Eric Clapton is back in the news this week. He’s going to be the subject of a documentary that is in production as we speak, called “A Life in 12 Bars.” There will be a segment dedicated to one of his most popular songs, “Layla.”
Everyone loves the Derek and the Dominos’ song “Layla” written by Eric Clapton and drummer Jim Gordon. The song was a big radio hit on the FM in 1971, featuring the collaboration of two of the best guitarist of the time – Duane Allman and Eric Clapton. The Group was short lived (Duane would eventually die due to a tragic motorcycle accident in 1971 at the tender age of 24) and the band broke up.
Did you know that Rita Coolidge claims to have had a hand in the writing of the song “Layla” and is now hoping to get some well-deserved credit? She claims in her memoir ‘Delta Lady,’ that while dating the bands drummer Jim Gordon, the two wrote most of the song under the name “Time (Don’t Let the World Get in Our Way)” and played the cassette version for Eric. Eric liked the song, but nothing seemed to come out of the exchange…until his song.
—
Photo credit: JStone / Shutterstock.com