Posted on 09/06/2025 6:35:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
As far as huge hits go, there’s none more colossal than ‘Layla’ by Derek and the Dominos. Perhaps more than any other song, it’s what cemented Eric Clapton well and truly as a guitar-playing god. But this isn’t entirely the full story.
The truth would have it that ‘Layla’ wasn’t completely all of Clapton’s own conception, and there is actually a pretty audacious theft which marred the legacy of the song quite majorly for a select group of people. One of them was Rita Coolidge, who, despite her own blazing career as a pop music machine, knew where her credit was due in places where it wasn’t being received.
It all boils down to the fact that the song is listed as having been co-written by Clapton and Jim Gordon, who was Coolidge’s boyfriend at the time. But according to her version of events, she and Gordon had written a song called ‘Time (Don’t Get in Our Way)’ in 1969, a year before ‘Layla’ made its way into the world and redefined the face of rock music forever.
Recalling how the scenario played out, Coolidge later said in her memoir Delta Lady: “We played the song for Eric Clapton in England. I remember sitting at the piano in Olympic Studios while Eric listened to me play it. Jim and I left a cassette of the demo, hoping of course that he might cover it.” Afterwards, she “largely forgot about it” as life got in the way – namely the fact that she and Gordon broke up. But hearing ‘Layla’ down the line, her ears were burning.
“I was infuriated,” she said, then adding: “What they had clearly done was take the song Jim and I had written, jettisoned the lyrics and tacked it to the end of Eric’s song. It was almost the same.” Understandably angry, Coolidge approached Clapton’s management to seek a credit, but was shockingly dismissed as she was told, “You’re a girl singer.” It was hardly as if this was going to calm her down, let alone justify the crime.
What makes this even worse is the fact that later down the line, Derek and the Dominios’ late keyboardist Bobby Whitlock confirmed Coolidge’s claims, as he said in 2011: “Jim took the melody from Rita’s song and didn’t give her credit for writing it. Her boyfriend ripped her off. I knew – but nobody would listen to or believe me.”
It’s fair to say that, regardless of being thrown under the bus in terms of credit and royalties, Coolidge dodged a bullet in terms of Gordon anyway. He has been in prison since 1983 for murdering his mother at the height of a psychotic episode, so it’s the epitome of a sliding doors moment in what the fates could have been.
However, this absolutely does not soften the blow of what ‘Layla’ became, and what Coolidge’s legacy could have transformed into. It’s also yet another case of songs that could have ended in the courtroom, with Coolidge receiving her dues. But as with many classic tiffs in the music industry, sexism and misogyny reared its ugly head again. It’s really quite ironic for a song dedicated to a woman of Clapton’s dreams.
Do they mean the last part, the piano part is what Coolidge and her partner wrote?
While Clapton may be a decent guitar player it’s pretty well known that he’s not a very decent guy. At least he wasn’t back then. He stole George Harrison’s wife. Supposedly ‘Layla’ was written about Harrison’s wife at the time, Patty Boyd.
Im old enough to remember hearing it on AM radio.
Iconic riff… also the first guitar solo i ever learned.
But don't worry, Harrison also have an affair with Ringo's wife. Pattie, who was good friends with her, and Cynthia Lennon caught them in bed, and told Ringo, who was very angry and threatened divorce, despite the fact he frequently played around.
That’s sex, drugs and rock n’ roll for ya’
Clapton was in the Yardbirds, Cream, and I think the Bluesbreamers.
Harrison didn’t give him a break.
Clapton was famous on his own
I have always liked the juxtaposition. But the two pieces very plausibly had two separate authors. Completely different styles.
Jim Gordon stole it and Robert Stigwood squashed any discussion about ownership. As an unrelated side-note John Travolta also didn’t have any use for Stigwood around this same time.
Meanwhile Gordon turned out to be a total psycho, so I would blame the combination of him and Stigwood.
I don’t blame Eric Clapton, but do think he should come out and make it right for Rita.
“Eric” became “Derek” for that one album and specifically for that one track, “Layla”.
I saw Derek/Eric in Cincy when Santana was the opening act.
Afterwards, Derek/Eric came out, strapped his guitar on, plucked a few strings.
Then, after a few silent moments, went into “Layla” - it was amazing and electric!
“Harrison gave Clapton his big break by inviting him to play on a Beatles record. “
Yeah, right. There were a couple groups Bluesbreakers, Yardbirds, Cream. Big break my fundament.
HATE Layla. It just goes on and on! But the acoustic version is okay.
My brother told me that John Mayall and Eric Clapton were both appearing at separate venues in Detroit. He wanted to see both but figured he would go see Mayall, as he expected that Clapton would drop by there and make and appearance. Which he did.
I like some of the Clapton catalog and Duane’s work and some of the Layla Album kicks... but some of the Layla album is downright booooring. Hats off to Radle, Whitlock, and Gordon too. Maybe the original mix was too mushy and busy for me.
Why be so negative. What is with the hate on FR lately
Boring?
Name one album that isn’t sometimes boring
What idiotic commentary lately
A boomer
Guilty for sure
I hate those fookers
The woman who truly influenced everybody was Joni Mitchell and her arranging and more importantly picking styles
Really influential
Her vagina too
“Name one album that isn’t sometimes boring”
Maybe Led Zeppelin II
I think Ingwie Malmsteen made an excellent point during a Rick Beato interview when he said something along the lines of ‘face it, western modern music is based on pentatonic blues scales which are mundane and repetitive and bore me to tears’ as Rick Beato nodded his head in affirmation.
But coming from Ingwie that is not an astonishing statement nor is it unexpected.
“Rick Beato nodded his head in affirmation”
As someone who listens to a lot of Rick Beato, thanks for the warning. I’ll miss this Swedish guy whoever he is.
Rick doesn’t spend any time putting down anyone’s music and not entire genres. Pointing out the negativity in any classical art form that is widely known and loved is something reminiscent of dope smoking 70s wanna be somebodies
There are very few records that one cannot put down or accuse of being boring. If I didn’t like Led Zeppelin, finding them to be showy, pretentious copy cats with yawn inducing style I would never say so. So many of my friends love them.
Led Zeppelin II sales are like 20 million.
If someone mentioned in an interview that a certain admired, since dead, guitarist whispered over to the guy while watching someone play that he had to get out of there he couldn’t listen to this guy another minute, and I felt I was in very good company, I wouldn’t mention it to anyone especially someone who admired and enjoyed the guys playing
In those days we went by a maxim that parents got through to us, don’t ever say, “I hate that, or I don’t like it” when dining with others. It takes away others enjoyment of it. If pressed, say ‘I don’t care for it’ and move on.
To elaborate and try to bring the joyful, enthusiastic Rick beato into hating the Layla record as being boring is a very negative nasty thing to see
Rick beato comes from a particular place he favors metal and doesn’t spend a lot of time on music I like but he has copyright constraints but he is enthusiastic and never, would never actively put something down. He has to be polite and suffer pretentious negativity
If any famous musician actively and publicly puts down another artist or whole genre I am done with them. It is unnecessary. We all don’t like certain things. Talking about it openly takes away from others enjoyment
It’s awful
Beato nodding in affirmation was not an insult, he just understands the limitations of the pentatonic scale. You’re reading way too much into it.
I saw Led Zeppelin in concert when their fourth album came out. They played every song they ever put on LP’s at that point in time. It was a great show, but I probably haven’t listened to anything by LZ in a decade, but I remember that show.
EC was here is a great release, there’s another blues based EC release that I have upstairs that’s also really good to my ears but the title escapes me.
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