Cream

Released: January 1, 1967

Songwriter: Lonnie Chatmon Walter Vinson

Producer: Felix Pappalardi

[Verse 1]
One summer day she went away
Gone and left me, she's gone to stay
She's gone, but I don't worry
I'm sitting on top of the world

[Verse 2]
All the summer working on this farm
Had to take Christmas in my overalls
She's gone, but I don't worry
I'm sitting on top of the world

[Verse 3]
Going down to the freight yard
Gonna catch me a freight train
Going to leave this town
Work done got too hard
She's gone, but I don't worry
I'm sitting on top of the world

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 albums

Wheels of Fire (1968)
Goodbye (1969)

Cream popular songs

Sitting on Top of the WorldCream

Cream

Wheels of Fire