Cream

Released: August 9, 1968

Songwriter: Ginger Baker

Producer: Felix Pappalardi

It is a cold winter
Away is the songbird
And gone is her traveller
She waits at home

The sun is on holiday
No leaves on the trees
The animals sleep
While cold north wind blows

The snowflakes are falling
The roof a white blanket
There's ice on the windowpane
She waits alone

She sits by the fireside
The room is so warm
Her children are sleeping
She waits in their home

Passing the time
Passing the time
Everything fine
Passing the time, having the wine
Passing the time, drinking red wine
Passing the time, everything's fine
Passing the time, drinking red wine
Passing the time, everything's fine
Passing the time, drinking red wine
Passing the time, everything's fine
Passing the time, wine and time rhyme
Passing the time

It is a long winter
Away is the songbird
She waits for her traveller
So far from home

She sits by the fireside
The room is so warm
There's ice on the window
She's lonely alone

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.

more tracks from the album

Wheels of Fire

From the album

Wheels of Fire (1968)

Cream popular songs

Passing the TimeCream

Cream

Wheels of Fire