Álbum Backless (Eric Clapton)

Backless de Eric Clapton

Álbum de Eric Clapton

1978
★★★★★
Basado en 6 votos
  • Fecha de lanzamiento: 1 de Noviembre de 1978
  • Sello Discográfico: RSO
  • Compositores: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, J.J. Cale, Richard Feldman, Roger Linn, Danny Flowers
  • Productores: Glyn Johns

Valora este álbum

Backless es un álbum de Eric Clapton, publicado en 1978 por RSO. El disco incluye 10 canciones, entre ellas «Walk out in the train», «Watch out for Lucy», «I'll make love to you anytime» y «Roll it».

Introducción: la sombra de un clásico

"Backless" es el sexto álbum de estudio de Eric Clapton, lanzado en 1978, justo un año después del monumental éxito de "Slowhand". El álbum continúa en gran medida la fórmula de su predecesor, ofreciendo una mezcla de blues rock, country y soft rock con el característico sonido relajado ("laid-back") de la época. Producido de nuevo por Glyn Johns, el disco busca replicar la magia y el éxito comercial de "Slowhand", lográndolo en parte gracias al exitoso single "Promises".

Sin embargo, "Backless" es a menudo visto como un trabajo que vive a la sombra de su predecesor. Aunque es un álbum profesionalmente ejecutado y con momentos de gran calidad, carece de la consistencia y el impacto icónico de "Slowhand". Representa el final de una era, siendo el último álbum de estudio que grabaría con la banda que lo había acompañado durante la mayor parte de los años 70, y el último con el bajista Carl Radle antes de su fallecimiento.

Grabación del álbum

Con la intención de capitalizar el éxito de "Slowhand", Clapton y su banda volvieron a los Olympic Studios de Londres con el productor Glyn Johns. El proceso de grabación fue, una vez más, rápido y eficiente, buscando capturar la química de la banda en directo. La fórmula era clara: una mezcla de composiciones originales, versiones de sus compositores favoritos como J.J. Cale, y colaboraciones, incluyendo dos canciones coescritas con Bob Dylan.

Pese a la profesionalidad, se ha informado de que las sesiones carecieron de la chispa creativa de "Slowhand". Clapton estaba lidiando con problemas personales, incluyendo su creciente alcoholismo, lo que se refleja en un álbum que, aunque pulido, a veces se siente falto de la energía y la convicción de su predecesor.

Un vistazo al sonido

El sonido de "Backless" es una continuación directa del "sonido Tulsa" que dominó "Slowhand". El country rock es aún más prominente en este disco, con canciones como "Tulsa Time" y "Promises" que se convirtieron en éxitos en las listas de country. La producción de Glyn Johns es, como siempre, impecable, con un sonido limpio y orgánico. La guitarra de Clapton sigue siendo melódica y contenida, aunque quizás con menos momentos destacados que en el álbum anterior.

Canción por canción

"Promises": El mayor éxito del álbum, es una canción de country pop pegadiza y melódica. Con su ritmo suave y la participación vocal de Marcy Levy, se convirtió en un gran éxito en Estados Unidos y sigue siendo una de las canciones más radiadas de Clapton.

"Walk Out in the Rain": Una de las dos colaboraciones con Bob Dylan. Es un tema de rock de medio tiempo con una letra melancólica y una buena interacción entre los músicos. Aunque no es una de las composiciones más famosas de Dylan, la interpretación de Clapton es sólida.

"Early in the Morning": Una versión extendida de un clásico del blues que permite a Clapton estirar las piernas como guitarrista. Es uno de los pocos momentos del álbum donde desata un solo de guitarra más largo y apasionado, recordando a sus fans su destreza en el blues.

Resultados comerciales y críticos

"Backless" fue un éxito comercial, alcanzando el número 8 en el Billboard 200 de Estados Unidos y el puesto 18 en el Reino Unido. La crítica lo recibió con tibieza. Fue generalmente visto como una secuela inferior a "Slowhand", un álbum competente pero poco inspirado. Rolling Stone lo describió como "agradable pero predecible". En retrospectiva, es considerado un álbum menor pero sólido en su discografía, un trabajo que cierra un capítulo importante de su carrera.

Listado de Canciones

  1. Walk out in the train4:10
  2. Watch out for Lucy3:24

    Letra

    Now my friend Bill was just a working lad And he liked to have his fun. He'd like to find a girl and get comfortable When his working day was done. He would spend all his money on a Friday night, Wake up in the morning broke, But he had a run in with little Lucy then; Believe me that ain't no joke. Watch out for Lucy, Though she may look frail. Say excuse me, Lucy, Darling don't you use me; I don't want to land in jail. She started out working in a cafe, Picking money up on the side. She was free and easy, everybody's friend, But she couldn't be satisfied. So now in walks Bill with his cash in his hand, His heart upon his sleeve. We tried to warn him about her ways, We never did succeed. Chorus Well, the trap was sprung for poor old Bill; You should have heard little Lucy sing "I want a Cadillac car, a beautiful home, And a thousand dollar ring." They found our hero in the gutter With a diamond ring and a gun. He'd done it for the love of Lucy And ended up on the run. Chorus Chorus
  3. I'll make love to you anytime3:21
  4. Roll it3:40

    Letra

    Roll it, rock it, roll it in the socket. Roll, roll it, roll, roll it. Feel it, can you feel it, all night, all right. Oh burn it, rock it, moving in the socket. Yeah yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. Gonna getcha, gonna getcha, here it comes, don't try to run. I must love you, gonna sock it, gonna roll it, gonna rock. Roll, roll it, roll, roll it. Oh lord, rock it, loving in the socket, yeah yeah.
  5. Tell me that you love me3:30

    Letra

    Tell me that you love me as often as you can Let me know that I'm your one and only man Give me confirmation with every passing day A love as sweet as ours will never fade away Catch me when I'm falling, help me when I'm blue Don't you realize that I'd do the same for you? Find me when I'm lonely, carry me back home Treat me gently and my heart will never roam Straighten me out, pull me through Let me know that I'm still in love with you Be my woman, be my friend Stick with me until the very end
  6. If I don't be there by morning4:35
  7. Early in the morning5:25

    Letra

    When a girl reach the age of 18 She begins to think she's grown, And hat's the kind of little girl You can never find at home. Come and see me early in the morning, Just about the break of day. Want to see me hug my pillow Where my baby used to lay? One drink of wine, Two drinks of gin. Pretty young got me In the shape I'm in. Chorus I pass by the juke joint, Look through the door. She's doing the boogie-woogie In the middle of the floor. Chorus First verse Chorus
  8. Promises3:01

    Letra

    I don't care if you never come home I don't mind if you just keep on rowin' away on a distant sea 'Cause I don't love you and you don't love me You cause a commotion when you come to town You give 'em a smile and they melt Having lovers and friends is all good and fine But I don't like yours and you don't like mine La la, la la la la La la, la la la la I don't care what you do at night Oh, and I don't care how you get your delights I'm gonna leave you alone I'll just let it be I don't love you and you don't love me I got a problem Can you relate? I got a woman callin' love hate We made a vow we'd always be friends How could we know that promises end? La la, la la la la La la, la la la la I tried to love you for years upon years You refuse to take me for real It's time you saw what I want you to see And I'd still love you if you just loved me I got a problem Can you relate? I got a woman callin' love hate We made a vow we'd always be friends How could we know that promises end? La la, la la la la La la, la la la la La la, la la la la La la, la la la la
  9. Golden ring3:30

    Letra

    He gave to you a golden ring; It made you happy, it made you sing. And I played for you on my guitar; It didn't last long, we didn't go far. And though the times have changed, We're rearranged. Will the ties that bind remain the same? You came around after a while; Everyone said that I made you smile. It all went well, and suddenly then You heard that he would marry again. Chorus Well I know that I have been here before; I've trod on your wings, I've opened the door. If I gave to you a golden ring Would I make you happy, would I make you sing? Chorus Chorus
  10. Tulsa time3:30

    Letra

    Well, I left Oklahoma Driving in a Pontiac, Just about to lose my mind. I was going to Arizona, Maybe on to California Where people all live so fine. My mother calls me lazy, My baby says I'm crazy, But I'm gonna show them all this time 'Cause you know I ain't no fool and I don't need no more damn schoolin'. I was born to just walk the line. Living on Tulsa Time. Living on Tulsa Time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa Time. So there I was in Hollywood, Thinking I was doing good, Talking on the telephone line. They don't want me in the movies And nobody sings my songs; My mama says my baby's doing fine. So then I started winking, Then I started thinking That I really had a flash this time. That I had no bussiness leaving, And nobody would be grieving; You see I'm on Tulsa time