Eric Clapton – Promises

70's Music 2 Minutes

This is my contribution to Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams’s blog. This week’s prompt…Promise/Vow/Oath.

From his 1978 album, Backless. The song peaked at #9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart on January 19, 1979.

From rbhsjukebox

This song was written by Richard Feldman and Roger Linn. It features a wonderful harmony vocal from long-time Clapton collaborator (and frequent co-writer) Marcy Levy. She is perhaps better known as Marcella Detroit, the name she assumed as half of the short-lived but massively successful duo Shakespears Sister. Clapton’s vocal is nicely delivered, with just the right bitterness for the lyrics, and Levy’s accompaniment bolsters it perfectly.

Ironically titled, Promises is about broken oaths and the end of a relationship. It’s well-constructed, a perfect three-minute pop song, handled smoothly by a seasoned performer and his sympathetic band.

One other note, Roger Linn invented the first drum machine.

Promises

I don’t care if you never come home
I don’t mind if you just keep on rowin’ away on a distant sea
‘Cause I don’t love you and you don’t love me
You cause a commotion when you come to town
You give ’em a smile and they melt
And your lovers and friends is all good and fine
But I don’t like yours and you don’t like mine
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
I don’t care what you do at night
Oh, I don’t care how you get you delites
We’ll leave it alone and just let it be
I don’t love you and you don’t love me
I got a problem, can you relate
I got a woman callin’ love hate
We made a vow we’d always be friends
How could we know that promises end
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
I tried to love for years upon years
You refuse to take me for real
It’s time you saw what I want you to see
I’d still love you if you’d just love me
I got a problem, can you relate
I got a woman callin’ love hate
We made a vow we’d always be friends
How could we know that promises end
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
Wohoo, la la la la la la la

Published by freefallin14

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11 thoughts on “Eric Clapton – Promises”

  1. Been a long time since hearing this one! I didn’t recognize it by its title, but as soon as it started playing I knew it. Good choice for the prompt, Ricky. You can’t go wrong with Eric Clapton. Nice slide guitar work. So Linn wrote songs AND invented the first drum machine?? Talented person!

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  8. The myth the man the legend that is Eric Clapton! B heard me playing this and he came in here to ask me for a dance. First time in forever. Made my day. Thanks for sharing.

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