From the Cradle

From the Cradle is the twelfth solo studio album by Eric Clapton released on 13 September 1994 by Warner Bros. Records.[1] A blues cover album and Clapton's follow-up to his successful 1992 live album, Unplugged, it is his only UK number-one album to date.

From the Cradle
Studio album of cover songs by
Eric Clapton
Released13 September 1994 (1994-09-13)[1]
Recorded1994
StudioOlympic Studios, Barnes, London
GenreBlues, electric blues, British blues, soul blues
Length60:10
LabelDuck / Warner Bros.
ProducerEric Clapton, Russ Titelman
Eric Clapton chronology
Derek and the Dominos Live at the Fillmore
(1994)		 From the Cradle
(1994)		 The Cream of Clapton
(1995)

Although he had long been associated with the blues, From the Cradle was Clapton's first attempt at an all-blues album. He would subsequently record Riding with the King with B.B. King; a tribute to Robert Johnson, Me and Mr. Johnson; and a collaboration with J. J. Cale, The Road to Escondido.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]
The Music Box[5]
People(Positive)[6]
Robert Christgau[7]

From the Cradle has prompted a wide range of critical response. Many questioned the title itself as Clapton learned the blues formula from records later in life and certainly was not exposed to Black culture "from the cradle"; the title actually comes from the last line of a four-line poem written by Clapton in his own handwriting (which he never set to music), printed on the second page of the CD booklet: "All along this path I tread / My heart betrays my weary head / with nothing but my love to save / from the cradle to the grave." [8]. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic feels that the album is almost perfect and that the only thing bad about the album is Clapton's singing, which merely imitates the original recordings and sometimes can't pull it off.[1] Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly felt that the recordings were "flawless" but were rather boring, especially when compared to the excitement of Cream's live version of "Spoonful".[3] The Music Box's John Metzger felt that Clapton's appearance on Saturday Night Live to promote the album was more powerful than From the Cradle and that the album had nothing that hadn't been done before on it.[5] Robert Christgau compared Eric Clapton's work on the album to Son Seals and Otis Rush, saying that Clapton played better than the former, but sang worse than the latter and felt that "Motherless Child" and "Blues Before Sunrise" were stand-out tracks on the album.[7]

According to the liner notes, the album was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs or edits, the only overdubs being featured on "Hoochie Coochie Man" (guitar) and "Motherless Child" (percussion, likely handclaps).[9]

The album won Clapton the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album and he received a further nomination for Album of the Year.

In July 2014, Guitar World placed From the Cradle on their list "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994".[10]

Track listing
  1. "Blues Before Sunrise" (Leroy Carr) – 2:58 ; this version is inspired also by Elmore James's rendition of the song
  2. "Third Degree" (Eddie Boyd, Willie Dixon) – 5:07
  3. "Reconsider Baby" (Lowell Fulson) – 3:20
  4. "Hoochie Coochie Man" (Dixon) – 3:16 ; originally performed by Muddy Waters
  5. "Five Long Years" (Boyd) – 4:47
  6. "I'm Tore Down" (Sonny Thompson) – 3:02 ; originally performed by Freddie King
  7. "How Long Blues" (Carr) – 3:09
  8. "Goin' Away Baby" (James A. Lane) – 4:00
  9. "Blues Leave Me Alone" (Lane) – 3:36
  10. "Sinner's Prayer" (Lloyd Glenn, Fulson)[11] – 3:20
  11. "Motherless Child" (Robert Hicks) – 2:57
  12. "It Hurts Me Too" (Tampa Red) – 3:17
  13. "Someday After a While" (Freddy King, Thompson) – 4:27
  14. "Standin' Round Crying" (McKinley Morganfield) – 3:39
  15. "Driftin'" (Charles Brown, Johnny Moore, Eddie Williams) (Johnny Moore's Three Blazers) – 3:10
  16. "Groaning the Blues" (Dixon) – 6:05 ; originally performed by Otis Rush

Personnel

Production
  • Producers – Eric Clapton and Russ Titelman
  • Engineers – Alan Douglas (Tracks 1-6 & 8-16); Alex Haas (Track 7).
  • Assistant Engineers – Giles Cowley and Julie Gardiner
  • Mixing – Alan Douglas and Russ Titelman
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Guitar Technician – Lee Dickson
  • Equipment Technician – Ravi Sharman
  • Project Coordinator – Mick Double
  • Design – Wherefore Art?
  • Cover Photography – Eric Clapton
  • Photography – Jack English

Chart performance

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[37] Gold 30,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[38] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[39] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[40] Gold 250,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[41] Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] Platinum 15,000^
Sweden (GLF)[43] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[44] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[46] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[47] Platinum 1,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: From the Cradle by Eric Clapton". AllMusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  2. Kot, Greg (16 September 1994). "From Safe To Sorry". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  3. Sinclair, Tom (16 September 1994). "Music Review: From the Cradle – Eric Clapton". Entertainment Weekly (240). ISSN 1049-0434. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  4. Boehm, Mike (11 September 1994). "Album Review > ERIC CLAPTON, "From the Cradle" (Duck/Reprise)". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  5. Metzger, John (January 1995). "Review: From the Cradle by Eric Clapton". The Music Box. 2 (1). Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  6. "Picks and Pans Review: From the Cradle". People. 3 October 1994. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  7. Christgau, Robert. "Eric Clapton: Consumer Guide Reviews" (PHP). Robert Christgau. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  8. CD booklet, page 2.
  9. CD booklet, page 3.
  10. "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  11. BMI – Repertoire Search Sinner's Prayer Retrieved 26 April 2013
  12. "Australiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  14. "Hits of the World > Belgium, Spain" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 106 (44): 56, 57. 5 November 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  15. "Hits of the World > Canada, Europe" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 106 (41): 64, 65. 15 October 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  16. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 60, No. 10". RPM. 26 September 1994. Archived from the original (PHP) on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  18. "Hits of the World > Finland / Between the Bullets" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 106 (40): 67, 111. 8 October 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  19. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  20. "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 1994. 39. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  21. "Charts.nz – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  22. "Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  23. "Hits of the World > Portugal / Hits in Japan / Between the Bullets" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 106 (42): 53, 99, 111. 8 October 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  24. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  25. "Swedishcharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Eric Clapton – From The Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  27. "Eric Clapton | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  28. "Eric Clapton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  29. "Eric Clapton Chart History (Top Blues Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  30. "Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1994". Hung Medien (in German). Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  31. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1994". RPM. 12 December 1994. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  32. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  33. "Top Selling Albums of 1994". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  34. "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade1994". Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Archived from the original (ASP) on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  35. "Billboard 200 Albums - Year End 1990". billboard.com. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  36. "Billboard 200 Albums - Year End 1990". billboard.com. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  37. "Argentinian album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  38. "Austrian album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  39. "French album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  40. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eric Clapton; 'From the Cradle')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  41. "Japanese album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  42. "New Zealand album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  43. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  44. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Eric Clapton; 'From the Cradle')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  45. "British album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 November 2015. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type From the Cradle in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  46. "American album certifications – Eric Clapton – From the Cradle". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 November 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  47. "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
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