Album: Wheels Of Fire (1968)

Charted: 28

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• I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
  Down to the crossroads fell down on my knees
  Asked the lord above for mercy, "take me, if you please"
  
  I went down to the crossroads tried to flag a ride
  Down to the crossroads tried to flag a ride
  Nobody seemed to know me, everybody passed me by
  
  Well, I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
  Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
  We can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside
  
  Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
  Going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side
  We can still barrelhouse, baby, on the riverside
  
  You can run, you can run tell my friend boy Willie Brown
  Run, you can run tell my friend boy Willie Brown
  And I'm standing at the crossroads believe I'm sinking down
  
  Thank you, Eric Clapton lead, uh vocal Writer/s: Robert Johnson
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 99

• Keith from MichiganJack announces, "Eric Clapton, lead - and vocal"
• Richyd from CoI was very young when I first saw Derek and the Dominos. They played at the Pines Hotel in upstate New York. Before that I saw Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin and the rest of the Rat Pack play at kush's Country Club and the Concord Hotel in Upstate New York in the Catskill Mountains. I also met Cassius Clay at the Concord Hotel though they were boxing at k u t c h e r s Hotel which had a better boxing ring set up t h a n the Concord. I saw traffic Blind Faith Commander Cody Planet Airmen. I saw Jimmy Hendrix at Woodstock when I was 12 years old. I see the best of the best of the best and the greatest of the greatest. You f****** rock historians don't know s*** about s***! I Muddy Waters and BB King and Little Richard at the peppermint cane Lounge in Harris New York. I was only 13 then. You people need to get your s*** straight. Cuz you don't know squat about squat
• Sir Richard The Lionheart from Vancouver BcHey, Rick Waterman from New Jersey - That line your disputing 'Take my rider by my side' is actually correct. It's taken from Traveling Riverside Blues, also by Robert Johnson, and Cream used portions of both songs. Later he may have said 'Loretta' live as an in joke, but the lyrics are 'Rider by my side'. Even Led Zeppelin sang these lyrics in TRB long, long ago.
• John Zambrano from Philadelphia, PaHi All..I may be wrong, but ever since I first heard the song in 1968...I believe at the end, instead of "kerfuffle", I'm hearing "THE VOCAL"
• Rick Waterman from New JerseyIt is not going down to Rosedale take my rider by my side ,it is going down to Rosedale take Loretta by my side. Duh that is the name of his guitar. Must have copy and paste from so other person who couldn’t hear.
• Jeff from Queens, NycI hear, and have been hearing since the album came out, "Eric Clapton, please, above all."
• Steve from Encinitas, CaFor fifty years now, I've felt pretty sure about what was spoken at the end of the song, but now I'm less do. All these years I have been hearing Jack Bruce telling the audience in sort of a sardonic way, "Eric Clapton please, on Vocals"" I mean Clapton has just delivered himself of the most amazing guitar lick in history, and Bruce is anxious the audience should know the name of the vocalist on the number,as if the guitar solo wasn't really all that important. i'VE always thought it a little bit of a joke between group members.
• Todd B. from IllinoisAt the end of the song, Jack Bruce says "Eric Clapton lead....and vocal." Eric simply says "Thank you", not "Kerfuffle."
• Martin Mocha from VermontTo Leo of San Jose:
  U say you SAW EC use the ES-335 at the Oakland Colosseum???
  Prove it please. I have the photos of every concert from that Farewell Tour. At Oakland he is ONLY seen playing his Les Paul and Firebird, the ONLY two guitars he used throughout the Farewell US tour. Did he magically teleport his 335 from England where he was keeping it during the US Cream tours? Unless you have photos that can definitively prove your claim, you are probably either hallucinating or confusing the Cream concert with Blind Faith because during the Blind Faith tour of the summer of 1969, EC did bring his ES-335 along with his Les Paul and Firebird. As I have stated in many articles and the below article (typos included), the ONLY existing photos of EC using the ES-335 with Cream, were during their final Royal Albert Hall farewell performance in London England, on November 26, 1968 as seen in the movie. He was also photographed using it during rehearsals for those two shows.
  
  So please STOP STOP STOP (as the Hollies once sang) parroting the persistent total falsehood that Eric Clapton played his Gibson ES-335 during Cream....he ONLY played it ONCE during a Cream live performance and as I said, it was in London during the final Cream farewell performance and the Royal Albert Hall, along with his, you guessed it, Firebird. As I say below, this myth was invented by the Burst Brothers of Guitar Center for the sole greedy purpose of selling the re-issue ES-335 after they purchased it from the Christies Auction.
  
  By far, and known by any Cream or Clapton scholar, his number ONE Cream guitar, hands down, from the spring of 67 through May 1968, was his Gibson SG standard with the psychedelic design known lovingly as "the Fool". In late 1966 after his Bluesbreaker Beano Les Paul was stolen, he started Cream with two, possibly three, different Les Pauls then switched to his SG around March 1967 than by late April 68, started experimenting with his Gibson Reverse Firebird which along with two different Les Paul standards, became his main guitar during the Cream Farewell tour of the US between October and November of 68.
  
  Next crazy delusional myth that will infect the internet, will invent that Clapton actually used a massive 17th century pipe organ playing Bach Fugues:-) Ah, great idea, who wants to start that fantasy? Time to crash.
• Martin Mocha from VermontPlease, lets set the record straight!.....like a never ending worm virus, this outrageous lie that Clapton used his ES-335 in the US with during Cream is TOTAL BULLSH.T!!!!! This is a total fabrication created by the Burst Brothers of Guitar Center AFTER they purchased EC's old 335 at the Christies Auction to help hype it & sell it, they created the lie & myth that states it was his "Crossroads" guitar which is totally absurd, and patently false.
  I challenge ANYBODY to come up with ONE single photo of EC using the 335 with Cream in DURING ANY US tour...NOT the final Royal Albert Hall Farewell performance of November 26, 1968 in London England where he used it during the rehearsals (photos taken) and during the second set of the RAH performance which is part of a movie any Cream fan has seen. Those performances were the ONLY time EC ever used the Gibson 335 during a live Cream performance period.
  
  I have collected photos of EVERY single US Cream performance from late 1967 including every single performance during the Cream US Farewell Tour between October and November 1968 and the ONLY guitars Eric is seen with, in every single concert without fail, is, his Les Paul standard and his Gibson Firebird.....NO 335, zip, not there, sorry.
  
  He traded his original Les Paul during the opening Oakland Colosseum concert to Paul Kossoff of Free (on the bill) for his Les Paul then along with his Firebird, used those two throughout the US Farewell tour barring one or two borrowed Les Pauls. Whether it was Philly, LA forum, Madison Square Garden in NY, or Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, you name it and Clapton either used his Les Paul standard in cherry sunburst or the Gibson Firebird.
  
  During the previous Disraeli Gears tour between the fall of 67 and early June 1968, EC predominantly used his famous Gibson SG standard known as the "Fool" because of the psychedelic design painted on the body, neck and headstock of his 1964 SG Standard, plus he occasionally used one or two Les Pauls, being a Cherry Sunburst standard or Black Beauty Les Paul custom with three humbucking pickups although he later seemed to have a two pickup version of a Les Paul custom. I saw him in Philly during April 1968 with Cream and he used his SG standard through a dual Marshall stack, an unforgettable, visceral performance.
  
  So please STOP STOP STOP (as the Hollies once sang) the persistence total horse sh.t falsehood that Eric Clapton played his Gibson ES-335 during Cream....he ONLY played it ONCE during a Cream live performance and as I said, it was in London during the final Cream farewell performance and the Royal Albert Hall, along with his, you guessed it, Firebird.
  
  It could be that people are either confused because he DID play his ES-335 with BLIND FAITH during their US tour in the summer of 1969, along with his Firebird and Les Paul plus he is rumored to have used his 335 for the Cream studio recording of Badge although unconfirmed. Lastly, people are believing the erroneous garbage they read on the internet promulgated by the Burst Brothers myth so they could sell the Gibson reissue of the Clapton ES-335. Lets get it right, how many times do I have to write these long diatribes on the web to snuff out this horrendous lingering hunk of friggin disinformation? Apparently it won't go away....sort of like Fox(ed) News:-)
• Martin Mocha from VermontThe unbelievable BS, erroneous crap about Clapton's solo being edited is laughable but yet persists like a computer internet virus. I have a boot of Crossroads from the same March 10, 1968 performance, from a hand held mic in the audience, and it's the SAME EXACT recording, same solos, period..case closed. The shameful aspect of this, is because a drunk Tom Down once blurted out this piece of disinformation which he has since retracted and admitted, he "just said it due to being inebriated and confused".
  So lets set the record straight, not only was Clapton's Crossroads solo without doubt, one of the most iconic, and truly greatest live guitar performances ever recorded in the genre of blues rock, but it has become the benchmark and litmus test since for all or any aspiring guitarist who wants to follow the path of the "rock guitar hero" trip to mythical fame.
  Clapton's Winterland Crossroads performance along with others like Sleepy Time Time, Sitting on top of the World from the LA Forum and many others, are what catapulted Clapton to the heights of guitar stardom and hero status plus, inspired and influenced generations of guitarists rivaling Hendrix as the "white" bookend of the two greatest blues rock guitarists of the late 20th century.
  Sadly, Clapton's massive sound created by Gibson solid body guitars and his dual Marshall stack (or single stack) stopped after the Cream disbanded and even though he remains a legend and deservedly so, the Fender Strat watered down his sound to such an extent, it created an anemic presentation which pulled all the power out of his great solos. He apparently retired his guitar her status at the end of Blind Faith and the rest is history but the guitar playing world will always defer to his glory days with the Bluesbreakers and Cream which has become a watershed event in electric guitar history and has left a legacy that sets a gold standard for what can be considered truly "great blues guitar virtuosity".
• Babbling Babette from Tulsa OkFirst time I heard "Crossroads" from the "Wheels of Fire" LP was in '68 while listening to an "underground rock" station in Kansas City. The whole underground scene was weird back then and so much strange fun. Especially, while being zonked-out. What memories from 46 years ago! I believe that's when I began "babbling" incoherently!!
• Joe Sbommbo from Los Angeles, CaIt's been a 40 years plus mystery. What does he say at the end of the song???? To me he says : FA POCO....
• Leo from San Jose, CaClapton did NOT use a 335 during the live Wheels of Fire recordings. It was the psychedelic SG. I was there and I have pics. He used the 335 during the Goodbye tour.
  I saw Cream all 3 time they came to San Francisco. The first time in '67 he used the SG, same in '68 at Winterland and the Fillmore. The third time was at Oakland Coliseum and he used the 335.
• Ron from Ottawa, OnHas anybody listened to the end of the song and watched the video at the same time? Sure must be Ginger Baker saying: "Eric Clapton please, on vocals".
• Gavin from London, United KingdomJack Bruce does not speak at the end. Eric Clapton says 'Thank You' as Ginger Baker clearly says (in his South London accent), 'Eric Clapton, please, above all'. End of.
• Victor from Scharnak, WaA couple of corrections. The guitar Clapton used in the live recording, and most of his live work in the latter days of Cream with his red Gibson ES335. This guitar had a much fatter tone than "The Fool" psychedelic SG. Also, at the end of the recording, it was Ginger Baker saying, "Eric Clapton, please, on vocal."
• Nick from Seattle, Albaniasooooo much better fast
• Sam from Hipsville, CaFirst time i heard that lead guitar, I was just blown away..and still am everytime i hear it!
• Roy from Granbania, MaThe songfact about the lyrics in "Me and the Devil Blues" mentioning the number 27 or for that matter "childrens", seems to be unfounded as far as I can tell based on any online lyrics. It makes for an excellent story though, so if anyone can prove me wrong, I would be thrilled.
• Scott from Boston, MaHas anyone heard Lynyrd Skynyrd's cover from "One More From the Road"? I think it's a great cover. Right there with Rush's in my opinion.
• Will from Rock Hill, ScActually, David from GA, it most definitely is a cover, the first, second, and last verses come from 'Cross Road Blues' and the third comes from 'Traveling Riverside Blues', both by Robert Johnson.
• John from Chicago, IlIn the years since it was released, I've listened to WOF,& Crossroads & Spoonful in particular, countless numbers of times. At the end of CR, I hear Eric say to the audience, "Thank you". At the same instant, I hear Jack saying, "Eric Clapton, please....the vocal." While issuing one of the most blistering guitar solos in rock history, he, at the same time sung a fabulous lead vocal part. I think Jack was highlighting that. John D. Chicago
• John from Chicago, IlI've listened to "Crossroads" from WOF countless times over the past 40 years. I hear Eric saying when it's finished, "Thank you" to the audience, but Jack talks at the same time, saying, "Eric Clapton, please....the vocal". He says it quickly, so you have to listen carefully, but that's what Jack says. John D., Chicago
• Ray from Bonneville Salt Flats, UtI gotta agree with Ken in San Diego's statement. Of all the versions of this song (as performed by Cream)) the Winterland version is far and away the best one. The others hardly come close in performance and sound quality. It probably helps that I have a remastered version, rather than the original.
  
  I agree with Ben from Hong Kong. Jack Bruce is at his very best here. Clapton and Baker ain't none too shabby, neither. But I'm a bass player, so I'm biased (like Bassdude.)
  
  I've been trying to find more info on "my friend boy, Willie Brown." I've found that he was from Clarksdal, Ms. and was a friend of Son House. Supposedly he preferred to play accompaniment rather than lead or solo.
  
  Finally, the concept of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil was an apocryphal tale that was originally cultivated by Tommy Johnson (no relation to Robert that I know of) as part of the "sinister persona" he (TJ) tried to present in hopes of gaining more recognition (supposedly.) In fact, Tommy Johnson is said to have been an alcoholic and itinerant musician who wandered all over the South performing when and where he could until his death in 1956.
  
• David from Winder, GaIt's a common misconception that Cream's version is a cover of Robert Johnson's version. Actually the only things the songs have in common are the name and the part of the first verse. After that Cream's lyrics are totally different than Johnson's.
• Ken from San Diego, CaI've been able to rack down several Cream versions of this song and none come close to the Winterland performance. It seems that Eric, Jack and Ginger were all at their peak on this night. Some of the other versions are actually quite bad, uneven and the solos are completely different. The Winterland version shows Clapton at his best but listen to Jack Bruce keep up his bass lines beat for beat with Eric, while Ginger fills in at every opportunity, just brilliant from all three musicians and with out question the greatest live recording.
• Francis L. Vena from New York City,, NyI saw Cream in 2004 perform this song @ Madison
  Square Garden - the whole show was a religous experience worth the ticket price of 250.00 USD
  
  EC played lead as a mathmetician and with searing
  notes. Ginger and Jack have not lost a step.
  flv
• Kiyoto from Vancouver, Canadaok i am canadian like rush, but i cannot stand geddy lee's voice. i find it to bo one of the most annoying voices in music today. to all u rush fans out there im sorry but i think geddy lee is terrible. cream rocks by the way, eric clapton is awesome in this song.
• Barb from Virginia Beach, VaJonell Mosser did a fantastic cover of this song for the Boys on the Side soundtrack in 1995.
• Joe from Bellingham, WaI was walking downtown one night to pick up some donuts and a 2 liter of sprite, I was hungry. It was around 10 pm or something and I heard this song, turns out there were three homeless guys who were playing it. i stood and listend for a minute and gave them a tip. when i got to the gas station to buy my stuff, I didn't have enough money. My wallet had a five and a one dollar bill. i gave the bums the five instead of the one! i left the gas station wistling crossroads.
• Jim from Toledo, Oh"Eric Clapton please...Vocals" that is seriously hilarious i laugh every time without fail. Just listen to the intonation in Jack's voice, he clearly isnt saying "eric clapton lead" or he would have paused after clapton.
• James from Tracy, CaThis was recorded at the Winterland Ballroom, not the Fillmore. "Live at the Fillmore" is misleading, since only one song ("Toad") was recorded at that venue.
• Allen from Bethel, AkI was amazed to find out this was live. Indeed, Clapton is no mortal. (Hee, hee!)
• Pat from Albuquerque, NmThis is possibly the best song ever recorded by Cream. This is the first "hard rock" album I ever bought, in 1968. I played this song so much I wore out the LP.
  
  Later in 1975 or so I saw Clapton and his band in concert in Indianapolis, around the time the "E.C. Was Here" album came out. He didn't play "Crossroads," and I was disappointed. At least he played "Layla" the way it was originally recorded by Derek and the Dominoes--and made it look easy.
• Max from Brooklyn, NyThere was actually a good reason EVH turned his back. Before "Van Halen I" was released, the band told Eddie to play his solos with his back to the audience so that no one would pick up on the two handed tapping thing. Robert Johnson, ironically played like this at times so no one in the crowd could "cheat" and see how he did his more complicated parts on guitar. BTW, tim, richmond, VA - page didnt invent twohanded tapping. it just sounds like that because he's using open strings. People, go get some guitar lessons.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI don't know if Eddie would have turned his back in shame. Who knows why he did it? No one. Maybe he didn't want people to see it. I don't know.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScActually Mike the Who was around before Cream was.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScIt is Eric Claptain singing lead vocals and playing lead guitar.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScReguarding what Son House said about Robert Johnson, I think he was just jealous. There is documentation that Robert Johnson learned to play as well as he did from an unrecorded guitarist named Ike Zinman or Ike Zinnerman. He was born in Grady Alabama in the 1890's, and he learned to play the guitar ontop of tombstones. Johnson would spend hours learning with him or going over what he had learned. From what I have read, Son House seems to have been the first person to suggest that Robert Johnson sold his soul. There's even a quote from Son House in which he says: "He sold his soul to play like that." Btw, if you like Robert Johnson's music, you'll like Son House's. He was a great blues singer, and a good blues guitarist.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScGedddy Lee is a good vocalist, but Jack Bruce is better.
• Nick from Moncton, CanadaI always thought it was "Eric Clapton, lead, and vocal"
• Mike from Queens, NyThe song "Crossroads" was performed by Cream on the BBC show Guitar Club on November 28, 1966, albeit slower and not as explosive, this performance pre-dates the Wheels of Fire version by 17 months. The session was broadcast by BBC on Dec. 30, 1966.
• Mike from Queens, NyCream obviously wasnt the first 3 piece band, they are just considered to be the first "Power Trio" rock band. A power trio consists of one lead guitar, one drummer and one bass player. "Power Trios" became very popular in the 60's after Cream, ex. Jimi Hendrix Experience, and groups like the Who or Led Zeppelin who used a power trio musical format but added a vocalist
• Ben from Nyc, MsDude, the chances of Cream being the first ever, anywhere, never before seen three peice is stupid. Joe perry(Aerosmith) was in a three peice in his youth.
• Cody from Hagerstown, MdDid you know cream was the first ever 3 piece group ever.
• J from Seattle, WaWhere can I hear Free's (or Rush's) cover? For my 2 cents, Jack's comments at the end of Xroads is "Eric Clapton: Lead... and vocal"
• Ben from Nyc, MsDude EVH has said ON RECORD that clapton "affected me more than any one else." From the man himself.
• Josh from New York, Nyclapton was not EVH's idol, jimmy page was. and page was a bigger influence on EVH because he [page] created 2 hand tapping on "heartbreaker" and was the main inspiration behind eruption.
• Sam from Shanghai, ChinaFree's live version of this is excellent. Maybe even better than Cream's. Except for the fact that Paul Rodgers forgets the words halfway through...
  
  Also check out Clapton's cover of Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues" on Me and Mr. Johnson from which "Crossroads" was created. Much slower pace, but it's so menacing.
• Ben from Nyc, MsI'm sorry i made a mistake. it skipped my mind
• Steve from Fenton, MoBen, let's get our facts straight. Jack Bruce doesn't sing Crossroads, Eric Clapton does. In fact, Eric sings and plays lead on the song at the same time, given that it's a live recording. I don't guess anyone in Rush had to do both at once. Although I haven't heard much of Rush, aren't they from that era of bands where every group's lead singer sounded like two tom cats with their tails taped together?
• Ben from Nyc, MsWorst Male Vocalist?? are you serious!!?!?!
• Chet Walters, Ink Specialist from Bethlehem, PaOne of the greatest live recordings ever. I've never heard Rush's cover, but seeing how Geddy Lee is the worst male vocalist ever, I can't imagine the song being very enjoyable. And what is actually said at the end of the song? To me it sounds more like "Eric Clapton please" than "Eric Clapton on lead."
• Ben from Nyc, MsStill I just think lifeson's solo is better. Also Geddy's is a Better vocalalist Than Jack Bruce
• Evan from Fullerton, CaBen from NYC: You're fooling yourself. Rush's version was heavily influenced by Cream's-- they pretty much copied it.
• Tim from Richmond, Vaeddie V. H. is a child compared to eric clapton, he turned his back in shame during concerts as he finger tapped hist strings, what a joke, he used one pentatonic position while clapton broke the guitar and blues world wide open with his intelligence and finesse
• Tim from Richmond, Vacome on guys, bruce says "eric clapton on lead... and vocals." as he plays lead guitar and sings
• Steve from Fenton, MoClapton's guitar playing on this song is some of the best ever recorded. I think Clapton is intimidated by it and therefore doesn't want to try to reproduce it. The two times I've seen him in concert, my biggest disappointment has been his refusal to play Crossroads the way he played it with Cream. If he's simply going to try to play it in Robert Johnson's slide guitar style, don't bother. This is another case where the Cream version virtually rewrites the song.
• Steve from Fenton, MoI'll take Clapton's guitar playing over anyone else because Eric Clapton has melodic solos and knows when to show restraint. Eddie Van Halen is obviously fast and has invented a guitar playing technique, but he uses basically the same solo on every song.
• Ben from Nyc, MsRush's version is Better. Lifeson leaves Clapton choking in the DUST.
• Evan from Fullerton, CaOops, I also forgot to add that they're still doing the same thing at their recent reunion at the Royal Albert Hall.
• Evan from Fullerton, CaSteve from Alexandria: the members of Cream frequently introduced each other, especially on songs that featured a particular band member. At the end of the live version of "Rollin' and Tumblin'," Clapton says "Jack Bruce, everyone." On the live version of "Toad," Clapton also acknowledges Ginger Baker after the drum solo. They even introduced each other on songs that didn't feature a certain band member, like Baker introducing his bandmates after "Sitting on Top of the World."
• Kartik from Peace River, CanadaI read that Cream was a jam band so i'm thinking claptons solo wasnt rehearsed so when the drummer kidna changed the beat, Clapton was able to mold his solo's timing to fit in again and they just went from there.
  Those solos are amazing. I personally think the second one is better than Stairway to Heaven's solo but that's jsut me. Either way Clapton is amazing and he is my favorite guitarist of all time
• Steve from Alexandria, VaThis is my first post on this forum. Been a fan of Eric Clapton since I was 13. I am 51 now. What Jack Bruce says at the end of Crossroads is either pretty funny of a slam at Eric. Think about it, Clapton has just finished one of the greatest guitar solos in all of rock and roll - really shredded it, and all Jack can say is "Eric Clapton, please, for vocals." I hope it was a joke cause there were countless stories about how they didn't get along - particularly Jack and Ginger Baker.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScFor any of you who are curious, you should check out Robert Johnson's version. It's incredible!! I don't know where you can find it on the net, but it is on his first King of the Delta Blues Singers compilation, and it is probably on his Complete Recordings box-set too.
• Evan from Fullerton, CaThere's clearly at least one more syllable after Bruce says "Eric Clapton," so it can't be just "Eric Clapton, above all." It sounds like the "-ease" sound in "please" to me.
• Robert from Santa Barbara, CaRobert "Little Dusty" Johnson started out as a harmonica player, then suddenly came back as this polished guitar player. The original version is acoustic slide guitar. As one who attended the Fillmore concert in '68(The original Fillmore, not the later Fillmore West), I can attest that Eric's playing was stratospheric. He did play a Firebird IV through his reworked Marshall amps. The old Fillmore was the perfect room for big amps.
• Marc from Utica, NyI've been playing guitar since 65' and there is no better example of a power trio than this. I've heard Clapton thought his solo was a "piece of crap" and being very self critical myself as a guitarist I can see what he's thinking but he's wrong. Hendrix has always been my main influence but this track represents everything I always wanted to be as a guitarist or as a member of a band...it's 3 guys in perfect harmony just wailin'. No better piece of music has ever come out since.
• Dan from Lee, NhMSG is Madison Square Garden.
• Matt from Lansdale, PaI believe Bruce actually says, "Eric Clapton, vocal" since this was one of the few Cream songs Clapton sung.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScYeah: I know what you mean Dan. I have the live cd set of them at Royal Albert Hall, and there reallly good on it, but they did lose a little of that fire. The cd's are great though. They are definitely worth checking out.l
• Dan from Lee, NhThe concert was at MSG and it was really good they didn't disapoint, but I must admit they lost some of their fire power.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScActually, It was probably somewhere else, because they had already played quite a few shows in London in May.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScWhere's this October concert? Where hve i been? I didn't hear about it until coming to the website.
• Jim from Macungie, PaKona and Bassdude Bruce clearly says "Eric Clapton, above all."
• Ben from Chinatown, Hong Kongactually bassdude, i think bruce's playing on crossroads is some of the best blues(or bass for that matter) playing any bass player has ever done before. During the solo, he always improvises his stuff. I can say that Bruce probably puts on as good a show as clapton does on this track and im a guitar player :D This is a perfect example of why people call them the power trio of rock
• Dave from Nashville, TnI do believe Robin Trower did Crossroads also. At least that's what I am listening to right now.
• Albert from Charleston, WvNot that it's any big deal, but as a guitarist I had my suspicions early on that "Crossroads" was an edited performance. Put on the song and keep time in your head or tap it out on your knee. Try to keep a steady tempo all the way through the song. Then notice what happens, timing-wise, after Eric's last solo as he goes into the verse "run you can run." The tempo changes, a beat is lost, and if you follow my drift, that's a dead give-away. With today's digital technology, that timing discrepancy, that bad splice, could probably be corrected and that abrupt change in tempo would never be noticed.
  
  Of course, like most of you, when I listen to Crossroads I could care less about the above.
  
  
• Mark from Peterborough, CanadaClapton says in his 2004 guitar auction book that his Cherry Red Gibson ES-335 was the Crossroads guitar.
• Bassdude from Spring, TxI think it's the whole band that makes it such a great version.I love to listen to Jack as much as Eric (I'm a bassist so I'm a little biased)& of course Ginger's holding his own as well.I've played this in several bands & it's always one song I don't get sick of playing.I always Jack says "Eric Clapton on vocals" at the end.
• Damien from Sydney, AustraliaFor Leya and Kona: at the end of the track, I think Jack Bruce says "Eric Clapton, above all".
• Leya Qwest from Anchorage, AkThank you, Kona in CO!
• Kona from Colorado Springs, CoFor Leya, I believe Jack Bruce says "Eric Clapton, lead vocal" on the end of Crossroads.
• Leya Qwest from Anchorage, AkOkay, so what exactly is it that Jack Bruce says after this song is over? All I can make out as the audience cheers in the background is "Eric Clapton,(please?), the (what?)." I've asked, but no one seems to know for sure and it's always bugged the heck outta me not knowing!
• Kona from Colorado Springs, CoFrank Marino and Mahogany Rush play a smokin version of Crossroads on thier Real Live disc 1 cd. I love Clapton's version but FM is my favorite! Check it out.
• Jamie from Surrey, Canadaok....so seen as this is a cover of 2 robert johnson songs,if you think the story about him is cool and interesting, check out a guy named R. Gary Patterson. the man knows everything about music history and legends...defiantely check him out,you wont be disappointed.
• Swansong200 from Calhoun, GaYeah, I know and I'll say it, this is the greatest live solo ever, but don't over look Jack's and Ginger's performances on this song, they are almost as stellar as Clpaton's.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI agree with all of you. I love the live version of "Crossroads" that Claptain did with cream. Even though he doesn't like the solo that much, it does show what a guitar henius he is. At least that's what I think.
• Kel from Bucksport, MeI found and interesting video of this. In it you can see that Jack has obviously made a mistake (By his facial expression) but when you listen to it...you hear nothing out of the ordinary... just goes to show how great Jack Bruce is :D
• Chris from Bluffton, ScI read that this song wasn't edited down, that all the versions they played during that series of concerts all came in at slightly over 4 minutes. Also, Clapton has said he doesn't care for the solo in this version because it's on the wrong beat. But if you ask me, it ranks in the top 5 guitar solos of all time.
• Martijn from Helmond, NetherlandsThe devil's guitar player in de the movie Crossroads is played by Steve vai. He plays his own solo, as well as the semi-classical stuff at the end of the guitar duel that Macchio plays to beat him. Vai didn't want this to be on the soundtrack album because as the devil's player he was supposed not to be able to play it, so he had to fake all sorts of mistakes. He was afraid people would think he really wouldn;t be able to play it.
• Al from Amherst, OhI know that Clapton doesn't understand why this recording is so popular, but many guitarists (myself included) think Crossroads is one of the finest live solos ever recorded. The glassy, singing tone of Clapton's guitar (a Gibson Firebird through Marshall amps, I believe) is gorgeous; and Clapton's note choices as he slides effortlessly back and forth between major and minor pentatonic scales are awe inspiring. Add Bruce's outstanding bass work and Baker's drums, and you've got pure genius on tape.
• Jim from San Clemente, CaThere are several live recordings of Clapton doing "Crossroads". My favorite is with Derrick & the Dominos that has an allstar cast of musicians, including Duanne Allman. The guitar work is excellant throughout and at times brilliant. Another (available on video) is a duet with Bob Dylan that is very cool and a lot of fun. They're really enjoying the moment.
  
  I find it hard to believe that Clapton doesn't like the song considering how he continues to keep playing it. It is true that he wasn't comfortable playing with Cream, which is the main reason most of their songs were written and sung by Jack Bruce.
  -Jim, San Clemente, CA
• Tyler from Farmington, MiClapton has said in a few interviews that he in fact cant stomach the recording of crossroads, or much of any of Cream's work. He really felt that the band was out of the beat during the show and that its just not worth ever listening to.
• Olaf from Occidental, CaThere is a variation on the Devil & Robert Johnson myth in the 1986 movie "Crossroads". As I remember it, Ralph Macchio (of "Karate Kid" fame) stars as a blues-obsessed music student who has a guitar showdown vs. the Devil's own favorite. He
  is trying win back old Willie Brown's soul in exchange for a long-lost Robert Johnson song.
  Ry Cooder did the soundtrack.
• Allen from Leicestershire, EnglandIn reply to Denana. This is a cover of a blues song by Robert Johnson. Johnson's version was called 'Crossroad Blues' and the mystique surrounding this 1920's blues guitar player has been hightened by him allegedly 'going down to the crossroads' to sell his soul to the devil in order to play the guitar better. This is backed up by the fact that he apparently (according to sources of the time) improved an impossible amount literally over night. I think the sporadic guitar in Cream's version is just fantastic, it really makes me smile every time I hear it. It's such a heady mix of many elements and it just fits together so well. Eric's playing is supreme and through his skill, talent, determination and will power he has achieved the name of GOD. And that's who he is - GOD with a guitar.
• Peter from TromsÃ?, NorwayThe important thing to remember about "Crossroads" is; It has jack bruce playing inovative bass!
• Deana from Indianapolis, InThis is an old blues song, and Clapton loves to cover blues. While he was in rehab acouple of times, Crossroads was not one of them

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