Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton

Background

Originally, John Mayall intended for his second album to be also a live one in order to capture the guitar solos performed by Eric Clapton. A set was recorded at the Flamingo Club, with Jack Bruce (with whom Clapton would subsequently work in Cream) on bass. The recordings of the concert, however, were of bad quality and were scrapped.

Recording

With the original plan of a live album now discarded, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers recorded Blues Breakers at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London in March 1966. The guitar that Eric Clapton used during these sessions was a sunburst 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard with two PAF humbucking pickups. This guitar (which was stolen in 1966; its whereabouts remain unknown) is also called the "Blues Breaker" or "Beano" Les Paul and a replica of which was reissued by Gibson in 2012. Critics consider Clapton's guitar tone and playing on this album to be influential in the artistic and commercial development of rock-styled guitar playing.

The band on this album includes Mayall on piano, Hammond organ, harmonica and most vocals; bassist John McVie; drummer Hughie Flint; and Clapton. Augmenting the band on this album was a horn section added during post-production, with Alan Skidmore, Johnny Almond, and Derek Healey (misrepresented on the sleeve as the then-Secretary of State for Defence, Dennis Healey).

Songs and song styles

The album consists of blues standards by long-established artists such as Otis Rush, Freddie King and Robert Johnson, as well as a few originals penned by Mayall and Clapton. Most tracks serve as a showcase for the young Clapton's playing. Although he sang on several Yardbirds' recordings, "Ramblin' on My Mind" was Clapton's first recorded solo lead vocal performance, which Eric had been reluctant to record.

Legacy

In 2003 the album was ranked number 195 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Apart from being one of the most influential blues albums, it also started the now-legendary combination of a Gibson Les Paul guitar through an overdriven Marshall Bluesbreaker amplifier.

Original album

1. "All Your Love" (Otis Rush) – 3:38
2. "Hideaway" (Freddie King, Sonny Thompson) – 3:17
3. "Little Girl" (Mayall) – 2:36
4. "Another Man" (Mayall) – 1:47
5. "Double Crossing Time" (Clapton, Mayall) – 3:04
6. "What'd I Say" (Ray Charles) – 4:28

1. "Key to Love" (Mayall) – 2:08
2. "Parchman Farm" (Mose Allison) – 2:22
3. "Have You Heard" (Mayall) – 5:56
4. "Ramblin' on My Mind" (Robert Johnson) – 3:08
5. "Steppin' Out" (L. C. Frazier) – 2:30
6. "It Ain't Right" (Little Walter) – 2:45

1998 remastered European reissue on the Deram label

This edition includes all tracks in both mono and stereo: 1–12 as above in mono, 13–24 as 1–12 above in stereo.

This version of the album was also issued by Universal Japan, on the Decca label, in 2001

2001 American reissue on the Deram label

This release added two bonus tracks from a single:

1. "Lonely Years" (Mayall) – 3:21
2. Single released August 1966.
3. "Bernard Jenkins" (Clapton) – 3:48
4. Released as B-side of "Lonely Years".

Disc one

Disc two

1. "Crawling up a Hill" (Mayall) – 2:08
2. "Crocodile Walk" (Mayall) – 2:23
3. "Bye Bye Bird" (Sonny Boy Willamson, Willie Dixon) – 2:49
4. "I'm Your Witchdoctor" (Mayall) – 2:11
5. Single released October 1965.
6. "Telephone Blues" (Mayall) – 3:57
7. B-side of "I'm Your Witchdoctor".
8. "Bernard Jenkins" (Clapton) – 3:49
9. "Lonely Years" (Mayall) – 3:19
10. "Cheatin' Woman" (Mayall) – 2:03
11. "Nowhere to Turn" (Mayall) – 1:42
12. "I'm Your Witchdoctor" (Mayall) – 2:10
13. "On Top of the World (Stereo mix)" (Mayall) – 2:34
14. "Key to Love" (Mayall) – 2:02
15. "On Top of the World" (Mayall) – 2:34
16. "They Call It Stormy Monday" (T-Bone Walker) – 4:35
17. "Intro into Maudie" (John Lee Hooker, Mayall) – 2:27
18. "It Hurts to Be in Love" (Dixon, Toombs) – 3:22
19. "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" (Myles) – 6:44
20. "Bye Bye Bird" (Williamson, Dixon) – 3:51
21. "Hoochie Coochie Man" (Dixon) – 3:53

Personnel