News 27 Sep 2013

Eric Clapton / Give Me Strength: The 1974 / 1975 Recordings box set

By Paul Sinclair

ec_gms_sde — 5CDs with unreleased outtakes + Blu-ray audio with 5.1 mixes

Universal Music will release a new six-disc Eric Clapton box set on 25 November 2013.

Give Me Strength: The ’74/’75 Recordings is a 5CD+ Blu-ray Audio box set that celebrates the period between April 1974 and June 1975 when Clapton produced the studio albums 461 Ocean Boulevard and There’s One In Every Crowd, as well as the live double set E.C. Was Here.

All three of those albums are included in this new box in remastered, expanded form, and all include previously unreleased session outtakes or unheard live performances.

461 Ocean Boulevard includes four previously released outtakes (including a couple of versions of Getting Acquainted), whilst amongst the bonus offerings on There’s One In Every Crowd are two unreleased session tracks Burial and Fools Like Me, and both sides of the Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door single.

E.C. Was Here is not only remastered, but REMIXED, and expanded across two CDs, with numerous unissued extras such as versions of Layla, Crossroads and Little Wing.

The fifth CD is taken up with Clapton’s sessions with blues guitarist and singer Freddie King. Originally recorded for King’s Burglar album, four tracks are featured here, including a previously unreleased 22-minute version of Gambling Woman Blues.

Hi-Res Surround Sound on Blu-ray

One of the most exciting elements within this new Give Me Strength box is the inclusion of THREE surround sound mixes on Blu-ray audio. Respected engineer Elliot Scheiner’s unreleased 5.1 mix of 461 Ocean Boulevard is here, as well as the original quadraphonic mix of the same album. There’s One In Every Crowd is also included in the original quad mix.

A 3LP box set will also be issued that includes all three albums without bonus tracks, and has E.C. Was Here in its original mix. Full track listings are below.

5CD+Blu-ray Audio box set

3LP Vinyl set

Full Tracklisting:

DISC ONE – 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD expanded version

1 MOTHERLESS CHILDREN
2 GIVE ME STRENGTH
3 WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE
4 GET READY
5 I SHOT THE SHERIFF
6 I CAN’T HOLD OUT
7 PLEASE BE WITH ME
8 LET IT GROW
9 STEADY ROLLIN’ MAN
10 MAINLINE FLORIDA

Session out-takes:

11 AIN’T THAT LOVIN’ YOU
12 MEET ME (DOWN AT THE BOTTOM)
13 LONESOME ROAD BLUES (WALKIN’ DOWN THE ROAD)
14 GETTING ACQUAINTED (previously unreleased)
15 GETTING ACQUAINTED 2 (TOO LATE) (previously unreleased)
16 ERIC AFTER HOURS BLUES
17 PLEASE BE WITH ME (ACOUSTIC) (previously unreleased)
18 GIVE ME STRENGTH (DOBRO 1) (previously unreleased)

DISC TWO – THERE’S ONE IN EVERY CROWD expanded version

1 WE’VE BEEN TOLD (JESUS IS COMING SOON)
2 SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT
3 LITTLE RACHEL
4 DON’T BLAME ME
5 THE SKY IS CRYING
6 SINGIN’ THE BLUES
7 BETTER MAKE IT THROUGH TODAY
8 PRETTY BLUE EYES
9 HIGH
10 OPPOSITES

Session out-takes:

11 BURIAL (previously unreleased)
12 WHAT’CHA GONNA DO
13 I FOUND A LOVE
14 (WHEN THINGS GO WRONG) IT HURTS ME TOO
15 FOOLS LIKE ME (previously unreleased)

Non-album single release:

16 KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
17 SOMEONE LIKE YOU

DISC THREE – E.C. WAS HERE remixed and expanded version

1 SMILE (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
2 HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 19, 1974)
3 PRESENCE OF THE LORD (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
4 CROSSROADS (previously unreleased -Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
5 I SHOT THE SHERIFF (previously unreleased – Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
6 LAYLA (previously unreleased – Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
7 LITTLE WING (previously unreleased – Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
8 CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
9 DRIFTIN’ BLUES / RAMBLIN’ ON MY MIND (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)

DISC FOUR – E.C. WAS HERE remixed and expanded version

1 RAMBLIN’ ON MY MIND / HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN (Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, December 4, 1974)
2 WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE / GET READY (Recorded at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, July 20, 1974)
3 THE SKY IS CRYING / HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN / RAMBLIN’ ON MY MIND (Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, December 5, 1974)
4 BADGE (Recorded at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale New York, June 28, 1975)
5 DRIFTIN’ BLUES (Recorded at Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, June 25, 1975)
6 EYESIGHT TO THE BLIND / WHY DOES LOVE GOT TO BE SO SAD (Recorded at Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island, June 25, 1975)
7 FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD (Recorded at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale New York, June 28, 1975)

DISC FIVE – THE FREDDIE KING CRITERIA STUDIOS SESSIONS

1 SUGAR SWEET
2 TV MAMA
3 BOOGIE FUNK (previously unreleased)
4 GAMBLING WOMAN BLUES (previously unreleased full length version)

DISC SIX – (BLU-RAY AUDIO)

1. 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD Elliot Scheiner 5.1 Surround Sound mix (previously unreleased). 5.1 Surround Mix by Elliot Scheiner at The Eyeball.
2. 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD original quadraphonic mix. Mixed by Tom Dowd at Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, Florida, January 1975.
3. THERE’S ONE IN EVERY CROWD original quadraphonic mix. Mixed by Tom Dowd at Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, Florida, January 1975.

5CD+Blu-ray Audio box set

3LP Vinyl set

• USA Pre-order: Give Me Strength 74

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