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Rating: First of all, you might wonder: why does SRV give a solid 0, actually a flat 0, to such an important album in the music scene? Is he crazy, or is he right?
I don't want to go piece by piece describing the album (although I find this method just), but instead, I would like to interact with you to talk about this artist. Why did I choose Slowhand? Did I need a scapegoat, perhaps? Is it a targeted choice? Well, I'll tell you: maybe both!
Let me justify the flat 0 first of all: if we consider the entire musical world, from the roughest creations to the most heavenly, this album would perhaps deserve a 2 or a 3. However, I want to strike even the most devoted fans at heart (I confess I'm a fan too): it is an album absolutely to be discarded, an album I technically categorize under pop/rock only because I don't know where the hell to place it. Is there blues? Is there Pop? Is there rock? Well, in my opinion, there is none of that.
The songs: "Cocaine"... too hyped as a "great piece," instead (watch me go hard here), even the solo, in my opinion, is the most "natural" thing that exists. I ask you: after you listened to "Cocaine", what did this song leave in your soul? And then? "Wonderful tonight"... after 10 seconds, let's change the track, as it's better (use it as a lullaby for kids, it works!!). "Lay down Sally", "Next time you see her", "We're all the way"... these three pieces reaffirm the mediocrity of the album... "The core"... there's a riff, repeated I don't know how many times, oh nice, there's also the sax... let's change the track, as it's better... "May you never"... but what does Eric truly want to offer us with these musical tidbits all flat in their structure and so poorly crafted... "Mean old frisco".. oh nice, there's a little blues... but what the hell is it doing on this album... and then finally the end... "Peaches and diesel"... diesel like the album!!
Anyway, don't despair Eric's fans... his albums aren't all like this... more or less!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Cocaine (03:41)
If you wanna hang out you've got to take her out
Cocaine
If you wanna get down, down on the ground
Cocaine
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie
Cocaine
If you got bad news, you wanna kick them blues
Cocaine
When your day is done and you wanna run
Cocaine
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie
Cocaine
If your thing is gone and you wanna ride on
Cocaine
Don't forget this fact, you can't get it back
Cocaine
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie
Cocaine
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie
Cocaine
02 Wonderful Tonight (03:44)
It's late in the evening
She's wonderin' what clothes to wear
She puts on her make-up
And brushes her long blond hair
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"
And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight
We go to a party
And everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady
Walkin around with me
And then she asks me, "Do you feel all right?"
And I say yes, I feel wonderful tonight
I feel wonderful because I see the love light in your eyes
And the wonder of it all is that you just don't realize how much I love you
It's time to go home now
And I've got an achin' head
So I give her the car keys
And she helps me to bed
And then I tell her
As I turn out the light
I say my darlin', you were wonderful tonight
Oh, my darlin, you were wonderful tonight
03 Lay Down Sally (03:56)
There is nothing that is wrong
In wanting you to stay here with me.
I know you've got somewhere to go,
But won't you make yourself at home and stay with me?
And don't you ever leave.
Chorus:
Lay down, Sally, and rest here in my arms.
Don't you think you want someone to talk to?
Lay down, Sally, no need to leave so soon.
I've been trying all night long just to talk to you.
The sun ain't nearly on the rise
And we still got the moon and stars above.
Underneath the velvet skies,
Love is all that matters. Won't you stay with me?
And don't you ever leave.
Chorus
I long to see the morning light
Coloring your face so dreamily.
So don't you go and say goodbye,
You can lay your worries down and stay with me.
And don't you ever leave.
Chorus
Chorus
06 The Core (08:45)
by Eric Clapton and Marcy Levy
Every morning when I wake, a feeling soon begins to overtake me.
Ringing in my ears resounds through my brain; it finally surrounds me.
There is fire, there is life, there is passion, fever and fury.
There is love and there is hate, there is longing, anger and worry.
Oh, I am a flame; feel it touch my heart.
And down at my core is the hottest part.
I can run without fear.
If it should become too cold, I know I can endure the frostbite.
Oh, a blanket then I'll wrap around me; I keep myself so close to my sight.
No one then can cause me harm, just as the river runs into the sea.
'Cause every day, a fire alarm is deafening the silence all around me.
Chorus
It is burning.
It is burning.
You can trust me; we can laugh. Together we can share our sorrow.
I will give you secrets too, an attitude that you may borrow.
Gypsy woman said to me, "One thing you must bear in your mind:
You are young and you are free, but damned if you're deceased in your own lifetime."
Oh, you have a flame; feel it in your heart.
And down at the core is the hottest part.
We can run without fear.
It is burning.
It is burning.
07 May You Never (03:01)
by John Martyn
May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold.
May you never make your bed out in the cold.
May you never lose your temper if you get hit in a barroom fight.
May you never lose your woman overnight.
Well, you're just like a great, strong sister to me,
And I know that your love is true,
And you hold no blade for to stab me in my back;
I know that there's some that do.
So please, won't you please, won't you bear it in mind:
Love is a lesson to learn in our time.
Please, won't you please, bear it in mind for me.
Chorus
Well, you're just like a great, strong brother to me,
And I know that your love is true,
And you never talk dirty behind my back;
I know that there's some that do.
So please, won't you please, won't you bear it in mind:
Love is a lesson to learn in our time.
Please, won't you please, bear it in mind for me.
Chorus
May you never lose your woman overnight.
May you never lose your woman overnight.
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Other reviews
By TheBlueMask
'Slowhand' aligns perfectly with the aforementioned considerations: an album that can be appreciated in some parts but does not fully convince.
The album deserves a solid enough rating, mainly for the first three tracks and 'The Core', but it is penalized by some lackluster tracks.
