Álbum: Pilgrim
Artista: Eric Clapton
- Fecha de lanzamiento: 10 de Marzo de 1998
- Sello Discográfico: Reprise Records
- Compositores: Eric Clapton, Simon Climie, Bob Dylan, Greg Phillinganes
- Productores: Eric Clapton, Simon Climie
Introducción: El Peregrinaje del Dolor
"Pilgrim", lanzado en 1998, es el decimotercer álbum de estudio de Eric Clapton y su primer álbum de material original en casi una década. Es, sin duda, su trabajo más personal, sombrío e introspectivo. El álbum está profundamente influenciado por la trágica muerte de su hijo Conor en 1991, y muchas de las canciones exploran temas de dolor, pérdida, paternidad y búsqueda de la fe. Musicalmente, "Pilgrim" fue una desviación sorprendente, abrazando un sonido contemporáneo de R&B, pop y electrónica, con un uso extensivo de cajas de ritmos, sintetizadores y arreglos de cuerda.
Contexto y Grabación
Clapton colaboró estrechamente con el productor y músico Simon Climie para crear el sonido moderno del álbum. Quería hacer, en sus propias palabras, "el álbum más triste de todos los tiempos". Dos de las canciones clave, "My Father's Eyes" y "Circus", fueron escritas antes de la muerte de su hijo, pero adquirieron un nuevo y conmovedor significado en este contexto. La producción fue meticulosa y en capas, utilizando tecnología de estudio de vanguardia para crear un paisaje sonoro pulido y atmosférico.
Análisis de Canciones
"My Father's Eyes": El single principal es una emotiva canción de pop rock que entrelaza la pérdida de su hijo con el hecho de no haber conocido nunca a su propio padre. La canción se convirtió en un éxito mundial y ganó un premio Grammy.
"Pilgrim": La canción que da título al álbum es un tema atmosférico con un ritmo de trip-hop y una letra que habla de un viaje espiritual y la búsqueda de redención. Es una de las pistas más experimentales del disco.
Rendimiento y Recepción
"Pilgrim" fue un gran éxito comercial, alcanzando el puesto 4 en Estados Unidos y el número 6 en el Reino Unido. En España, llegó al número 7. La crítica, sin embargo, estuvo muy dividida. Algunos elogiaron la honestidad emocional y la valentía del álbum, mientras que muchos fans y críticos del rock más tradicional despreciaron la producción moderna y la falta de blues rock. Rolling Stone le dio una crítica muy positiva, pero sigue siendo uno de los álbumes más controvertidos de su discografía.
Listado de Canciones
- My Father's Eyes5:24
- River Of Tears7:22
Letra
Its 3 miles to the river That would carry me away And 2 miles to the dusty street That I saw you on Today Its 4 miles to my lonely room Where I will hide my face And about a half a mile to the downtown bar That I ran from in disgrace Lord how long do I have to keep on running Seven hours, Seven days or Seven years All I know is since youve been gone feels like Im drowning in a river Drowning in a river of tears Drowning in a river Feels like I'm drowning Drowning in a river In 3 more days, I'll leave this town And dissapear without a trace A year from now maybe settle down Where no one knows my face I wish that I could hold you One more time to ease the pain But my times run out and I got to go Got to run away again Still I catch myself thinking One day I'll find my way back here You'll save me from drowning Drowning in a river Drowning in a river of tears Drowning in a river Feels like I'm drowning Drowning in a river Oh how long must this go on Drowning in a river Drowning in a river of tears - Pilgrim5:50
Letra
And how do I choose and where do I draw the line Between truth and necessary pain? And how do I know and where do I get my belief That things will be all right again? What words do I use to try and explain To those who've witnessed all my tears? And what does it mean to know all these things When love's been wasted all these years, When love's been wasted all these years. Standing in the shadows With my heart right in my hand, Removed from all the people Who could never understand. I was a pilgrim for your love, A pilgrim for your love. I was a pilgrim for your love, A pilgrim for your love. It's like living in a nightmare, Like looking in the blackest hole, Like standing on the edge of nothing, Completly out of control. Now where have I been all these years And how come I just couldn't see? Like a blind man walking 'round in darkness, I was a pilgrim for your love, I was a pilgrim for your love. - Broken Hearted7:52
Letra
When the wind blows down this hard, Many a bond is broken. See the water lie on the ground From where the heavens opened. Lord, how will you get through this night With your dreams departed? And who alone will comfort you? Only the broken hearted. So you've gone beyond your means, Every wound is open, Your best laid plans are out of reach, And all your fears unspoken. Chorus Sweet revenge is spoken then; In the twilight it is gone. To living lies with no escape, Lord, I would rather be alone. I press my fingers to the wood To tell you of my dreaming, To sing you songs from olden times, To keep the love light gleaming. 'cause there's a place where we can go, Where we will not be parted. And who alone will enter there? Only the broken hearted. Only the broken, broken hearted. Only the broken, broken hearted. Only the broken, broken hearted. Only the broken, broken hearted. - One Chance5:55
Letra
Without wishing to cause you any pain, I got to push on through, babe, And if I take the chance of seeing you again, I just don't know what I would do, baby. And sometimes I think I'm gonna be just fine; All I got to do is go through it, babe. Then I hear those voices in the back of my mind, Telling me over and over and over that I blew it babe. You had one chance and you blew it. You may never get another chance. You had the floor and you knew it. You can't blame it on your circumstance. At the risk of causing you a little pain, I'm going to have to forget you, babe, 'Cause you broke my heart, left it out in the rain And you'd do the same again if I let you, babe. I would give anything to hold you in my arms, But you know I can't do that, baby. I guess I'll have to live with the choice that I have made Even though deep down I still suspect that I blew it. - Circus4:11
Letra
Little man with his eyes on fire And his smile so bright In his hands are the toys you gave To fill his heart with delight And in the ring stands a circus clown Holding up a knife What you see and what you will hear Will last you for the rest of your life And it's sad, so sad There ain't no easy way round And it's sad, so sad All you friends gather round 'Cause the circus left town Little man with his heart so pure And his love so fine Stick with me and I'll ride with you Till the end of the line Hold my hand and I'll walk with you Through the darkest night And when I smile I'll be thinking of you And every little thing will be all right The circus left town, left town The circus left town, left town - Going Down Slow5:19
Letra
I have had my fun if I never get well no more. I have had my fun if I never get well no more. All of my health is failing; Lord, I'm going down slow, I'm going down slow. Please write my mother and tell her the shape I'm in. Please write my mother and tell her the shape I'm in. Tell her to pray for me, Forgive me for my sin, For all of my sin. On the next train south, look for my clothes back home. On the next train south, look for my clothes back home. 'Cause all of my health is failing; Lord, I'm going down slow, I'm going down slow. All of my health is failing; Lord, I'm going down slow, I'm going down slow. Feel like I'm going, like I'm going down slow. I feel like I'm going, like I'm going down slow. I feel like I'm going, like I'm going down slow. I feel like I'm going, like I'm going down slow. I feel like I'm going, like I'm going down slow. - Fall Like Rain3:50
Letra
Tell me why did I fall in love with you? Tell me why did I fall in love with you? Tore me all to pieces, cut me half in two. Tell me why did I fall in love with you? Tell me why do my tears fall like rain? Tell me why do my tears fall like rain? Tore me all to pieces, nothing else remains. Tell me why do my tears fall like rain? Worry, worry, worry; Worry all day long. Don't know where I'm going; Don't know right from wrong. Tell me why, tell me why. Tell me why, tell me why. Repeat First Verse Repeat Second Verse Fall like rain, fall like rain. Fall like rain, fall like rain. Fall like rain, fall like rain. Fall like rain, fall like rain. - Born In Time4:41
Letra
In the lonely night, In the stardust of a pale moonlight, I think of you in black and white When we were made of dreams. I walked alone through the shaky streets, Listening to my heart beat In the record-breaking heat When we were born in time. Just when I thought you were gone, you came back Just when I was ready to receive you. You were smooth, you were rough, You were more than enough. Ah babe, why did I ever leave you Or believe you? In the rising curve, Where the ways of nature will test every nerve, I took you close and got what I deserve When we were born in time. Just when I knew who to thank, you went blank Just as the firelight was gleaming. You were snow, you were rain, You were stripes and you were plain. Oh babe, can it be you've been scheming Or was I dreaming? In the hills of mystery, In the foggy web of destiny, You're still so deep inside of me When we were born in time. - Sick And Tired5:43
Letra
I'm gonna buy me a parrot, baby, And teach him how to call my name. I'm gonna buy me a parrot, baby, And teach him how to call my name. Then I won't have to miss you baby And I won't have you driving me insane. I was in love with you, baby, Till the day you brought me down so low. I was in love with you, baby, Till the day you brought me down so low. You had me walking 'round in circles, baby; I didn't know which way to go. Oh, I'm so sick and tired baby, I'm sick and tired of the way you carry on. Lord, I'm sick and tired, baby, Sick and tired of the way you carry on. You can pack up all of your things, baby; Hit the road, get out of here, be gone. Now I'm gonna get me a shotgun, baby, Keep it stashed behind the door. I'm gonna get me a shotgun, baby, Keep it stashed behind the bedroom door. I may have to blow your brains out, baby, Then you won't bother me no more. - Needs His Woman3:45
Letra
You left him standing in the pouring rain There's every chance he'll go insane And someone comes along And takes his hand He must have love Can't you understand that He needs his woman He needs his woman And he needs his woman He needs his woman to love His hands are shaking And his head hangs down No peace of mind for him is found Break his heart And then you'll set him free Someone must save him Just you wait and see, but He needs his woman He needs his woman And he needs his woman He needs his woman to love What will it take till You believe his love is real Nobody said he had to love you Now he always will He'll walk that lonely road again today The love he gave you, you threw away When all he wanted was a hand to hold His lonely world has grown so cold and He needs his woman He needs his woman And he needs his woman He needs his woman to love - She's Gone4:45
- You Were There5:31
Letra
We made the distance, Yeah, we made the day. You made all the difference 'Cause you found the way. Without your wisdom Lord, where would we be Lost in the wilderness, Somewhere out at sea. But you were there Through the days of wine and madness, When I'd always put you down. You were there Through my joys and my sadness And you never let me down. You found the meaning And helped me to see Where I was going to All that I could be. Without permission You turned the key. You climbed the prison wall Deep inside of me. You were there Through the days of wine and madness When I'd turn and put, put you down. You were there Through my joys and my sadness And you never let me down. You were there Through the days of wine and madness When I'd turn and put, put you down. You were there Through my joys and my sadness And you never let me down. Let me down. You were there. You were there. You were there. - Inside Of Me5:25
Letra
The point on the water, there's a change in the air A vibe in the darkness but there's nobody there I look for the reason but there's nothing to see Just a hole in my memory where my mind used to be Tell me why Can I find no relief in my heart I reside In a world that has fallen apart Out of my mind, baby, show me a sign, baby Show me a way to get back on time, please Where do we go, baby, how will I know? Who holds the key, is it hidden inside of me? But why should I worry and why do I care When this road that I walk on is going nowhere I stand and I study every face in the crowd See the fear in their eyes, they must be thinking out loud Tell me why Can I find no relief in my heart I reside In a world that has fallen apart Out of my mind, baby, show me a sign, baby Show me a way to get back on time, please Where do we go, baby, how will I know? Who holds the key, is it hidden inside of me? Scratching the surface, it all looks the same A world full of anger with no one to blame But who can I turn to? Who holds the key? And who has the answer? I think it's inside of me Tell me why Can I find no relief in my heart I reside In a world that has fallen apart Out of my mind, baby, show me a sign, baby Show me a way to get back on time, please Where do we go, baby, how will I know? Who holds the key, is it hidden inside of me? Tell me why Can I find no relief in my heart I reside In a world that has fallen apart Out of my mind, baby, show me a sign, baby Show me a way to get back on time, please Where do we go, baby, how will I know? Who holds the key, is it hidden inside of me? All things considered it looks as though Utopia were far closer to us than anyone, only fifteen years ago, could have imagined. Then, I projected it six hundred years into the future. Today it seems quite possible that the horror may be upon us within a single century. That is, if we refrain from blowing ourselves to smithereens in the interval. Indeed, unless we choose to decentralize and to use applied science, not as the end to which human beings are to be made the means, but as the means to producing a race of free individuals, we have only two alternatives to choose from: Either a number of national militarized totalitarianisms, having as their root the terror of the atomic bomb and as their consequence the destruction of civilization (or, if the warfare is limited, the perpetuation of militarism); or else one supranational totalitarianism, called into existence by the social chaos resulting from rapid technological progress in general and the atomic revolution in particular, and developing, under the need for efficiency and stability, into the welfare-tyranny of Utopia. You pays your money and you takes your choice [Brave New World - Aldous Huxley]