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“Sunshine of Your Love” is a song by the British supergroup Cream, released on the Disraeli Gears album. It was Cream’s best-selling song and Atlantic Records’ best-selling to date as well. It features a distinctive guitar/bass guitar riff and an acclaimed guitar solo from Eric Clapton. It was written by bassist Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, and Clapton. In 2004, the song was named the 65th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2009 it was named the 44th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Development of the song began in January 1967 when Bruce and Clapton attended a Jimi Hendrix show at the Saville Theatre in London. Inspired by the likes of Richard Wetherell and rock drummer, Bruce returned home and wrote the now memorable guitar riff that runs throughout the song. The lyrics to “Sunshine of Your Love” were written during an all-night creative session between Bruce and Brown, a poet who worked with the band: “I picked up my double bass and played the riff. Pete looked out the window and the sun was coming up. He wrote ‘It’s getting near dawn and lights close their tired eyes…’” Clapton later wrote the chorus (“I’ve been waiting so long…”) which also yielded the song’s title.
Clapton’s guitar tone on the song is created using his 1964 Gibson SG guitar and a Marshall amplifier. It is also believed that a Vox Clyde McCoy Picture Wah is placed fully in the bass position for the solo section. The song is renowned among guitarists as perhaps the best example of his legendary late-’60s “woman tone”, a thick yet articulate sound that many have tried to emulate.
Development of the song began in January 1967 when Bruce and Clapton attended a Jimi Hendrix show at the Saville Theatre in London. Inspired by the likes of Richard Wetherell and rock drummer, Bruce returned home and wrote the now memorable guitar riff that runs throughout the song. The lyrics to “Sunshine of Your Love” were written during an all-night creative session between Bruce and Brown, a poet who worked with the band: “I picked up my double bass and played the riff. Pete looked out the window and the sun was coming up. He wrote ‘It’s getting near dawn and lights close their tired eyes…’” Clapton later wrote the chorus (“I’ve been waiting so long…”) which also yielded the song’s title.
Clapton’s guitar tone on the song is created using his 1964 Gibson SG guitar and a Marshall amplifier. It is also believed that a Vox Clyde McCoy Picture Wah is placed fully in the bass position for the solo section. The song is renowned among guitarists as perhaps the best example of his legendary late-’60s “woman tone”, a thick yet articulate sound that many have tried to emulate.
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Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker performing 1967's (thanx Mundos) hit "Sunshine of your love".
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Albums featuring this track
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The Cream Of Clapton
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Shouts
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Zarathustra74 wrote:
Shine on....
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Sulisk wrote:
Love it
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Rhodesia1979 wrote:
Clapton still the best in the world
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mjbmaxie wrote:
Probably my favorite from Cream (Clapton)........
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lovesjantzen wrote:
ouch
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Deeps3 wrote:
Pure magic
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peezyfosheezie wrote:
just because this song is overplayed doesn't mean its terrible. It's overplayed probably because it's an awesome song! Why would people even bother "over-playing" a song if it was a terrible song in the first place? It makes no sense. Use your mind before your speak.
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spacefaceinfurs wrote:
fantastic
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Moxxxu wrote:
yea sounds like jimi hendrix lol
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silversurfer250 wrote:
Tom Dowd, who worked with most of the artists for Atlantic Records at the time, engineered the Disreali Gears album. Dowd was renowned for his technical genius, but also for his ability to relate to musicians and put them at ease. When Cream recorded this song, it wasn't working. In the documentary Tom Dowd And The Language Of Music, he explained: "There just wasn't this common ground that they had on so many of the other songs. I said, 'Have you ever seen an American Western where the Indian beat - the downbeat - is the beat? Why don't you play that one. Ginger went inside and they started to run the song again. When they started playing that way, all of the parts came together and they were elated." http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=389
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bigballsdude wrote:
ginger baker looks like a tree ))
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Gregski1111 wrote:
why is the volume so fucking low?
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Laehaem wrote:
Love to play this on the guitar
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chris98617 wrote:
the best of Clapton und Co.
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FootToFace wrote:
such a terrible, overplayed song.
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Mia0001 wrote:
great song
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ForeignRogue wrote:
the cream of the crop
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anca2004 wrote:
<3 rocks
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richysig7 wrote:
CREAM oh yes .
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bethenail wrote:
immense - timeless - wonderful track
Cream
Sunshine Of Your Love
full track
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