Eric Clapton: (No Reason To Cry) CD Track Listing

A list by checkmate

Eric Clapton (No Reason To Cry) (1976)
Originally Released August 1976\nCD Edition Released 1988 ??\nRemastered CD Edition Released September 10, 1996\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: When he gave a speech inducting the Band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Eric Clapton said that after he heard their debut album, Music from Big Pink, he wanted to join the group, the fact that they already had a guitarist in Robbie Robertson notwithstanding. In the winter of 1975-1976, when he cut No Reason to Cry at the Band's Shangri-la Studio in Malibu, California, he came as close as he ever would to realizing that desire. Clapton is a musical chameleon; though some of No Reason to Cry is identifiable as the kind of pop/rock Clapton had been making since the start of his solo career (the best of it being "Hello Old Friend," which became his first Top 40 single in two years), the most memorable music on the album occurs when Clapton is collaborating with members of the Band and other guests. He duets with Band bassist Rick Danko on Danko's "All Our Past Times," and with Bob Dylan on Dylan's "Sign Language," as Robertson's distinctive lead guitar is heard rather than Clapton's. As a result, the album is a good purchase for fans of Bob Dylan and the Band, but not necessarily for those of Eric Clapton. [The CD reissue adds a bonus track, "Last Night," which is a traditional 12-bar blues song credited to Clapton.] -- William Ruhlmann \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nIf You Like the Band...., December 17, 2005\nReviewer: JamesNYC "JamesNYC" (New York, NY USA)\nClapton has said of The Band's "Music from Big Pink" that it "changed my life." "No Reason to Cry" may not be Clapton at his best, but if you like The Band (as I do), then you'll probably enjoy this compact disc. \n\nMany of the songs sound like they could be from The Band, except for Clapton's voice. Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel play backup for Clapton, and members of The Band wrote two of the tracks: "Beautiful Thing" and "All Our Past Times." Danko shares lead vocals with Clapton on "All Our Past Times." \n\nThere are two outstanding tracks on this cd: "Hello Old Friend" and "Black Summer Rain." "Black Summer Rain" evokes The Band's "It Makes No Difference" both in sound and lyrics ("...and the sun don't shine anymore, and the rain falls down on my door..."). Listen to the two songs one after another and you'll see what I mean. \n\nThis album ain't Clapton's greatest but, to me, it's still good and well worth experiencing. \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSome great flashes. Not totally uninspired , July 23, 2005\nReviewer: Benito Vasquez "Benji" (Naperville, Il)\nFirst, take this CD for what it's worth, not by the standards set before and after it. So it's not "461," or "Slowhand." That's not necessarily a bad thing. Like Neil Young. Clapton didn't always put out albums for their top 40 value. On the contrary. Particularly at this point in his career, Clapton had earned some license- for better or worse depending on who you ask- to do some things he wanted to do and let the Billboard charts be danged. Yet despite that, he could still spit out songs that garnered radio play, like "Carnival" and "Hello Old Friend," two of my favorite Clapton songs. Also like Young, as well as Dylan, Clapton was partial to using one of the several lush, sporadically used female background singers of the time. In this case that voice is Marcy Levy, who if her voice were absent from the song "Beautiful Thing," it wouldn't be as smooth or melodic. In fact, Clapton was so comfortable with his stature at this point in his career, he allowed Levy to sing solo in the song "Innocent Times," as he played in the background to churn out what is in my opinion the best song on this CD. It's a real Levy tour de force, albeit a brief one. For that reason itself, this CD's worth buying. And while "Sign Language" is hardly the best collaboration between 2 star recording artists, it's actually a decent song, consistent with this CD's tone, and unmistakenly Clapton and Dylan. But also typical of albums/CDs of this time, they weren't chock full of hits from beginning to end. So what makes this CD, or even this era different from that of today? With rare exceptions, many big name artists have CDs that contain some grizzle. Future Clapton CDs would have slicker production quality, particularly after Phil Collins produced CDs put Clapton's name back in the spotlight in the early 80s. After that, Clapton became something of an video darling. But did that necessarily mean he produced better songs? Purely subjective. Try this CD. I challenge you to not find some appeal in it. I bet you find yourself humming at least a couple of the tunes. I dare you to admit you didn't find your toe tapping to a couple tunes. And I especially bet you find yourself wondering what else did Bonnie Bramlett record worth listening to. I know I did.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nTHE MUSIC TRIES TO AROUSE, BUT GOES BLAH... TOO MANY DRINKS, December 6, 2003\nReviewer: Jay Siekierski (STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. USA)\nI'm a git player over 35 years and love EC. This release on his comeback trail in '76 is not much to get happy about. Reports circulated at the time of these recording sessions had found EC drinking very hard and surrounded by the same type of musicans involved. Ex Heroin addicts usually go to Alcohol to relieve the JUNK pain from Herion. It is no reason that this release fell on deaf ears when first issued. EC's playing is stiff and mediocre. Even the bonus track added on the CD "LAST NIGHT" does not leave you filled or do any justice. He is stiff on all his git work on this album. A shame. Maybe I'm just to critical, but others felt the same way. judging by the cover of EC in a bar with bottles of liquor in front of him answers these downer gaps.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe least Clapton-esque Clapton-album...., July 17, 2003\nReviewer: Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae)\nIf you were to listen to the first two songs on this album, and then give up and put it away, I wouldn't blame you.\n"Beautiful Thing" isn't a bad song, excactly, but it is VERY different from the pop-rock style that was Eric Clapton in the mid-seventies, and was in fact written by Richard Manuel and Rick Danko of the Band.\n"Carnival", a Clapton original (!), is decidedly weird. I don't even know what to call it...the backup singers sound like they're purposely trying to pronounce "Carnival" with a Spanish accent, and the arrangement is latin-tinged as well. Whatever it is supposed to be, it's not succesful.\n\nBut then comes Bob Dylan's "Sign Language", which is excellent, and the obligatory blues, in this case "County Jail Blues", after which Clapton duets with the Band's bassist Rick Danko on Danko's own "All Our Past Times".\n\nAnother Clapton original, "Hello Old Friend", follows. It is much more akin to the kind of music he made on his other 70s albums, and the song provided him with his first top 40-hit in two years.\n"Double Trouble" is a cover of the Otis Rush-tune that gave Stevie Ray Vaughan's band their name, and it's a little too low-key for my taste (a bit like when Clapton covers Elmore James...he can't pull that off, either). \n\nYvonne Elliman, Clapton's long-time backup singer (and the original Mary Magdalene in "Jesus Christ Superstar"), takes the lead vocal on the grand, almost spiritual "Innocent Times", after which the album winds down with two less than memorable tunes, "Hungry" and "Black Summer Night", and the CD reissue includes a so-so cover of Little Walther Jacobs' "Last Night".\n\nAll in all, "No Reason To Cry" is rather atypical Eric Clapton album. I really like The Band, but the fact that they are associated with this album doesn't make it another "Music From Big Pink", and it is not one of Clapton's best, mainly because the material is spotty. These aren't three huge stars, but it has its moments.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nWorth Every Penny!, July 16, 2002\nReviewer: "steve_seim" (Beaver Dam, WI United States)\nWhile many reviewers and fans neglect the albums between "461 Ocean Boulevard" and "Slowhand," 1975's "There's One in Every Crowd" and 1976's "No Reason to Cry" easily equal the quality of the former masterpieces. No major radio singles, but plenty of mellow blues, funky riffs, moving ballads, and tasteful musicianship. And "Hello Old Friend" is a little slice of 70s country-rock heaven. "No Reason to Cry" belongs in best-of lists, not bargain bins!\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNo Reason to Get Excited, April 9, 2002\nReviewer: Brian Rubendall (Oakton, VA)\n"No Reason to Cry" is one of Eric Clapton's lesser orginial studio albums. The problem is in the material, which is simply not up to the incredibly high standards of Clapton 1970s masterpieces such as "461 Ocean Blvd." and "Slowhand." That's not to say the album is awful. In fact, there is hardly a bad song in the mix. It just doesn't live up to expectations. For example, the Clapton-Bob Dylan collaboration on the song "Sign Language" is pleasant enough, but is not the masterpiece you would expect from these two music giants. \nOverall, "No Reason to Cry" should be primarily of interest to Clapton's ardent fans. Casual listeners should start with one of the two albums listed above or one of his anthology albums instead.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nCountry Blues, October 29, 2000\nReviewer: Craig Pinson (Scottsdale Az)\nThis album came along at a time when most fans were screaming for lightning guitar runs, and bluesy wailings, and in the process missing the intricasies of a real good recording. At this place and time, E.C. was playing music that was impacted greatly by The band`s Music From The Big Pink, Delaney and Bonnie, and even Don Williams. He felt there was beauty in sparse languid music and this proves him right. The intensity is in in the laid back harmonics and writing, giving us a chance to really hear his singing, and playing. It`s a lot harder to play like this without distortion and speed to hide behind, and give the songs greater impact emotionally. \nI spent many a night in the North Atlantic listening to this with another Clapton fan marveling at his ability to bring heartfelt emotions with what he doesn`t play as opposed to what he does. This is a keeper.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\n...could've, should've, would've...., July 3, 1999\nReviewer: A music fan\nThis album was to have been a collaborative work of Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. But Dylan just liked to play his music and get on with it, while Slow Hand was forever and a day refining and refining and refining. So Dylan, frustrated, laid down "Sign Language" and then just walked away from the project. That song happens to be the best track on an otherwise not-too-shabby effort in its own right, but the question always will beg to be asked...what might have been?\nFor some reason this work is never recognized for its intrinsic qualities, but in some respects it represents the best of what the various Eric Clapton personae were about. Dylan, of course, is Dylan. Good stuff!\n\nHalf.com Details \nContributing artists: Bob Dylan, Marcy Levy, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Ron Wood, Van Morrison, Yvonne Elliman \nProducer: Rob Fraboni \n\nAlbum Notes\nPersonnel includes: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Georgie Fame, Richard Manuel, Marcy Levy, Jesse Ed Davis, Yvonne Elliman, Carl Radle, Wah Wah Watson.\n\nEngineers: Ralph Moss, Ed Anderson, Nat Jeffrey.\nAll tracks have been digitally remastered.\n\nIn the spirit of all-star get-togethers endemic to that part of the '70s, 1976's NO REASON TO CRY became Eric Clapton's recorded version of the Rolling Thunder Tour. Joining Clapton in the studio were Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, Georgie Fame and Band-mates Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko & Richard Manuel (Clapton returned the favor later in the year by appearing in The Last Waltz, the Band's last live show). Clapton's buddies also contributed material, including Dylan's "Sign Language," the Danko/Manuel composition "Beautiful Thing" and Danko's country-flavored "All Our Past Times." \nAt this point in his solo career, Clapton was taking a more languid and low-key approach towards playing, with more emphasis on presenting songs and less on soloing. Songs such as the wistful "Hello Old Friend" and the aching "Innocent Times," featuring Marcy Levy's gospel-flavored vocals, reflect Slowhand's countryish leanings of the time. Clapton's love of the blues, however, was undiminished, and when he tackles both Otis Rush's "Double Trouble" and Little Walter's "Last Night," he shines despite any stylistic changes.\n\nIndustry Reviews\n2 Stars (out of 5) - .... A huddle of superstar chums (including Bob Dylan, whose `Sign Language' is the outstanding new song) play some `tasty licks,'...\nQ Magazine (11/01/1996)
This rock cd contains 11 tracks and runs 46min 7sec.
Freedb: a50acd0b
Buy: from Amazon.com

Categories

Latest lists

Eric Clapton: (No Reason To Cry) CD Track Listing

Category

Tags

cyList

Legal