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1994 studio album of cover songs by Eric Clapton
From the Cradle is the twelfth solo studio album by
Eric Clapton , released on 12 September 1994 by
Warner Bros. Records .
[2] A
blues
cover album and Clapton's follow-up to his successful 1992 live album,
Unplugged , it is his only UK number-one album to date.
Although he had long been associated with the blues, From the Cradle was Clapton's first attempt at an all-blues album. He would subsequently record
Riding with the King with
B.B. King ; a tribute to
Robert Johnson ,
Me and Mr. Johnson ; and a collaboration with
J. J. Cale ,
The Road to Escondido .
Title
The title comes from the last line of a four-line poem written by Clapton (and which he never set to music) and printed in his own handwriting on the second page of the CD booklet: "All along this path I tread / My heart betrays my weary head / with nothing but my love to save / from the cradle to the grave."
[3]
Critical reception
From the Cradle has prompted a wide range of critical response.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of
Allmusic feels that the album is almost perfect, with Clapton's guitar soloing "original and captivating". The weakness for him is Clapton's singing, which attempts to merely imitate the original singers, but is laboured or overly emotive, and falls short of the originals.
[2] Tom Sinclair of
Entertainment Weekly felt that the recordings were "flawlessly faithful" but rather boring, especially compared with the inspiration evident in
Cream 's live version of "
Spoonful ".
[5] The Music Box 's John Metzger felt that Clapton's appearance on
Saturday Night Live to promote the record was more powerful than the album itself, which was a "perfunctory" performance lacking any originality.
[7]
Robert Christgau compared Eric Clapton's work on the album to
Son Seals and
Otis Rush , saying that Clapton played better than the former, but sang worse than the latter and felt that "Motherless Child" and "Blues Before Sunrise" were stand-out tracks on the album.
[9]
According to the liner notes, the album was almost entirely recorded live in the studio with no overdubs or edits, the only overdubs being featured on "How Long Blues" (
dobro ) and "Motherless Child" (drums).
[11]
The album won Clapton the 1995
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album and he received a further nomination for
Album of the Year .
In July 2014,
Guitar World placed From the Cradle on their list "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994".
[12]
Track listing
"Blues Before Sunrise" (
Leroy Carr ) – 2:58 this version is inspired also by Elmore James's rendition of the song
"Third Degree" (
Eddie Boyd ,
Willie Dixon ) – 5:07
"
Reconsider Baby " (
Lowell Fulson ) – 3:20
"
Hoochie Coochie Man " (Dixon) – 3:16 originally performed by
Muddy Waters
"
Five Long Years " (Boyd) – 4:47
"I'm Tore Down" (
Sonny Thompson ) – 3:02 originally performed by
Freddie King
"
How Long Blues " (Carr) – 3:09
"Goin' Away Baby" (
Jay A. Lane ) – 4:00
"Blues Leave Me Alone" (Lane) – 3:36
"Sinner's Prayer" (
Lloyd Glenn , Fulson)
[13] – 3:20
"
Motherless Child " (
Robert Hicks )
[14] – 2:57
"
It Hurts Me Too " (
Tampa Red ) – 3:17 credited in the booklet to Elmore James, whose version was the blueprint for this one
"Someday After a While" (
Freddy King , Thompson) – 4:27
"Standin' Round Crying" (
McKinley Morganfield ) – 3:39
"
Driftin' " (Charles Brown, Johnny Moore, Eddie Williams) (
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers ) – 3:10
"Groaning the Blues" (Dixon) – 6:05 originally performed by
Otis Rush
Personnel
Musicians
Production
Producers – Eric Clapton and Russ Titelman
Engineers – Alan Douglas (Tracks 1–6 & 8–16); Alex Haas (Track 7).
Assistant Engineers – Giles Cowley and Julie Gardiner
Mixing – Alan Douglas and Russ Titelman
Mastered by
Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
Guitar Technician – Lee Dickson
Equipment Technician – Ravi Sharman
Project Coordinator – Mick Double
Design – Wherefore Art?
Cover Photography – Eric Clapton
Photography –
Jack English
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
‹See Tfd›
‹See Tfd›
References
^
"BPI" .
^
a
b
c
Erlewine, Stephen Thomas .
"Review: From the Cradle by Eric Clapton" .
AllMusic . United States:
Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 5 July 2011 .
^ CD booklet, page 2.
^
Kot, Greg (16 September 1994).
"From Safe To Sorry" . chicagotribune.com . Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 October 2013 .
^
a
b Sinclair, Tom (16 September 1994).
"Music Review: From the Cradle – Eric Clapton" .
Entertainment Weekly . No. 240.
ISSN
1049-0434 . Archived from
the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2011 .
^ Boehm, Mike (11 September 1994).
"Album Review > ERIC CLAPTON, "From the Cradle" (Duck/Reprise)" .
Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 10 October 2013 .
^
a
b Metzger, John (January 1995).
"Review: From the Cradle by Eric Clapton" . The Music Box . 2 (1). Retrieved 18 July 2011 .
^
"Picks and Pans Review: From the Cradle " . People . 3 October 1994. Archived from
the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2014 .
^
a
b
Christgau, Robert .
"Eric Clapton: Consumer Guide Reviews" . Robert Christgau . Retrieved 18 July 2011 .
^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006).
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings .
Penguin . p. 122.
ISBN
978-0-140-51384-4 .
^ CD booklet, page 15.
^
"Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" .
GuitarWorld.com . 14 July 2014. Archived from
the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014 .
^
BMI – Repertoire Search Sinner's Prayer Retrieved 26 April 2013
^
"Original versions of Motherless Chile Blues written by Barbecue Bob | SecondHandSongs" . secondhandsongs.com . Retrieved 25 November 2023 .
^
"Australiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Austriancharts.at – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
^
a
b
"Hits of the World > Canada, Europe" (PDF) . Billboard Magazine . 106 (41). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 64, 65 15 October 1994.
ISSN
0006-2510 . Retrieved 14 November 2015 .
^
"Top Albums/CDs – Volume 60, No. 10" .
RPM . 26 September 1994. Archived from
the original (PHP) on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2015 .
^
"Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Hits of the World > Finland / Between the Bullets" (PDF) . Billboard Magazine . 106 (40). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 67, 111 8 October 1994.
ISSN
0006-2510 . Retrieved 14 November 2015 .
^
"Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de.
Phononet GmbH . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1994. 39. hét" (in Hungarian).
MAHASZ . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Charts.nz – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Hits of the World > Portugal / Hits in Japan / Between the Bullets" (PDF) . Billboard Magazine . 106 (42). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 53, 99, 111 8 October 1994.
ISSN
0006-2510 . Retrieved 14 November 2015 .
^
"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100" .
Official Charts Company . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Hits of the World > Belgium, Spain" (PDF) . Billboard Magazine . 106 (44). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 56, 57 5 November 1994.
ISSN
0006-2510 . Retrieved 14 November 2015 .
^
"Swedishcharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Swisscharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Eric Clapton | Artist | Official Charts" .
UK Albums Chart . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Eric Clapton Chart History (Billboard 200)" .
Billboard . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"Eric Clapton Chart History (Top Blues Albums)" .
Billboard . Retrieved 14 November 2015.
^
"The ARIA Australian Top 100 Albums 1994" . Australian Record Industry Association Ltd. Archived from
the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2022 .
^
"Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1994" . Hung Medien (in German). Archived from
the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 2015-07-23 .
^
"RPM Top 100 Albums of 1994" . RPM . 12 December 1994. Archived from
the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2015 .
^
"Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Archived from
the original (ASP) on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-23 .
^
"Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" .
GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 16 January 2021 .
^
"Top Selling Albums of 1994" . The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2015 .
^
"Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade1994" . Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Archived from
the original (ASP) on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2015-07-23 .
^
"Billboard 200 Albums – Year End 1990" . billboard.com. Retrieved 5 October 2016 .
^
"Billboard 200 Albums – Year End 1990" . billboard.com. Retrieved 5 October 2016 .
^
"Discos de Oro y Platino" . Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2020 . {{
cite web }}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
link )
^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 . Mount Martha, Melbourne, Victoria: Moonlight Publishing.
^
"Austrian album certifications – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in German).
IFPI Austria. Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^ Malena Segura Contrera (1996).
O mito na mídia: a presença de conteúdos arcaicos nos meios de comunicação (in Portuguese). Selo Universidade, Annablume. p. 85.
ISBN
9788585596552 . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"French album certifications – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in French).
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eric Clapton; ' From The Cradle' )" (in German).
Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo:
Oricon Entertainment . 2006.
ISBN
4-87131-077-9 .
^
"Japanese album certifications – エリック・クラプトン – フロム・ザ・クレイドル" (in Japanese).
Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved 22 October 2020 . Select 1995年3月 on the drop-down menu
^
"New Zealand album certifications – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" .
Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"Spanish Certifications for 1991–1995" (in Spanish). mediafire.com. Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"IFPI Sweden Platinum Sales Award – "From the Cradle" " . Equipboard, Inc. 10 March 2024.
^
"The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (' From The Cradle' )" . IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"British album certifications – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" .
British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"American album certifications – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" .
Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
^
"IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996" .
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 October 2020 .
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