My Top 10 Eric Clapton Albums

Post Cream top 10 favourite albums. I somehow forgot to mention Duane Allman’s superb guitar playing on Layla which is of course essential!

[@jone9055]

The original version of the song please be with me can be found on the “5’ll getcha ten” album by cowboy, with Duane Allman in guitar

[@joseluisgarza4230]

Hi John. I started my EC collection of albums in the 1990s. The vinyls were difficult to find in those times but in the last years there are more available. My top 10 albums of my favorite rock guitar player is: 1.-LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS 2.- 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD 3.- FROM THE CRADDLE 4.- UNPLUGGED 5.- JOURNEYMAN 6.- RIDING WITH THE KING 7.- SLOWHAND 8.- REPTILE 9.- I STILL DO 10.-MONEY AND CIGARRETTES Greetings from Monterrey, Mexico.

[@zenvagabond]

Solid list - good to see several of Clapton's underrated, low key albums get recognition. I've always been a huge fan of 'Journeyman' - only issue is that he's used several different bands for the tracks and a god awful drum machine, when he should have just cut it live with Phil Collins, who's drumming is superb. Also overlooked are the blues tracks, including the duet with the great Robert Cray. Great record.

[@titi64230]

Excellent video , thank you mister

[@DavyDredd14]

My Top 5 Eric Clapton Albums : 5. Backless 4. No Reason To Cry 3. Slowhand 2. 461 Ocean Blvd 1. Layla

[@benmeltzer]

Thank you for all this great info and insight. I really like From The Cradle from 1994. It's all blues covers. Very strong IMO. In his autobiography, Clapton says Bob Marley personally called him to say how much he liked Eric's cover of "I Shot The Sheriff." FWIW, I agree with including Layla among the solo work.

[@alanmurchie7330]

Thanks John. Ill need to go back and review a couple of these that i haven't listened to for a while. I tend to default to 461 as both sides are so strong and the track listing is outstanding. Love the tee shirt btw!!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I know they don’t get much love from guitar fans, but I always really enjoy EC’s mid 80s albums, produced by Phil Collins - Behind The Sun (especially) and August. EC’s embracing of the technology of the time, and Phil Collins’ always underrated production (he also produced John Martyn at around the same time) gives both albums a fresh sound when compared with EC”s 70s output, and really helped his comeback. Out of the top 10 you presented, Another Ticket is a favourite of mine - I think it was the first EC album I got, and I always really enjoy 461 and Journeyman - Pretending especially - great band on that album.

[@1nelsondj]

Behind the Sun is a favorite of mine as well.

[@maxwelleddison6717]

Can't argue with much. Maybe I would have included From The Cradle.

[@claudec2588]

I would definitely have included From The Cradle. IMHO it is his most consistent album. And, what about "Unplugged"?

[@jimquinn5316]

Yes John Eric did support WBA for a short while with the pals he was hanging out with at that time . 461 is my own personal favourite Eric album

[@RonaldBrown59]

Nice top ten list, 461 Ocean Blvd was first Clapton album, and still my favorite. You had at just wearing the 'Extra Texture' tee shirt.

[@stevefleming8742]

I've just bought the crossroads box set on cd to replace the cassette box set I got in 1989. Such a good set. Rediscovering sign language with eric and bob dylan on Dylan's song.

[@MIB_63]

Great choices, John. Layla and Ocean Blvd. are my favorites too. E.C. has also released a number of excellent live albums, e.g. EC's Rainbow Concert, EC Was Here, Live At Budokan etc. as well as various box sets which have featured live material, some of which I play more often than the studio albums.

[@saifonlawrence2044]

That Clapton cat is one crazy,groovy dude.

[@fwnfaa]

My favourite Clapton album is Slowhand🎸, nice video as usual.

[@wmbur510]

Nice job John, I seen EC many times in concert and had the pleasure to attend his Crossroad festival in Dallas in 2019. I like your list but not in that order. BTW where can I get that t-shirt? awesome!! Thanks as always. William, Parker Colorado

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Good work John. I enjoyed Journeyman a lot more than I was expecting when I spun it again recently. I got rid of my CD of Pilgrim a few years back, would probably buy it again now if I saw it. My copy of Slowhand has mysteriously vanished from my collection and shocking to say I've never owned a copy of Layla. Cheers, James

[@1nelsondj]

I've noticed that copyright print gets smaller as I get older. "Layla" would be my #1 pick as well. Some of those "Crossroads" outtakes were from their 2nd album that was never finished due to Eric's heroin addiction. Such a shame, I'd love to have a 2nd album by the group. 'Got to Get Better in a Little While' and 'Roll It Over' did appear on their 1970 "Live at the Fillmore" album.

[@keithjones6023]

An absolutely fantastic album, no fillers on that one, will never tire of listening to it.

[@nowhereman6496]

Pretty good listing. Not much to disagree with. Although "Pilgrim" is one of my favorites of his. "River of tears", "My Father's Eyes", his cover of Dylan's "Born in time". Great stuff. Also, I know it's pretty much a live cover album, but, I love his "Unplugged" album. Probably the best from that series. Plus, he also plays the still unrecorded, "Lonely Stranger"(studio wise) which is one of my favorites of his. Anyway, nice video as always John.

[@lennoxmate4064]

@John Heaton . . . I’ve always wondered what your opinion on Oasis is? My Old man RIP would have been about your age now or slightly older and he brought me up first and foremost on The Beatles (he was a complete Beatles nut) and then Dylan, Neil Young, The Stones, Fleetwood Mac etc Funnily enough it was through him that I got into Oasis. He bought “Definitely Maybe” on the day of release and said “this lot are going to be massive”. I then got into them listening to that album with him. He was in his early 40’s and I was 18 but his finger was right on the pulse. I really, really miss him turning me onto albums that he loved. Oasis then became my all time favourite band. Now before anyone says anything I’m not saying they’re better or greater than The Beatles but they were The Beatles of my generation. I got to watch them live, listen to them in the clubs I went to and buy their singles and albums on the day of their release. I always felt their first two albums were classics and then they dipped with the three albums in the middle. I didn’t think they were bad but just very inconsistent. Then I felt they went out with two excellent albums at the end. I’d love to see you do some reviews on Oasis regardless of what your opinion is John. 👍👊

[@bengalgangster]

for me 461 far and away the best just love let it flow maybe my fav clapton song

[@bengalgangster]

let it grow oops

[@keithjones6023]

Love Motherless Children and Mainline Florida, superb 👌

[@jbsvinylcassettes8585]

No Reason to Cry is amazing. I agree, Side A is better than B. Just found your channel. Subbed! Looking forward to seeing more!

[@dr.buzzvonjellar8862]

I’m with you John!

[@alanjones4075]

Agree on Layla. A couple of good live albums from that era are good as well, In Concert and Live at the Fillmore (especially the 1993 remaster w extra tracks). Agree also on River of tears being a stunning track. Check out a great live version on KZbin under the title of song and Live at Budokan in brackets.

[@douglasennis7291]

What about the self titled Eric Clapton album with Let it Rain on it oops 🤷🏻

[@frommetoyou1981]

Backless was my first Eric Clapton album, i bought it for 50p on cd at a car boot sale with my pocket money when i was 15. Promises is a beauty, walk out in the rain........Golden ring, yeah......agreed John, very warm album.

[@tyleranderson1168]

Unplugged!!!!

[@derwynpowell7689]

"Cowboy" recorded on Capricorn & put out 4 LPS on that label which the band shared with the better known Allman Bros. Their first 3 LPS are well worth picking up if you can find them..... # 1 lp is Reach 4 the Sky... #2 5'll getcha 10.... #3. Boyer & Talton Please Be w/ Me also appears on Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 1. Duane plays slide dobro. One thing that you will notice if you Google the cover is it could be the brother lp to Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Sadly 5"ll getcha didn't sell like it should have, but remains a classic to this day. Good hunting!

[@bigyawnhippo]

I also like the album Clapton did with BB King, not to sure if it would be in my top ten but still a good album.

[@claudec2588]

What about, "From The Cradle" and "Unplugged"? Did you not include these for consideration because you don't own a copy? If you haven't heard these two, I'd be surprised, but if so run out and buy them.

[@coatesie973]

I saw Eric at The Royal Albert Hall for his 70th birthday shows ,he kept asking to be nformed about the West Bromwich Album score during the show.

[@davestevenson2181]

Derek & the Dominoes In Concert worth checking out. Recorded at the Fillmore East.

[@danny1959]

I agree with a lot of your list. I think No Reason to Cry is a stronger album than you give it credit for, though, and Pilgrim is my favorite Clapton solo album.

[@PhilBaird1]

No Reason to Cry is one of my favourites too. Great version of the Otis Rush classic Double-Trouble on side two (Take note John) where Eric really turns the wick up. Duane Allman made the Layla album really special so he should be mentioned. I also would include some of Eric's recent albums: From the Cradle is fantastic; and his J.J.Cale tribute is one of Eric's finest. He's never really made a dud and it's a good ranking John. I also share your appreciation of There's One in Every Crowd. Many thanks.

[@vossierebel]

Cool collection... I'm happy to say I have most on vinyl! 😁👍

[@keithjones6023]

Only got 4 on vinyl.

[@keithjones6023]

PS I have got Derek and the Dominos on vinyl, in great nick too 👍

[@bengalgangster]

@@keithjones6023 i have layla on vinyl and probably about 7 others but will admit other than 461 havnt played very much lately .now i have the urge to revisit them

[@vossierebel]

@@bengalgangster Yep, I think I shall dig mine out too... just to make sure I wasn't fibbing! 😁

[@keithjones6023]

@@bengalgangster It's funny, whenever I watch a TV programme about a band or solo artist that I like, l always have the urge to play some of their stuff.

[@srdjr6760]

Clapton was a huge West Bromwich fan according to the Ray Coleman biography from 1995.

[@paulking6219]

Was and still is a WBA fan

[@roywatson8133]

journey man could have been a bit higher up the list

[@colinwilliams553]

How in the HELL could you not like the opening track "pretending" from Journeyman??

[@derekclacton]

Eric said he supported WBA because he liked the name (!)

[@lifeonanotherplanet]

Only quibble: George Terry's Mainline Florida is a favourite

[@Peter-um3dw]

his 1st solo album is the best. Let it rain, easy now......

[@ninovella3721]

Uno dei migliori albums è Just One night del 1979 80 con Albert lee alla chitarra

[@markfernandes9715]

The classic period is 1970-75. Layla is the best , followed by the Rainbow Concert and then 461 Ocean Boulevard.

[@johnke7]

His Wikipedia entry describes him as a West Brom fan.

[@hansmagnusmalcolmsen9354]

Many 90's albums didn't sound good on vinyl. Maybe re-issues sound better... Since you said you regretted not buying vinyl for many years - but vinyl quality was often bad in those years (late 80's - early 00's), because there wasn't much interest in vinyl back then. So expensive vinyl records from that era.., well, I wouldn't bother.

[@keithjones6023]

461 has always been my favourite Clapton album, love Motherless Children, Let it Grow, Mainline Florida and I Shot the Sheriff, superb. There's One in Every Crowd, August and Reptile, great too.

[@TheCapedWanderer]

Double Trouble passes without mention under the descriptor “dismissible,” The Core “outstays its welcome,” and From The Cradle is UNLISTED. I’m sorry sir, but you are a hack of a Clapton fan, despite how well you know the Side 1’s.

[@johnheaton5667]

Well we all have our favourites….thing is I love most tracks but when doing a review one finds oneself being a bit over critical of certain tracks…which are actually good if you know what I mean!