Wednesday May 18, 2022 “Layla” Derek & the Dominos
Even though this song is fifty years old (Yikes!!) and I own the album and I have heard it several hundred times, each time it comes on the radio I am reaching for the volume knob to turn it up to at least eleven and higher if I am able. OK maybe I don’t hear as well as I used to but “Layla” just deserves maximum volume from that opening guitar riff by Eric Clapton along with the slide guitar backing by the amazing Duane Allman to the dueling guitars of Clapton and Allman throughout and then the piano outro, perhaps the best part of the song.
More on that piano piece in a moment.
And the other fun part of the song is the lyrical content inspired by Clapton pining for the love of his life, Patti Harrison, the wife of his best friend George. Truly one of the stranger rock love triangles with Patti eventually leaving George for Eric but the two Patti lovers would still remain best friends.
Oh yeah, that piano outro. It was credited to drummer Jim Gordon but the truth is Jim ‘borrowed’ the piece from his then girlfriend Rita Coolidge who had been playing it in the house they were sharing. Coolidge was part of the band Delaney & Bonnie which also included Gordon and Eric Clapton for a time and she would go on to have hits with songs like “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher & Higher '', however she never received credit or royalties for one of the most famous piano pieces in rock.
Stay safe and well…and you can keep the acoustic version of “Layla”. It’s a lovely tune but the Derek & the Dominos version just flat out kicks its ass.