wonderful Tonight” released

Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton

Writer(s): Eric Clapton (see lyrics here) Released: March 10, 1978 First Charted: May 13, 1978 Peak: 16 US, 24 CB, 23 GR, 25 HR, 39 AC, 2 CL, 30 UK, 15 CN, 53 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 2.68 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 7.0 radio, 296.24 video, 331.86 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: This was the third single from Slowhand, Eric Clapton’s fifth solo outing. The album reached #2 in the United States and sold three million copies. His only studio album to match it in sales was 1994’s From the Cradle although his 1992 Unplugged live album did sell ten million copies in the U.S. Clapton wrote “Wonderful Tonight” about Pattie Boyd. While the song is celebrated for its romantic expression of love and become “a fixture at proms and weddings,” SF the back story isn’t so sweet. Clapton met the international model when she was married to the Beatles’ George Harrison (he wrote the Beatles’ 1969 hit “Something” about her). Even though Clapton and Harrison became close friends, Clapton fell for her and pursued her. She rebuffed his advances and he wrote the Derek and the Dominos’ 1970 classic rock hit “Layla” about his longing for her. After a three-year self-imposed exile and heroin addiction, Clapton pursued Boyd again in 1974. They began a relationship while she was still married to Harrison, who she eventually divorced in 1977. She married Clapton in 1979 but she divorced him in 1989, citing alcoholism, abuse, and infidelity. Clapton wrote the song on September 7, 1976 while waiting for Boyd to get ready for an annual Buddy Holly party hosted by Paul and Linda McCartney. WK As she said, Eric “was sitting round playing his guitar while I was trying on dresses upstairs. I was taking so long and I was panicking about my hair, my clothes, everything, and I came downstairs expecting him to really berate me but he said, ‘Listen to this!’” SF Cashbox said his “singing is superbly understated; the guitar work is simple and evocative.” WK Billboard described itas “perhaps Clapton’s prettiest and mellowest love ballad in some time.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Eric Clapton SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 12/24/2022; last updated 12/26/2022.