For years, fans craved an all-blues album from Eric Clapton; he waited until 1994 to deliver From the Cradle.
The album manages to re-create the ambience of postwar electric blues, right down to the bottomless thump of the rhythm section.
If it wasn't for Clapton's labored vocals, everything would be perfect.
As long as he plays his guitar, he can't fail -- his solos are white-hot and evocative, original and captivating.
When he sings, Clapton loses that sense of originality, choosing to mimic the vocals of the original recordings.
At times, his overemotive singing is painful; he doesn't have the strength to pull off Howlin' Wolf's growl or the confidence to replicate Muddy Waters' assured phrasing.
Yet, whenever he plays, it's easier to forget his vocal shortcomings.
Even with its faults, From the Cradle is one of Clapton's finest moments.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blues Before SunriseLeroy Carr | Eric Clapton | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 19 MB |
| 2 | Third DegreeEddie Boyd, Willie Dixon | Eric Clapton | Play | 05:08 | 11 MB | 27 MB |
| 3 | Reconsider BabyLowell Fulson | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:20 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 4 | Hoochie Coochie ManWillie Dixon | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:15 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 5 | Five Long YearsEddie Boyd | Eric Clapton | Play | 04:47 | 10 MB | 31 MB |
| 6 | I'm Tore DownSonny Thompson | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:02 | 6 MB | 20 MB |
| 7 | How Long BluesLeroy Carr, Traditional | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:08 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 8 | Goin' Away BabyJames A. Lane, James Lane | Eric Clapton | Play | 04:01 | 9 MB | 29 MB |
| 9 | Blues Leave Me AloneJames A. Lane, James Lane | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:37 | 8 MB | 23 MB |
| 10 | Sinner's PrayerLowell Fulson, Lloyd Glenn | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:21 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 11 | Motherless ChildTraditional | Eric Clapton | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 21 MB |
| 12 | It Hurts Me TooElmore James, London | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:19 | 7 MB | 21 MB |
| 13 | Someday After a WhileFreddie King, Sonny Thompson | Eric Clapton | Play | 04:28 | 10 MB | 29 MB |
| 14 | Standin' Round CryingMuddy Waters | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:38 | 8 MB | 21 MB |
| 15 | Groaning the BluesWillie Dixon | Eric Clapton | Play | 06:06 | 14 MB | 38 MB |
| 16 | Driftin' | Eric Clapton | Play | 03:08 | 7 MB | 13 MB |
| 60 mins | 138 MB | |||||
| 60 mins | 380 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Boyd | Composer |
| 2 | Dave Bronze | Bass, Guitar (Bass) |
| 3 | Charles Brown | Composer |
| 4 | Leroy Carr | Composer |
| 5 | Eric Clapton | Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Photography, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals |
| 6 | Simon Clarke | Horn, Sax (Baritone) |
| 7 | Giles Cowley | Assistant Engineer |
| 8 | Willie Dixon | Composer |
| 9 | Mick Double | Project Coordinator |
| 10 | Alan Douglas | Engineer, Mixing |
| 11 | Jack English | Photography |
| 12 | Lowell Fulson | Composer |
| 13 | Julie Gardner | Assistant Engineer |
| 14 | Lloyd Glenn | Composer |
| 15 | Alex Haas | Engineer |
| 16 | Richie Hayward | Guest Artist, Percussion |
| 17 | Elmore James | Composer |
| 18 | Ted Jensen | Mastering |
| 19 | Jim Keltner | Drums |
| 20 | The Kick Horns | Arranger, Horn, Horn Arrangements |
| 21 | Freddie King | Composer |
| 22 | James Lane | Composer |
| 23 | James A. Lane | Composer |
| 24 | London | Composer |
| 25 | Roddy Lorimer | Horn, Trumpet |
| 26 | Andy Fairweather Low | Guest Artist, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 27 | Johnny Moore's Three Blazers | Composer |
| 28 | Jerry Portnoy | Guest Artist, Harmonica |
| 29 | Tim Sanders | Horn, Sax (Tenor) |
| 30 | Chris Stainton | Keyboards, Piano |
| 31 | Sonny Thompson | Composer |
| 32 | Russ Titelman | Mixing, Producer |
| 33 | Traditional | Composer |
| 34 | Muddy Waters | Composer |
| 35 | Eddie Williams | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |