For this blog, I’ll be choosing the song, “Layla”, by Eric Clapton. Originally released in 1970, the version I will be discussing here, is Clapton’s performance at Madison Square Garden in 1999. Eric Clapton is primarily a blues musician, and as far as the blues are concerned, this song fits right in. Generally, the blues refers to music that is going over a wide range of emotions. My relationship to this song is that it is the first song I’ve learned the rhythm section, as well as the lead guitar for, solo and all. Being the first song that I’ve been able to play properly, it is very dear to me, and one of my favorite songs. Clapton is also one of my biggest inspirations, and favorite musicians.

In this song, there are two melodies. One of these is the intro riff, which is the motif throughout the first half of the song, which reinforces the idea that Clapton longed, repeatedly, for the love of Pattie Boyd, his best friend’s wife. However, the “coda” section of this song, features a melody on a piano that puts the song gracefully to rest.

Of course, with two melodies, the song also features two rhythms. In the first half, “Layla” shows off a fast-paced, yet organized restlessness of Clapton’s abilities as a guitarist, as well as the restlessness of his love and affection. Along with this, the “coda” section has a smoother, slower tempo, which compared to the first half, turns it into a beautiful, almost orchestral finish. Furthermore, the first half has a minor key, (Dm), while the coda has a C major key, which gives it a happier, uplifting tone than the first half.

In this 1999 performance of “Layla”, Clapton has a beautiful use of dynamics. In the beginning, Clapton teases the audience with what might be a mf dynamic, until he blasts into a ff, for the intro riff, which is a sign of crescendo. After this, Clapton goes into the verse, and uses decrescendo, and so on and so forth, with the main riff. This is also evident in his guitar solo in this piece, bringing up the lead guitar to a ff, to show off the lead. To finish his solo, Clapton uses a decrescendo to pull the audience into the coda section of the song, which ultimately serves as the end of the climax, that is the solo.

For anyone interested in listening to something new, I definitely recommend giving this a listen!