Song Analysis Two Writing

      Musically speaking, the 1970’s were marked by an explosion of artists and shining creativity with poetry of song and storytelling with instruments. It became a time of breakout artists, as it was the first time in history that record labels made money for producing music. They forged their names on their own work and their own project. Money was being transferred and bands and artists were coming out of the wood-work like no one had ever seen before. Fueled by drugs, haste, and pain, a particular band came together as “a marquee combo with true superpowers”, as so put by Rolling Stones, and forever became a rare thing in super groups. This band played with a virtuosity of blues like never heard before that was fueled with the affliction and longing present in Southern Rock and Blues. Men that had just become exiles from their previously disbanded bands were united under the title of Derek and the Dominos. Within a six week period, during the late summer of 1970, they recorded the album so famously named Layla and Other Assorted Drugs, which is now one of “rock's greatest broken promises” (Rolling Stones). The true, belting treble-despair was real and the songwriter hit a sumptuous course of honesty and “an immortal lick” (Rolling Stones) with the songs produced on the album. One specific song spoke of Eric Clapton's built up agony over a woman who he so loved in vain. In the song “Layla”, Eric Clapton gives his account of this varied allusive narrative anchored by pleading apostrophe and crying imagery in words and guitar in order to provoke deep emotional sentiments belonging to a vain, secret love affair.

The name Layla is not just any name and is not just that of any girl. The name Layla itself stems from a book written by a Persian poet, Nizami. The book was so named Layla and Majnun; it told a story about a man who loved a woman with whom he could not be with due to her parents disapproval. Eric Clapton favored the story; he enjoyed and connected with the novel's theme of unattainable love. He alludes to the title and its story by symbolically naming his modern-day song “Layla”. However, the allusive story behind the song is that of an entirely different story from that of the novel. The name Layla represents Pattie Boyd, wife of Beatles George Harrison, with whom Eric Clapton was involved in a scandalous love affair. It is achingly sorry for Clapton, for Harrison had been his best friend at the time and he was profoundly in love with his wife. Clapton had made it clear about his love for Boyd, but she was uncertain if she wished to enter into such a thing. When the song went public, so did the love, and it made things clearer for Boyd and Clapton.

The emphasis and direction of the song is evident through the use of strong apostrophe. When the song was first written, the intention of the song was not to create a story for the audience to enjoy. The purpose of the song was to directly express the author's feelings for this particular woman. The song genuinely speaks to her. Clapton calls her by name all throughout the chorus, pleading with this woman he calls “Layla” (Chorus/Lines 5-7). He asks her questions and tells her about the things she is doing to him. Every single line contains the word “you” in it, or some form other than the indicative word. The use of apostrophe is the device used; without it, the song loses its meaning and purpose. The purpose of the song is to speak to this woman, to pledge his love for her. But, holding it all together is the usage of apostrophe. Clapton's direct and stern voice, alongside his pleading apostrophe, gives this song the much needed stability to serve its intended purpose.

Working to paint a picture of the emotions and sense behind this situation is the device of imagery. The imagery used is complex; it is the work of synethesia imagery, with overlapping senses appealing to sound, sight, and sense. The imagery overwhelms the listener, evoking varying emotions so deep and intense. The listener gets the experience of the thought-provoking imagery in the lyrics and the mastery and virtuosity of the guitar and piano, especially the exiting solos. Clapton paints the picture of man, presumably himself, crying and pleading for this woman that he loves in vain. He tells her “you've got me on my knees./I'm begging, darling please./darling won't you ease my worried mind.” (Stanza 2/ Lines 5-7) The audience pictures this poor man, just yearning for his loved one; sympathy and sadness is evoked in his words, which is his intent for the girl he is singing to. By falling in love with her, his life has been changed: “Like a fool, I fell in love with you,/Turned my whole world upside down.” (Stanza 3/Lines 10-11) His life is spiraling out of control; this is the last effort for this man to get what he desires. He knows what has happened is not right, but it is all at once. It creates this sense of paradox that is hard for him to deal with. The entire song lyrically is imagery; everything he sings to this girl evokes a picture or emotion. And to strengthen the lyrical imagery, the incorporation of guitar and piano paint an entirely different story that corresponds with Clapton's. Bringing in Duane Allman, who comes from a band that sings almost entirely of unrequited love, gives the song depth. Clapton is thought to be one of the best guitar players of his time; Allman may have been just as good, if not better. His guitar cries and aches as he plays. He plays notes that do not exist, as Clapton put it, which contents to the non-connection between Clapton and the girl. The notes that do not exist but are somehow played almost symbolically represent and correspond to the affair that should not exist, but somehow it does. In the end, Clapton plays his acoustic and Allman plays his electric and the two twining guitars, instrumentally, bring this song to a whole new level of meaning. They are totally different, but are coming together, again painting a symbolic picture of this affair. And to end the song, there is piano solo, which has come to known as one the most famous piano exits. The piano brings in another type of instrument story, as the sounds created for this song are softer and more delicate. The beginning of the song was strong and edgy, forceful, with the yelling, crying lyrics and guitars; the end is more geared toward softness. He does not want to completely push away this woman. He wants to give his authority to her, but to still, in way, say he comforts her and her delicate feelings with the ending piano solo. In another way, the beginning and end of the song contrast with a male and a female figure, strong and soft, as stereotypical as it is. To what it symbolically represents is unclear.

Eric Clapton achieved an emotional and mental challenge with writing the song “Layla.” He is well noted for his intense mastery of the guitar and songwriting. To write this song meant everything to him. It was a fight for a woman he loved, even when he knew doing so was breaking a bond that may be hard or impossible to repair. By sending this song out, he was announcing his love for this woman not just to her, but to the world. The use of language and instruments wove a story that was worthy of notification. The contrasting solos in instruments bring the emotions to a higher level if intensity. His pleading vocals cry out in vain that is unheard of. The twining of such musical mastery between vocals and instruments have left a lasting impression on the direct and indirect audience, which has grown to be worthy of its notoriety.

Works Cited

Fricke, David. “Eric Clapton's Tormented Peak.” Rolling Stones. Mar-Apr. 2011: 66. Print.