There's One in Every Crowd

There's One in Every Crowd
Studio album by Eric Clapton
Released	March 1975
Recorded	Late 1974 – early 1975
Studio	Criteria (Miami) Dynamic Sounds Studios (Kingston, Jamaica)
Genre	Blues rock · reggae
Length	40:08
Label	RSO
Producer	Tom Dowd
Eric Clapton chronology
461 Ocean Boulevard (1974) There's One in Every Crowd (1975) E. C. Was Here (1975)
Singles from There's One in Every Crowd
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" Released: May 1975

There's One in Every Crowd is the third solo studio album by Eric Clapton. Recorded shortly after 461 Ocean Boulevard, the album features a style similar to its predecessor but did not enjoy similar commercial success.

Background and release

After the success of "I Shot the Sheriff", Clapton and his backing band went to Jamaica to record There's One in Every Crowd. The songs "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "Little Rachel" and "Don't Blame Me" are recorded in a reggae style, though the rest of the record is considered blues and rock. However, with his growing alcohol dependency and drug problems in Jamaica, the record was very challenging to record.^{[citation needed]} Clapton wanted the album title to be "World’s Greatest Guitar Player (There's One in Every Crowd)". RSO didn't like the first part and chose to release the album under the shortened title.^[1]

Chart performance

The album reached the Top 40 on three national music charts. Achieving the highest position, number 15, in the United Kingdom, the album was certified with a silver disc by the British Phonographic industry. In the United States, the album peaked at position 21. In New Zealand the album placed itself on number 24 on the official New Zealand music chart, compiled by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand at the time.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[3]
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung	[4]

AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann awarded the album two out of five possible stars, stating that Clapton "hadn't had time to write or gather sufficient material [after the release of 461 Ocean Boulevard] to make a similarly effective album, since the result is a scattershot mixture of styles". Ruhlmann goes on in his review, noting the "album's best track, naturally, was the blues cover, Clapton's take on Elmore James' 'The Sky Is Crying'". and calling the release "a disappointing follow-up to 461 Ocean Boulevard".^[2] Robert Christgau rated the album with a "C+".^[5] Augustin Schmidt from the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said that the album, compared to 461 Ocean Boulevard, which charted high in Germany the year before, is disappointing, but not so bad, when you ignore the commercial success of the 1974 release.^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"We've Been Told (Jesus Coming Soon)" (arranged by Eric Clapton)	traditional · Blind Willie Johnson	4:28
2.	"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" (arranged by Clapton)	traditional	3:33
3.	"Little Rachel"	Jim Byfield	4:07
4.	"Don't Blame Me"	Clapton George Terry	3:35
5.	"The Sky Is Crying"	Elmore James	3:58

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Singin' the Blues"	Mary McCreary	3:26
2.	"Better Make It Through Today"	Clapton	4:07
3.	"Pretty Blue Eyes"	Clapton	4:45
4.	"High"	Clapton	3:30
5.	"Opposites"	Clapton	4:52
Total length:			40:08

Personnel

• Eric Clapton – lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, dobro, arrangements (1, 2)
• Dick Sims – Hammond organ, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes
• Albhy Galuten – synthesizers
• George Terry – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, group vocals
• Carl Radle – electric guitar, bass guitar
• Jamie Oldaker – drums, percussion
• Yvonne Elliman – lead vocals, group vocals
• Marcy Levy – group vocals

Production

• Producer – Tom Dowd
• Engineers – Graeme Goodall, Carlton Lee and Ronnie Logan (Kingston); Don Gehman, Steve Klein and Karl Richardson (Miami).
• Front Photography – Henry DeChatillon
• Back Photography – Robert Ellis
• Inner Sleeve Drawing – Eric Clapton

Charts

Chart (1975)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6]	15
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7]	11
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[8]	10
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[9]	31
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10]	24
UK Albums (OCC)[11]	15
US Billboard 200[12]	21

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13]	Silver	60,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Clapton, Eric (2007). My Life. United Kingdom.
2. "Eric Clapton | There's One in Every Crowd | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: C". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 23 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
4. Schmidt, Augustin (October 1975). "Clapton wieder auf der Erfolgsspur – jedoch nicht ganz" [Clapton back on track – but not quite]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Frankfurt am Main.
5. "Robert Christgau: CG: Eric Clapton > Eric Clapton [Polydor, 1970]". Robert Christgau. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6136a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
8. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Eric Clapton". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 48.
9. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
10. "Charts.nz – Eric Clapton – There's One in Every Crowd". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
11. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
12. "Eric Clapton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
13. "British album certifications – Eric Clapton – There's One in Every Crowd". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 August 2015.

External links

• There's One in Every Crowd at Discogs (list of releases)