Layla – the Romeo and Juliet of the East

Eric Clapton was inspired to write “Layla” after reading the Persian poem “The Story of Layla and Majnan” by Nizami Ganjavi. He felt deeply connected to the story, describing an tale of a poet who falls hopelessly in love with a woman named Layla, goes crazy and so can not marry her.

Clapton found inspiration in the poem as he too fell desperately into a forbidden love – Pattie Boyd, then married to his good mate and fellow musician, George Harrison of the Beatles.

The earlier versions of the song were slow paced, reminding a slow ballad.
After seeing Duane Allman in a concert and inviting him to the studio, Allman played the signature high paced guitar riff and it became clear the song couldn’t be a slow ballad.

Shortly after recording the song with no less than sixteen tracks of which six were guitar tracks, Clapton caught Jim Gordon, Derek and the Domino’s drummer practicing for a solo album. Impressed by the piano piece he had composed (Technically, his Girlfriend at the time Rita Coolidge did), Clapton convinced Gordon to allow it to be used as part of the song.

Finally, Layla was complete.

Part of what makes this song so special in my eyes, is it’s composition – half heavy rocker with desperate and raw vocals, and half soothing piano instrumental. Here is a great live performance:

“What’ll you do when you get lonely?
And nobody’s waiting by your side?
You’ve been running and hiding much too long
You know it’s just your foolish pride

Layla
You’ve got me on my knees, Layla
I’m begging, darling please, Layla
Darling won’t you ease my worried mind

I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down
Like a fool, I fell in love with you
You’ve turned my whole world upside down

Layla
You’ve got me on my knees, Layla
I’m begging, darling please, Layla
Darling won’t you ease my worried mind

Let’s make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane
Please don’t say, we’ll never find a way
And tell me all my love’s in vain

Layla
You’ve got me on my knees, Layla
I’m begging, darling please, Layla
Darling won’t you ease my worried mind

Layla
You’ve got me on my knees, Layla
I’m begging, darling please, Layla
Darling won’t you ease my worried mind

[Guitar solo]

Layla
You’ve got me on my knees, Layla
I’m begging, darling please, Layla
Darling won’t you ease my worried mind”

Pattie’s writes about her reaction to the song in her autobiography:

“He switched up the tape machine, turned up the volume and played me the most powerful, moving song I had ever heard. He played it to me two or three times all the while watching my fave intently for my reaction. My first thought was: ‘Oh God, everyone’s going to know this is about me.’ “

Sadly, the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs didn’t reach commercial acclaim as expected.

As a results, the song’s first 2:43 were released in 1971, But when the full 7:10 version appeared on The History of Eric Clapton (1972) it re-entered the charts and charted at number 7 in the UK and number 10 in the US.

In 1992, Clapton recorded an acoustic version for him Unplugged album.

When asked about this accustic version, Clapton replied:

“‘Layla’ sort of mystified me. I have done it the same all these years and never ever considered trying to revamp it. And a lot of artists do that, you know? Bob Dylan for instance changes everything everytime he plays it and I thought this was another great opportunity to just take it off on a different path, to put it to a shuffle and for a start, making it acoustic denied all the riffs, really.”

As for Clapton and Boyd, they married eventually in 1979, with Harrison attending their wedding and even calling Clapton his “husband-in-law”.

Sadly, their marriage only lasted for about 10 years, mainly due to Clapton’s alcoholism addiction, affairs and unreasonable behaviour (the man did have a heroin addiction).

Boyd was referred as a “legendary rock muse” by Rolling Stone magazine, as she inspired both Harrison and Clapton, with “Layla” and other classic songs like “Bell Bottom Blues” (from the same album) and “Wonderful Tonight”.

This is not the last song Clapton wrote about his personal (and sad) experience – check out the song “Tears in Heaven”.

Hope you enjoyed this story about one of the most influencing guitarists (Second only to Jimi Hendrix some might say) and loved the song on all of it’s layers just like I did.