No Reason to Cry

The album was recorded at The Band's Shangri-la Studios in March 1976, and included involvement from all five members of The Band; Rick Danko shared vocals with Clapton on "All Our Past Times", which he co-wrote with Clapton. The album also includes a duet with Bob Dylan on his otherwise unreleased song "Sign Language". The booklet in Bob Dylan's box set The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991 describes his involvement in this album: "Dylan dropped by and was just hanging out, living in a tent at the bottom of the garden. He would sneak into the studio to see what was going on." Dylan offered his new, unrecorded song "Seven Days" to Clapton.{{cite book| last =Newman| first =Martin Alan| title =Bob Dylan's Malibu| publisher =EDLIS Café Press| year =2021| location =Hibbing, Minnesota| isbn =9781736972304}} Clapton passed on it, but Ron Wood took him up on the offer and released it on his third solo album Gimme Some Neck.{{cite book|title=The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 [Rare & Unreleased] 1961–1991|first=Bob|last=Dylan|publisher=Columbia Records (Compact Disc #47382)|year=1992}} The song "Innocent Times" is sung by Marcy Levy, who also shared vocals with Clapton on "Hungry".{{cite web|url=http://www.eric-clapton.co.uk/collection/albums/noreasontocry.shtml|title=Album – No Reason To Cry|publisher=Eric-clapton.co.uk|access-date=17 August 2015}} In the bonus track "Last Night", added in the 1990 re-release, Clapton shares vocals with Richard Manuel.

No Reason to Cry is one of Clapton's most internationally successful albums from the 1970s. The release reached the Top 30 in seven national music album charts, hitting Top 10 in United Kingdom (peaking at No. 8) and in the Netherlands, where it topped out No. 9. The album was certified silver in the United Kingdom. In Norway and the United States, the album charted at No. 13 and No. 15 respectively, while in New Zealand and Sweden, it reached No. 18 and No. 24 respectively.

{{Music ratings

|rev1=AllMusic

|rev1score ={{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/no-reason-to-cry-mw0000189488|title=No Reason to Cry – Eric Clapton | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|work=AllMusic|access-date=17 August 2015}}

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2Score = B−{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: C|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=C&bk=70|access-date=February 23, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

}}

AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann awarded the release 3.5 of five possible stars, writing: "No Reason to Cry is identifiable as the kind of pop/rock Clapton had been making since the start of his solo career", adding "the most memorable music on the album occurs when Clapton is collaborating with members of the Band and other guests". Finishing his review, Ruhlmann called the release "a good purchase for fans of Bob Dylan and the Band, but not necessarily for those of Eric Clapton". Rolling Stone journalist Dave Marsh finds, the album recordings are "much more mélange than masterpiece".{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/no-reason-to-cry-19761118|title=Eric Clapton No Reason To Cry Album Review | Rolling Stone|date=18 November 1976 |publisher=Rolling Stone Magazine|access-date=17 August 2015}} Robert Christgau rated the album with a "B−" and calls the album "a well-made, rather likable rock and roll LP", noting the "singing is eloquent and the instrumental signature an almost irresistible pleasure".

{{Track listing

|total_length=45:59

|title1=Beautiful Thing

|writer1=Rick Danko · Richard Manuel

|length1=4:26

|title2=Carnival

|writer2=Eric Clapton

|length2=3:44

|title3=Sign Language

|writer3=Bob Dylan

|length3=2:58

|title4=County Jail Blues

|writer4=Alfred Fields; arranged by Eric Clapton

|length4=4:00

|title5=All Our Past Times

|writer5=Eric Clapton · Rick Danko

|length5=4:40

|title6=Hello Old Friend

|writer6=Eric Clapton

|length6=3:36

|title7=Double Trouble

|writer7=Otis Rush; arranged by Eric Clapton

|length7=4:23

|title8=Innocent Times

|writer8=Eric Clapton · Marcy Levy

|length8=4:11

|title9=Hungry

|writer9=Marcy Levy · Dicky Simms

|length9=4:39

|title10=Black Summer Rain

|writer10=Eric Clapton

|length10=4:55

}}

{{Track listing

|headline=1990 CD Bonus Track{{cite web|url=http://www.whereseric.com/eric-clapton-discography/eric-clapton-solo-audio-recordings-studio-all-recordings-ordered-release-12|title=NO REASON TO CRY – Where's Eric!|publisher=Whereseric.com|access-date=17 August 2015}}

|total_length=50:51

|title11=Last Night

|writer11=Walter Jacobs

|length11=4:52

}}

The listed personnel was taken from the album's liner notes. The back cover also thanks additional people, who worked on the album, without specifying what their contribution was.{{Cite AV media notes|title=No Reason to Cry|year=1976|chapter=Liner Notes / Back Cover|first=Eric|last=Clapton|last2=RSO Records|pages=1 – 2|type=LP Liner Notes|publisher=RSO Records|id=RS-1-3004 0698|location=United States}}

{{div col|colwidth=35em}}

• Bob Dylan – guitar and more on "Sign Language"
• Ron Wood – guitar on "Beautiful Thing", "Sign Language", "County Jail Blues" and "All Our Past Times"
• Rick Danko – bass
• Richard Manuel – piano
• Robbie Robertson – guitar
• Georgie Fame – keyboards
• Ed Anderson
• Aggie
• Brains Bradley
• Jesse Ed Davis
• Terry Danko
• Bob Ellis
• Connie
• Konrad Kramer
• Yvonne Elliman
• Geoffrey Harrison
• Levon Helm
• Garth Hudson
• Marcy Levy
• Nello
• Jamie Oldaker – drums
• Albhy Galuten
• Dick Simms
• Nat Jeffery
• Ralph Moss
• Dick La Palm
• Dread Lever
• Billy Preston
• Chris Jagger (vocals)
• Carl Radle
• Sergio Pastora Rodriguez
• Wilton Spears
• Dominic Lumetta
• Sandy Castle
• George Terry
• Rob Fraboni
• Larry Samuals
• Mick Turner
• Wah Wah Watson
• Pete & All at Shangri-La

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for No Reason to Cry}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1976|relmonth=08|region=Australia|award=Gold|certyear=1976|certref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Japan|nocert=yes|salesamount=35,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1976|relmonth=08|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|certyear=1976|id=4611-3230-2|artist=Eric Clapton|title=No Reason To Cry|access-date=22 February 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|nocert=yes|salesamount=350,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-11-06.pdf|title=49 Gold LPs In Top 100|publisher=worldradiohistory.com|work=Cashbox|date=6 November 1976|page=18|access-date=22 February 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|84053|No Reason to Cry|type=album}}

{{Eric Clapton}}

{{The Band}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:No Reason to Cry}}

Category:1976 albums

Category:Eric Clapton albums

Category:RSO Records albums

Category:The Band

Category:Albums produced by Rob Fraboni

Category:Albums recorded at Shangri-La (recording studio)