There's One in Every Crowd
{{Refimprove|date=May 2021}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox album
| name = There's One in Every Crowd
| type = Album
| artist = Eric Clapton
| cover = EricClaptonTheresOneInEveryCrowd.jpg
| alt =
| released = March 1975
| recorded = Late 1974 – early 1975
| venue =
| studio = *Criteria (Miami)
- Dynamic Sounds Studios (Kingston, Jamaica)
| genre = Blues rock · reggae
| length = 40:08
| label = RSO
| producer = Tom Dowd
| prev_title = 461 Ocean Boulevard
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = E. C. Was Here
| next_year = 1975
| misc = {{Singles
| name = There's One in Every Crowd
| type = Album
| single1 = Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
| single1date = 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|date=January 2019}} 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.{{cite book|first=Eric|last=Clapton|title=My Life|year=2007|location=United Kingdom}}
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
{{Album reviews
|rev1=AllMusic
|rev1score={{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|publisher=Rovi Corporation|work=AllMusic|access-date=August 17, 2015|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/theres-one-in-every-crowd-mw0000649981|title=Eric Clapton | There's One in Every Crowd | AllMusic}}
|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide
|rev2Score = C+{{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}}
|rev3=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
|rev3score={{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite journal|last=Schmidt|first=Augustin|date=October 1975|title=Clapton wieder auf der Erfolgsspur – jedoch nicht ganz|trans-title=Clapton back on track – but not quite|language=de|journal=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|location=Frankfurt am Main}}
}}
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". Robert Christgau rated the album with a "C+".{{cite web|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Eric+Clapton|title=Robert Christgau: CG: Eric Clapton > Eric Clapton [Polydor, 1970]|publisher=robertchristgau.com|work=Robert Christgau|access-date=August 16, 2015}} 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.
Track listing
{{Track listing
|title1=We've Been Told (Jesus Coming Soon)
|writer1=traditional · Blind Willie Johnson
|note1=arranged by Eric Clapton
|length1=4:28
|title2=Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
|note2=arranged by Clapton
|writer2=traditional
|length2=3:33
|title3=Little Rachel
|writer3=Jim Byfield
|length3=4:07
|title4=Don't Blame Me
|writer4={{hlist|Clapton|George Terry}}
|length4=3:35
|title5=The Sky Is Crying
|writer5=Elmore James
|length5=3:58
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side two
|title1=Singin' the Blues
|writer1=Mary McCreary
|length1=3:26
|title2=Better Make It Through Today
|writer2=Clapton
|length2=4:07
|title3=Pretty Blue Eyes
|writer3=Clapton
|length3=4:45
|title4=High
|writer4=Clapton
|length4=3:30
|title5=Opposites
|writer5=Clapton
|length5=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
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|artist=Eric Clapton|title=There's One in Every Crowd|relyear=1975|certyear=1975|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|access-date=August 17, 2015|id=7527-3230-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|79025|There's One in Every Crowd|type=album}}
{{Eric Clapton|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}