The coverage of the top 10 Bobby Whitlock songs from his solo albums first starts with a bit of history about this talented musician. His career began as a member of Sam & Dave’s roster, as well as Booker T. & the M.G.’s as a Memphis soul musician before teaming up with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends in 1968. He, along with bandmate Eric Clapton, had a recording session with George Harrison for his 1970 album, All Things Must Pass. This led to the founding of Derek and the Dominos that same year. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs were the group’s only studio album, which was also released in 1970. Half of the songs featured on the album had Whitlock participate as a songwriter, notably for “Bell Bottom Blues” and “Tell the Truth.”
Solo Act
The success of All Things Must Pass, as well as Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs led Bobby Whitlock to record and release four studio albums in the 1970s as a solo artist. The first was a self-titled recording that was released in 1972. It was followed by Raw Velvet, which was also released that same year. After this, it was 1975’s One of a Kind, then 1976’s Rock Your Sox Off. Among these four albums, the first two were his most successful. Although he moved on as a solo artist, Bobby Whitlock continued to collaborate with Eric Clapton. He also teamed up with Dr. John, the Rolling Stones, and with Stephen Stills’s supergroup, Manassas.
Up until 1976, Whitlock enjoyed a busy career as a singer, songwriter, and musician. As is the case with most stars who experience the peak of their stardom, it became necessary for Whitlock to slow down the momentum and take a breather. It wouldn’t be until 1999 he would jump back into the music scene and record his next album, It’s About Time. This was an album that featured a collaboration with his wife, Kim “CoCo” Carmel. After this, it was 2003’s Other Assorted Love Songs, Live from Whitney Chapel before he would take a break from recording music again.
In 2008, it was Lovers, then followed by Lovers: The Master Demos in 2009. These were also performed and recorded by Whitlock and Carmel as a team. Also in 2009, he and his wife recorded and released Vintage and My Time. In 2010, it was the live album, Metamorphosis. Two years later, he released another studio recording, Esoteric. In 2013, he released two more albums, Carnival: Live in Austin and Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: The ABC-Dunhill Recordings.
Before becoming a world-class musical talent recognized by fans all over the world, Bobby Whitlock began his life’s journey as Robert Stanley Whitlock on March 18, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee. From 1965 until 1973, his life as a recording artist and touring musician saw Whitlock at the peak of his career. Going into the 1980s, then through the 1990s, Whitlock opted for a quieter lifestyle with his wife and children on a farm in Mississippi.
In 2006, he and his wife moved to Austin, Texas, seven years after Whitlock returned to the scene as a recording artist. Some of the music recorded and released during this timeframe included work he previously did with Eric Clapton and George Harrison. From Bobby Whitlock, the best songs from his arsenal of recordings as a solo artist do include material he previously performed with his former bandmates.
Top 10 Bobby Whitlock Songs
#10 – Layla
While with Derek and the Dominos in 1970, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs failed to make the kind of impact in the UK at the time as it did in the United States. Even “Layla” wasn’t considered to be anything special as a song at the time, at least not in the United Kingdom, which is where Eric Clapton is from. The story was quite different in the USA as both the music critics and the fans gave more favorable reviews. In 1972, “Layla” finally became a hit and is now considered a cult classic worldwide. For Whitlock, his coverage of “Layla” as a solo artist was a tweak from the iconic hit. That tweak featured the performance of an acoustic guitar and piano Whitlock and his wife, Kim Carmel worked on together for the 2003 live album, Other Assorted Love Songs: Live from Whitney Chapel. The key difference in Whitlock’s version was the omission of Gordon’s piano solo ending, which he felt didn’t suit the song, to begin with.
#9 – Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad
Previously, “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad” was recorded on Layla and Other Assorted Long Songs as a member of Eric Clapton’s Derek and the Dominoes in 1970. The solo album version released by Bobby Whitlock has this song move at a slower and groovier pace, breathing a vibe that seemed to define Whitlock as a musical artist. This came from the 1976 album, Rock Your Sox Off, the final studio recording Whitlock would do as a solo artist until 1999. In this version of the song, Whitlock’s performance as a bluesy rocker was at its finest, hammering home the reality that not all love stories have to be such a sad experience.
#8 – Bell Bottom Blues
The difference between Bobby Whitlock’s “Bell Bottom Blues” and the one he and his fellow Derek and the Dominos released in 1971 is definitely in the vocals. Granted, it was Eric Clapton as lead vocalist for a song that was in the lineup of Layla and Other Assorted Long Songs and it was a fantastic performance, to say the least. However, Whitlock’s raspy voice brought out an even more expressive version of a song that was actually written by both men. It was yet another song by Clapton that expressed his unrequited love for George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. When it was released by Derek and the Dominos, it was a minor hit in the US.
While Whitlock’s version never charted as a single, it is regarded as one of the best versions ever recorded. Originally, “Bell Bottom Blues” came from Eric Clapton but it was Bobby Whitlock who put in the finishing touch to make the song complete. While Clapton pined over Boyd, Whitlock’s take on “Bell Bottom Blues” featured on 2003’s Other Assorted Love Songs looked upon his own wife, Kim Carmel, as his love interest. As husband and wife, this song and the rest of the album served as a beautiful rendition of the past when Whitlock was still relatively new to the music industry. It also beautifully displayed his maturity as a man who went a long way from nowhere to who he is today.
#7 – You Don’t Have to Be Alone
The haunting slide of “You Don’t Have to Be Alone” was the song’s biggest highlight, thanks to Dickey Betts. His genius with the guitar gave Bobby Whitlock exactly what he needed for a wonderful song from his 1975 album, One of a Kind. As a bluesy rock song, it was Whitlock in fine form as a singer-songwriter that deserved more recognition from the mainstream music industry than he received. At the time, however, disco was getting all the attention while rootsy rockers seemed to be sidelined in what would become a musical war between a collection of recording artists who wrote and performed songs that served as a rocker’s equivalent to ammunition. “You Don’t Have to Be Alone” was a beautiful appeal to people who are struggling with personal demons that are determined to keep them down. As a bluesy rocker, Whitlock excelled at delivering musical messages about picking up broken pieces and learning to move forward.
#6 – A Day Without Jesus
Bobby Whitlock was a 1972 self-titled album release that brought forth musical material from the singer-songwriter as a solo artist for the first time. “A Day Without Jesus” was a southern gospel-fused song that witnessed Delaney Bramlett play a key role in this wonderful recording. From the opening piano to the organ, and into the lyrics, Whitlock collaborated with Eric Clapton and George Harrison in a song that became part of a Christian-based movement when bible believers were in agreement Jesus was the one and only true road to salvation. Among Christians who enjoy the influence of southern rock classics, “A Day Without Jesus” remains a favorite still performed in churches and community events.
#5 – Free and Easy (Way of Lovin’ You)
“Free and Easy (Way of Lovin’ You)” came from the 1975 album, One of a Kind. Fans of Delaney & Bonnie may recall the relevance of “Never Ending Song of Love” when Bobby Whitlock used to perform with the group from 1968 until 1970. Regarded as a light and airy mini-masterpiece, it served as one of the best musical materials from Whitlock as a solo artist. This is a swinging, upbeat number as a love song fun to listen to while taking a country drive or for a couple celebrating some quality time together.
#4 – Dreams of a Hobo
“Dreams of a Hobo” is a mournful ballad that had Bobby Whitlock at his songwriting best. In order to appreciate early 1970s bluesy rock that wasn’t so bent on appeasing big-name publishers of the music industry, this song, along with the rest of Whitlock’s debut album material, is worth listening to. Released in 1972, Bobby Whitlock was an album that had Whitlock himself debut as a solo artist. At the same time, Derek and the Dominos started to rise in popularity after experiencing such a slow start, especially with the belated hit single, “Layla.” While “Dreams of a Hobo” never charted as a hit on any official music charts, it became a humble classic among a fan base who appreciated the honesty behind Whitlock’s work as a singer-songwriter.
#3 – Tell the Truth
First released as a single by Derek and the Dominos in 1970, “Tell the Truth” was a song written and composed primarily by Bobby Whitlock. The last verse of this song was added by Eric Clapton before it was recorded for the band’s only solo album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. This wasn’t the song’s first recording, however. When Clapton and Whitlock performed as session musicians for George Harrison’s 1970 album, All Things Must Pass, “Tell the Truth” was already a song destined to find its way on an album recording. As a solo artist, “Tell the Truth” was the opening track for Whitlock’s second studio album, Raw Velvet.
For Whitlock, the inspiration behind the song came to him while he was temporarily living in England with Eric Clapton. Using his guitar, Whitlock worked out a melody that came to him while he was alone in Clapton’s living room. As a musician learning to carve a defined path for himself as a songwriter, “Tell the Truth” became Whitlock’s first real start as an artist that was about to flourish as a music star. As devout fans of Sam and Dave, Clapton and Whitlock fashioned “Tell the Truth’ as a pair singing alternating verses in a call-and-response format. This was the case in 1970, then again a year later for Bobby Whitlock. The difference with this version was it was more upbeat.
#2 – Movin’ On
While Derek and the Dominos performed as a rock group in 1970, there were some underlying issues that resulted in its breakup. At the time, Eric Clapton had a crush on George Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd. This was made evident with the single, “Layla.” When the group failed to make the kind of impression they hoped for, personal struggles led to relationship issues and substance abuse issues. It was at this time when Bobby Whitlock realized it was time to move on. This marked the beginning of his solo career that would lead to “Movin’ On” and the 1975 album, One of a Kind.
Regarded as one of the best songs of his musical career, “Movin’ On” had Whitlock in fine form with a range of bluesy growls to whispers. This song was recorded and released after the death of Jimi Hendrix, which hit Eric Clapton hard enough to send him into a state of depression. Missing his friend and colleague, Whitlock attempted to reignite Clapton’s love for music but it wasn’t meant to be at that time. “Movin’ On” also served as a reality check song, pointing out that life is too short to remain in a rut.
#1 – The Scenery Has Slowly Changed
“The Scenery Has Slowly Changed” was a song Bobby Whitlock personally felt was Eric Clapton at his best as a guitarist. He was also impressed with Jim Gordon’s drumming talent as these former members of Derek and the Dominos continued to collaborate with each other, despite the fact they were venturing out in their own respective directions as musicians. The recording of this song, as well as the other nine for Bobby Whitlock’s self-titled debut album, took place in 1971 but wasn’t released until March 1972.
The release date was delayed due to the recording company’s disapproval of the material Whitlock and his bandmates put together. Because of this, Whitlock switched labels to ABC-Dunhill Records. “The Scenery Has Slowly Changed” served as a reflection of what Whitlock was experiencing at the time. He was close to Eric Clapton and missed performing with him as a musician. Clapton seemed to know this as his guitaring genius seemed to share the same sentiment. This is an incredible song, powerfully performed by a rather emotional Bobby Whitlock who clearly didn’t hold back as a vocalist.
Top 10 Bobby Whitlock Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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