4
music sucks but he fucked george harrison's wife. 4 stars
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs is the sole studio album by the English–American blues rock band Derek and the Dominos, released in November 1970 as a double album. It is best known for its title track, "Layla", and is often regarded as Eric Clapton's greatest musical achievement. The other band members were Bobby Whitlock on keyboards and vocals, Jim Gordon on drums, and Carl Radle on bass. Duane Allman played lead and slide guitar on 11 of the 14 songs. Initially regarded as a critical and commercial disappointment, it failed to chart in Britain and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the United States. It returned to the US albums chart again in 1972, 1974 and 1977, and has since been certified Gold by the RIAA. The album finally debuted on the UK Albums Chart in 2011, peaking at number 68. In 2000, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2003, television network VH1 named Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs the 89th-greatest album of all time. In the same year, Rolling Stone ranked it number 117 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". It was ranked at number 226 on the 2020 reboot of the list. It was voted number 287 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000). In 2012, the Super Deluxe Edition of Layla won a Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album.
music sucks but he fucked george harrison's wife. 4 stars
there was an hour and a quarter of this shit. we know Clapton is a massive bell end but that is some serious self love to release over an hour of you wanking off on your guitar just to get all the middle aged white blokes in stonewashed jeans to get a moist crotch from feeling like they know 'the blues'. it takes a cunt of claptons proportions to take the blues and switch it from heartfelt songs of woe and turn it into an excuse to make everyone look at how good you are on the guitar. that bit form goodfellas is good though.
If someone asked me for the most generic piece of classic rock music I could think of, I now know where to point them to.
Uninspired trash over basic blues backing. If I wanted to listen to this, I can go to a local dive bar on a Tuesday evening show with a bunch of aging rockers who believe in conservative fiscal policy.
Oh the irony of someone that is openly racist building a career on piss poor blues rip-offs. Fuck racist, rapist, anti-vax Clapton.
My two year old son died in the same way Eric Clapton's son died. For inspiration.
I get the feeling that the only reason this is on this list is because of the hit song Layla.
“Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” by Derek and the Dominos (1970) It will be hard to focus on this as an album, since it contains one of the best rock songs of all time, “Layla”. Another thing that makes this a challenge is that it features two of the top rock/blues guitarists of all time, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman (d. 1971). Indeed, the music of this album is best heard as an electric guitar duet between these two. The serious listener may thus be distracted by the temptation to spend too much attention to distinguishing their contributions on each song. And rock aficionados may be surprised that many of the dominant guitar lines are performed not by Clapton (right channel dominant, with heavy fretted bends) but by Allman (usually hanging out on the left channel, and recognized by ultra high slide). Also, on “Keep On Growing” and “Thorn Tree in the Garden”, the lead vocal is not Clapton, but Bobby Whitlock. The lyrics are beautiful expressions of love, found (“Keep on Growing”), lost (“I Looked Away”), requited (“Little Wing”) or not (“Layla”). Love, longing, pain, passion. No politics. No philosophy. No pretense. Musically, the compositions are exquisite, experimental (This is 1970), and performed with technical excellence and soul. A classic fusion of rock and blues, with the most fitting acoustic final track ever. Clapton’s dominant voice (admittedly strained) is helped by quality backing vocals. Solid rhythm section, but listen, listen, listen to the guitars. This a great album. No argument. 5/5
A few decent songs. Plenty of bland twaddle. And Clapton is a racist piece of shit, so I won't listen again
The title sums this album up perfectly. Competent music, but for a collection of love songs it feels cold and perfunctory. Perhaps Clapton would have been better suited to a collection of assorted hate songs? 2/5
A classic, but some of these songs go on a bit long. I like Clapton but there's a bit too much noodling for me at certain points
I'll be honest, I find Clapton's solo stuff massively overrated, but I often like him when he's constrained by a band around him, so curious to see how this lands. The first song is actually alright. And Bell Bottom Blues is good too. I'm gonna credit Duane Allman. Kind of gets a bit boring for a while after that....Yeah, okay this has fallen off into the worst of Clapton-y endless blues noodling. Even the version of Little Wing, a usually amazing song, isn't totally doing it for me. Okay, but Layla is a banger, no denying Kinda digging One More Chance
What a great sound, fast paced songs and howling guitars, every song has class - what's not to like?
The blues numbers are great, but I can't ignore his many flaws as a human being (a racist anti-vaxxer) so won't listen to his music any more.
I need a slowed-down, soul-free version of Little Wing like I need another hole in my head. Diet blues.
Slow hand does not disappoint. I had forgotten how much more than Layla they were. Great stuff
Layla song is a straight ten out of ten. The complexity of these songs is great and I find it brings me happiness listening to this
Title track is a masterpiece, fiery guitar riffs galore and a young Eric singing his goddamn heart out for his mate's missus. He had a turn later, and found out the grass ain't that much greener. Still, prior to that sad domestic disillusion, he was drinkin' and smokin' and cokin' himself right silly, and he had the forethought to get that shit down on tape. Lo and behold, this album. Bell Bottom Blues is another great track, and his crack at Little Wing is alright too (no outdoing Sir Jimi though). Years later, Stevie Ray would demonstrate what a cover of Little Wing could be. I've listened to this album of bunch of times before - last time was about 3 weeks ago while grocery shopping. I forgot I was even listening to the music until it reached the title track and my ears zoomed back in on the sound coming through my headphones. This may be a sign that, while I appreciate the album's status as a classic, it's not some kind of Top Ten (hell, Top 100) album for me.
"Layla" the most known and best song on the album. Bluesy/Eric Clapton type music. 5/10.
My first ever one star for this overrated, racist old bore. Pedestrian songs and one hour 16 minutes. He can shove his dominos up his arse.
I deeply hate Eric Clapton, both as a person and as a musician. I did not want to listen to this album. However, l decided that I should at least give it a go considering that I still hold a lot of Kanye West's music very close to my heart and I should probably extend the same courtesy that I expect from some of the more Kanye-averse users on this site giving his music a fair shot to Clapton. That being said, this album was pretty dull, but of course Layla is an unimpeachable track.
bleck
The cover of Little Wing is unlistenable, especially the grating refrain they added. I never want to hear this album again.
Absolute classic
That was really really good. I’m surprised. I mean, Layla is a banger but there was so much good stuff on this album!
Un 5.
love it
An incredible blues rock album with Clapton at his best
One of the best albums ever recorded. A masterpiece.
I would like to find a source for reading about the history of the albums meaking.
It was nice...I was tempted to give it 4 stars, but its about as good if not better than Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Masterpiece! Great Melodies. A shame I didn’t know it.
De Clapton no conocía más que ya su onda de adulto contemporáneo, con el Unplugged y el disco con B.B. King. Lamento que haya sido así porque disfruté muchísimo este disco que nunca había oído. En mi perspectiva es un perfecto disco de Rock de los setenta: con un toquecito de Folk y Psicodelia, mucho de Blues y algo de Hard Rock, muy buena batería y bajo, arreglos vocales rasposos y por supuesto guitarras… muchas guitarras. Incluso para lo largo que es, y considerando que las canciones más blueseras de pronto se parecen entre sí, me gustó todo y me alegra agregarlo a mi librería.
Great album some classic blues covers and originals
Classic, and quite bold considerings it's largely a love album to George Harrison's then-wife...
Excellent album.
Fantastic Clapton work
Bruh
Ah look, this is an absolute classic album for so many reasons. Can I deduct a star because Eric Clapton? Nah. Are there better tracks than Layla on this? Yup.
Brilliant
Big fat Blues jam. Loved it all, especially Key to the Highway. Great omen to get this album right before baby Layla is due to enter the world.
An all time classic, would give a 4.5 if possible. It does lag a bit 2/3 in but there's nothing higher than the highs.
I've been really looking forward to this one since I first saw it on the History list a week ago (I'm a bit behind, OK?). Layla is a guitar classic masterpiece and I've had other songs off this album popping up on my Spotify playlists now and then. Eric Clapton's guitar-playing is at its absolute best on this album, with the backing band providing a great framework for it. Clapton's vocals could certainly be improved on, but that's not what we came here for. In the end it's all about the impeccable guitars. Admittedly, the album is on the long side and there is certainly some filler on here. It would be tighter and better as a whole by dropping the snoozers I Am Yours and It's Not Too Late and maybe 1 or 2 more as well as by shortening Key To The Highway, which seems to ramble. Nonetheless, most of the album is of such high quality, that its length and the few sleepy parts can be forgiven. Highlights: Layla, Little Wing
Великолепно
Blues, rock, Clapton... ¡Vinilo!
Muito bom! Álbum repleto de bons solos de guitarra e com tons de serestas em algumas faixas. Só depois descobri que Eric Clapton havia fundado a banda. Tudo a ver o lance das incríveis guitarras em quase todas as canções.
Very “The Band” and “Beatles” esque.
I liked it right from the beginning. Didn't realize it was Clapton until Layla started and i read the Wikipedia entry.
Eric Clapton that’s it
One of the greatest albums ever created, Eric Clapton at his absolute best. Leaving behind the psychedelia of Cream and the 60’s, Clapton puts together a blues rock masterpiece. The guitar playing on this album is mind blowing, with Clapton’s legendary guitar playing aided by the signature slide licks of Duane Allman. Everyone knows about Layla, one of the greatest rock and roll masterpieces ever composed, but every song on the album is a classic. “It’s too late” may be my favorite song of all time, and this may be my favorite album of all time. It’s that good.
Awesome album. I love seeing the evolution of Clapton career. Layla is such a fantastic song
Un classiqe et un de mes albums preferées 5
love it..
Wow! This is one great guitar album! I thought “Layla” was the only song I knew from this. When “Bell Bottom Blues” came on I had a shock of recognition… I loved this song once long, long ago in a forgotten past… Hearing it now was quite startling. “Layla” is a masterpiece and it is not surprising this song is embedded into the vernacular of rock. But the rest is very, very strong and worthy of accompanying such a legendary song. I almost feel embarrassed that I have never listened to this before. Eric Clapton as a person provokes mixed emotions in me today. Still, I find it difficult to imagine how one might dismiss the quality of the playing on this album if listened to with any objectivity at all. This album is packed with incredible guitar work. Phenomenal!
And then it all goes downhill from here
Great blues album, enjoyed this quite a bit.
How've I only listened to the title track for going on 15 years and am just now listening through in its entirety? Clapton's masterpiece - he works best in this ensemble format (which, holy shit, this is the same band that recorded "All Things Must Past"?!?) Perfect coked-out, bluesy, romantic anguish. Fav Tracks: Keep On Growing, I Am Yours, Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?, Little Wing, Layla (obv), Thorn Tree in the Garden, Nobody Knows You
awesome
6/3 down goes the dominos
Just good old school rock, the only problem I found is the duration of the album it is just too long, however it never gets boring
Clapton is only good when someone else writes his songs. Consider this his all-time masterpiece.
5/5. A great collection of songs that I can choose from any and be satisfied. Just great songwriting and musicianship.
cool
itse asiassa aika vitun hyvä albumi... lyriikka... muistuttaa dustyä... tulee miinuspisteitä.. mutta melkeimpätukkoo jokainen biisinnyrikkä aivan vitun hyvä. tiiät että se espoon blues (meni konkkaan btw) ottaa sieluun mukavasti paras biisi noh tietenkin mainstream paskavittu layla mutta onhan se aika kova
Almost perfect
One of the truly great albums
I hate myself for giving this one 5 stars… Clapton is a huge wanker but man this is a good record… anything Duane Allman touched was gold I guess
baita som
So many of these are great and were totally new to me! Particularly enjoyed Tell The Truth as a new-to-me tune.
my man was down bad lmao whole album is just Eric Clapton wanting to fuck George Harrison’s wife still, despite the subject matter, this is a shockingly beautiful album actually, I guess it isn’t too surprising Clapton is Clapton; he’s a complete asshole irl, but he’s a damn talented one 10/10
This, objectively, a great album by a talented group of musicians. It’s also worthy of the list given they were one-and-done. Still, my gut tells me it’s still a 4. That might be because Clapton’s style is so familiar at this point that it’s hard to give this the appreciation that a fresh set of ears might have. Also, he kinda turned in to a crazy old man and I can’t get that part out of my head. Still, the album. The album is a 5.
Yeah, I mean, it's a banger. Even the Little Wing cover manages to justify its existence
I wasn't really awake when I put this album on this morning before hopping in the shower. As the hot water hit me and I started to finally wake up, I thought, "Dang. That sounds like Clapton. I thought it was Derek somebody..." Look, I said I wasn't awake yet. Yeah, it's Clapton. It's Clapton trying to be less of a cult icon which means it's largely missing the ego and it's just a guy wailing on his guitar like his life depends on it. He's clearly just enjoying making really good music and it's tasty as hell. Later in his career, as a solo artist, Clapton would become pretty cringey but here, at this point in the game, he's just fantastic. Maybe the top of his game. There's a reason he's a legend. And this album is a big part of it. On top of ALL that, I just enjoyed the hell out of it. No reservations. Full marks.
This was even better than I remember it being.
Been probably my fave album all time for a while. Love when Clapton gets into bluesier side. Also finally starts embracing himself as a vocalist here.
If you like rock and blues influenced guitar playing, I have the album for you. Here two of the GOATs united for one glorious celebration of the instruments and the songs are not bad either. Favorites: bell bottom Blues, keep on growing, why does love got to be so sad, and of course Layla. Clapton’s second best work (after Blind Faith).
I hadn’t listened to this all the way through for a long time. Was thinking I’d probably give it a 4. After listening again today, that would have been absolutely wrong. Definitely a 5. My favorite is the cover of Little Wing. Hard to imagine that this was panned when it came out.
This one is awesome and belongs on the list. It is a masterpiece that provides Clapton with a perfect showcase for his tremendous talents. Clapton was not in a great space, but that inspires incredible (and incredibly personal) music. The rest of the "group" is also up to the task - especially Bobby Whitlock. There may be some filler (the issue with most double albums), but the highlights give it the five stars.
The song writing on this album is just so good. Add the blues guitar shredding and you’ve got a fantastic album. Easy 5
Classic already heard it a million times
“Just when I think you couldn’t possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this, and totally redeem yourself!” – Harry Dunne
Songs I grew up with that I didn't know were all from one album
What a excellent discovery! Loved it...
Classic legendary rock, capped off with Layla.
Love this
solid solid licks on this one...the only one. I mean with only one studio album this is definitely a gold standard.
This was really good, I enjoyed this alot
Before today, the only Derek & the Dominos song I was familiar with was the epic, Layla, so this will be an interesting listen today. An interesting story about the theme of this record. It is mostly a series of love songs, as the title states, which are written for George Harrison's then wife, Patti Boyd, who Clapton eventually manages to marry. Duane Allman's spectacular slide guitar playing techniques, and Clapton's canoodling guitar solos mesh together beautifully on this album. Each and every song had at least one guitar solo thrown in. Without the solos, this album could have been done in like 40 minutes instead of the 1 hour, 16 minute runtime that this ended up being, but there is a lot of creativity to all those solos. The cover of the song Little Wing is good, but not as good as Jimi Hendrix's original. The first song on the album, I Looked Away, starts with a real country blues sounding riff to start off the record, and they kept the hits coming throughout. Although the runtime is long with this album, it doesn't feel it. Overall, a really good blues rock record. Maybe a bit too much showboating from Clapton, but who cares, it's great! Will definately listen again. I'm impressed there was a song that topped Layla for me! Favorite songs: Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?, Have You Ever Loved a Woman?, Key to the Highway, Layla, Bell Bottom Blues, It's Too Late, Keep On Growing, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, I Looked Away Least favorite songs: Thorn Tree in the Garden 5/5
Classic
Light five half nostalgia
I can listen to this in the background all day :)
yes, THAT Layla; songs are heavy on instrumentals
Nice classic rock! Layla is killer song!
Layla hab ich gestern zufällig gehört. Mit Clapton hatte ich es ja auch nie so. Versöhnt mich dieses Album mit seinem Schaffen? Joa, na ja…
Clapton is such a legend. His touch, as well as Allman’s, creates so much on this album. Very enjoyable!
Eric “the kindred moose” Clapton at it again with a very catchy album soaring great guitar rhythm and solos.
One of best double records in rock history. A well deserved status of classic
4/5
Classic 70's rock. BT: Bell Bottom Blues, Have You Ever Loved a Woman?, Layla
Good fun a bit much to listen to in one listen