Layla (1970) – Derek and the Dominos

Layla is an epic rock track from start to finish and will always go down in the rock annals as one of the finest guitar rock songs ever recorded. As a listener, you are really getting a sweet deal too, since Layla is essentially two songs in one, made up of two very distinct halves. I can’t decide which one I appreciate more because both are magnificent in their own ways.

You could almost have an intermission between the escalating intensity of the fiery, guitar-driven first half, where Eric Clapton is seemingly pouring everything into both his guitar and voice, and the second half – a piano and guitar-driven instrumental rock ballad. In fact, its contrasting movements were composed separately by Clapton and drummer Jim Gordon. Layla‘s second movement (often called the “Piano Exit”) was recorded about a week after the first.

Layla is often regarded as Eric Clapton’s greatest musical achievement and, when you consider all that he has done, that’s really saying something about the scale and impact of this track.

That unforgettable guitar riff in the first half is one of the most recognisable in rock history, but just when you think it can’t get any better or go any further, the guitar starts reaching places rarely heard in popular music. It becomes almost anthropomorphic, wailing and crying out, sounding more human than instrument. It enters rock heaven.

Eventually, it tapers off around the 3:10 mark as the song enters its transition between the first and second halves. The second half takes on a form completely distinct from the anguish expressed in the first.

It becomes a transcendent instrumental section built around Jim Gordon’s piano theme, while Clapton’s guitar and Duane Allman’s slide guitar interact, expressing melancholy longing and quiet acceptance. The piano part has also been controversially linked to Rita Coolidge, Gordon’s girlfriend at the time, who later claimed she contributed the original melody.

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Wikipedia:

Layla was originally recorded with Eric’s band Derek and the Dominos, as the thirteenth track from their only studio album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). Another song from that record I Looked Away featured here recently.

The song was inspired by a love story that originated in 7th-century Persian literature and later formed the basis of the poem The Story of Layla and Majnun by the 12th-century Persian author Nizami Ganjavi, a copy of which Ian Dallas had given to Clapton. The book moved Clapton profoundly, because it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful young girl, went crazy and so could not marry her.The song was further inspired by Clapton’s secret love for Pattie Boyd, the wife of his friend and fellow musician George Harrison. After Harrison and Boyd divorced, Clapton and Boyd eventually married.

Clapton originally wrote “Layla” as a ballad, with lyrics describing his unrequited love for Boyd, but the song became a “rocker” when, according to Clapton, Allman composed the song’s signature riff.

Clapton commented on the song:

“Layla” is a difficult one, because it’s a difficult song to perform live. You have to have a good complement of musicians to get all of the ingredients going, but when you’ve got that … It’s difficult to do as a quartet, for instance, because there are some parts you have to play and sing completely opposing lines, which is almost impossible to do. If you’ve got a big band, which I will have on the tour, then it will be easy to do something like “Layla” – and I’m very proud of it. I love to hear it. It’s almost like it’s not me. It’s like I’m listening to someone that I really like.

[Verse 1]
What’ll you do when you get lonely
And nobody’s waiting by your side?
You’ve been runnin’ and hidin’ much too long
You know it’s just your foolish pride

[Chorus]
Layla
You’ve got me on my knees
Layla
I’m begging, darling, please
Layla
Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Verse 2]
I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down
Like a fool, I fell in love with you
It turned my whole world upside down

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
So make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane
Please, don’t say we’ll never find a way
And tell me all my love’s in vain

References:
1. Layla – Wikipedia