[Slowhand] Re: EC's blues playing since 1994

[Richard Batty]

Tony,

Have to agree with you on the widely different versions of HYELAW.  I was
searching for the "right" word to describe the 24 Nights version and in
retrospect "lightness' is not it.  I agree with you about the "pain" so
evident in the Dominos Fillmore version.  The 24 Nights version, IMO, does
not have that pain but there's some simplicity that has to do with the
guitar tone and phrasing for me.  Obviously I'm not doing a good job of
putting it in words.  All I can say is that I really do love the variety in
the different versions of this song, even if the "pain" factor is not always
intense.

Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: ToeKneeF [mailto:slowhandnj at comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 6:45 AM
To: Slowhand List; r_laude at gmx.de
Subject: [Slowhand] Re: EC's blues playing since 1994

Sorry folks, the blues is about pain and suffering so when I look for a
definitive version of Have You Ever Loved A Woman, I am not going to be
looking for lightness! When Eric cuts the pop of Blues Power abruptly
and hits the first notes of HYELAW on the Derek and The Dominos Live At
The Fillmore set, YOU feel the pain. His guitar playing is drenched with
the suffering of his unrequited love for Patty with every single note
oozing his hurt. I know you said you were talking about "EC's blues
playing since 1994", but if we are looking for definitive versions, of a
song, chronological constraints should not apply.

As for Robert's piece, au contraire, mon frere! When you state that Eric
has played the same arrangement of HYELAW for 10 years, you could not be
more wrong! This is definitely one song that has seen many different
arrangements throughout the years. As for it becoming the blues
equivalent of Wonderful Tonight, again I must disagree. WT is a
sentimental song which has not aged well (I agree, it was played too
often with little deviation from the standard arrangement). I find the
audience's feelings for the song amusing since EC wrote the song when he
was angry at Patty, it was NOT a love song!

One of the things I found exciting about this last tour was that EC has
breathed new life into the chestnuts that have become staples of his set
list, songs like I Shot The Sheriff, HYELAW, Badge, Layla, Cocaine, and
Sunshine Of Your Love have been re-invigorated by the fire of Eric's and
Doyle's guitar playing. His inclusion of old songs like Walk Out In The
Rain and GTGBIALW also served to breath life into the set. While I would
like to see his set list comprise a more representative sample of his
recorded output (Entire albums go unrepresented), I must grudgingly
accept Eric's nod to the audience's sensitivities by playing the "hits"
that the casual fan readily recognizes...............T

--
"Anyone who would take the first step without
having thought through the last step is a fool
and should not be allowed in the councils of war"
..............Clausewitz