Bell Bottom Blues (Derek and the Dominos song)

Background and recording

"Bell Bottom Blues" was recorded before Duane Allman joined the recording sessions for the Layla album, so Clapton was the only guitarist on the song. The other musicians on the recording were Bobby Whitlock on Hammond organ, Carl Radle on bass and percussion, and Jim Gordon on drums, including tabla and backwards snare.

Composition

Bell-bottoms are a style of trousers that were popular at the time. According to Clapton, the song was written for Pattie Boyd after she asked him to get her a pair of bell-bottom blue jeans from the United States. The lyrics described a lovers' quarrel. Bill Janovitz of AllMusic noted the raw anguish in Clapton's voice in the pre-chorus and chorus:

Do you wanna see me crawl across the floor to you? Do you wanna hear me beg you to take me back? I'd gladly do it because I don't wanna fade away Give me one more day, please I don't wanna fade away In your heart I wanna stay}}

contrasted with the somber longing expressed in Clapton's voice in the verses:

Bell bottom blues You made me cry I don't wanna lose this feeling If I could choose a place to die It would be in your arms.

Author Jan Reid also praised Clapton's singing on the song, noting that his phrasing managed to suggest that despite the pain he is feeling, the woman's antics remind him of the "joy of just being alive".

In their song "Soul Survivor," from the album Exile on Main St., released in 1972, the Rolling Stones sing, "I got the bell-bottom blues."

Songwriting credit

The writing of the song was originally credited to Eric Clapton alone, but is now jointly credited to Clapton and Bobby Whitlock. Whitlock stated in an interview in 2011 that "Eric started the song ... He played me the first two verses at his house and I helped with the last verse", and that it was credited to Clapton alone by a "clerical error". In 2015, in an interview by Mike Rossi for Facio Create, Whitlock stated that Clapton had now formally accepted that Whitlock had contributed, and in future the song would be jointly credited. The BMI website now credits both writers.

Reception

In a review upon the album's release, Rolling Stone writer Ed Leimacher called "Bell Bottom Blues" (as well as "Have You Ever Loved a Woman") filler. Record World said it was "soulful and subtle, not unlike George Harrison's latest." Billboard said "Eric Clapton's rocking blues ballad, served up in an emotion packed vocal workout is a winner headed for a high Hot 100 spot. A retrospective of the album in Rolling Stone praised the song as an epic that "feels as if it's going to shatter from the heat of its romantic agony". AllMusic critic Bill Janovitz admired both Clapton's guitar playing and his anguished vocal performance.

Adaptations

Cher recorded "Bell Bottom Blues" on her 1975 album, Stars. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs covered the song on their 2009 album, Under the Covers, Vol. 2. Bruce Springsteen borrowed the line "I don't wanna fade away" from "Bell Bottom Blues", for his 1980 song "Fade Away". Lady Gaga referenced the title in her song "Dope", where she sang "I'm sorry and I love you, sing with me, 'Bell Bottom Blue'."

References

References

1. [https://archive.today/20160327034430/http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=103196&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID Bell Bottom Blues], Archive.is, retrieved 17 March 2017
2. "Eric Clapton Charts and Awards". [[AllMusic]].
3. Jancik, W.. (1998). "The Billboard book of one-hit wonders". Billboard Books.
4. Janovitz, Bill. "Bell Bottom Blues". [[AllMusic]].
5. Schumacher, Michael. (2003). "Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton". Citadel Press.
6. Shaprio, Harry. (1992). "Eric Clapton: lost in the blues". Da Capo Press.
7. Roberty, Marc. (1995). "The Complete Guide to the Music of Eric Clapton". Omnibus Press.
8. Reid, Jan. (2006). "Layla and other assorted love songs, Derek and the Dominos". Rodale.
9. Whitlock, Bobby. (2010). "Bobby Whitlock: A Rock 'n' Roll Autobiography". MaFarland.
10. Clapton, Eric. (2007). "Eric Clapton: The Autobiography". Century.
11. Dow, Mike. (7 September 2011). "Bobby Whitlock: Dominos, drugs, death and deliverance". themainedge.com.
12. Rossi, Mike. (5 November 2015). "Facio Create talks with Bobby Whitlock, Founding Member of Derek and the Dominos". FacioCreate.
13. (January 23, 1971). "Single Product".
14. (January 23, 1971). "Spotlight Singles". Billboard.
15. DeCurtis, Anthony. (27 January 2005). "Derek and the Dominos: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs". rollingstone.com.
16. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Under the Covers, Vol. 2". [[AllMusic]].
17. Kirkpatrick, R.. (2007). "The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen". Praeger.