Cream

Released: February 5, 1969

Songwriter: Jack Bruce Peter Brown (UK)

Producer: Felix Pappalardi

When I was young, they gave me a mongrel piano
Spent all my time inventing the cup of tea
Writing your name in the sea
Banging my fav'rite head

Missing the last bed, waving the cheery herring
Balancing brass bands on the tip of my toe
Phoning your home from a tree
Drinking my fav'rite loch

When I was old, they gave me a model factory
I met three salads on the motorway
Leaving your name at the door
Breaking my fav'rite egg

Missing the walrus, sharing my last banana
Balancing zeppelins on the end of my nose
Calling your name in the zoo
Blowing my fav'rite mind

The members of this power trio, formed in the autumn of 1966, were all veterans of the blues revival. Guitarist Eric Clapton was the same prodigy who revealed himself with the Yardbirds, and who had contributed to the legendary recording of Bluesbreakers with John Mayall. Drummer Peter “Ginger” Baker, skilled at many forms of percussion, had already played, in 1960, with the Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti, and in 1962 with Alexis Korner and the Graham Bond Organisation. Scottish bassist Jack Bruce had traveled some of the same roads as Baker, before joining Manfred Mann. Bruce and Clapton had met each other in the Powerhouse, a short-lived lineup put together by John Mayall, that also included Steve Winwood at the keyboard. With Cream these three virtuosos simply brought to fruition the experience that they developed in the London clubs, bringing to the rock concert stage long, electric, high volume improvisations.

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