Layla

1970

Layla is the title of a well-known rock songs by Eric Clapton. It was written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, and first appeared in 1970 on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs of the formation Derek and the Dominos. He became one of the most played rock songs of the 1970s and today, after a further publication in an acoustic version in the 90's as a classic.

Content

The two-part song works in the first part motives of love story Layla and Majnun of the Persian / Azerbaijani poet Nezami, but also Clapton's then still unrequited love relationship with Pattie Boyd - Harrison. This is followed by an instrumental coda with drummer Jim Gordon at the piano.

Publication history

The song reached number 10 in 1972 in the U.S. charts. In the 1990s, the song was given new prominence: Once was the intro of the original recording, this is the signature tune of the car manufacturer Opel are still used in the advertising of the Opel Calibra. As a new recording on the success of Clapton's Unplugged album, the song reached in 1992 in an acoustic version number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a year later the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. 1993 came another version with the former Derek -and-the - dominos - musicians Bobby Whitlock & Jim Gordon, Carl Radle & in the German charts.