Derek & The Dominos

Charted 12 Nov 1970 - All 1970 Songs

In 1970, Eric Clapton was in a state of emotional turmoil. He had fallen deeply in love with Pattie Boyd, the wife of his close friend George Harrison of The Beatles. It was a love he could not openly declare, and it consumed him. Around this time, a friend gave him a copy of “The Story of Layla and Majnun”, a Persian tale by the 12th-century poet Nizami, about a man driven mad by his unrequited love for a woman he could never have. Clapton saw himself in the story - and “Layla” was born. Clapton had recently formed Derek and the Dominos with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon, all veterans of Delaney & Bonnie’s band. In August 1970, they began recording their debut album, “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs”, at Criteria Studios in Miami with producer Tom Dowd. During the sessions, a chance meeting changed the course of the song. Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band stopped by the studio and soon became a key collaborator. Clapton and Allman’s guitar interplay - weaving between searing riffs and melodic slides - gave Layla its distinctive fire. The track was built in two contrasting parts: the urgent, electric first section, driven by Clapton’s anguished vocals and Allman’s wailing slide guitar, and the gentle, piano-led second section. That famous piano coda came from drummer Jim Gordon, who had been working on it separately. Though later accounts suggested it may have been co-written with singer Rita Coolidge, the haunting progression became the perfect bittersweet counterpoint to the song’s intensity. Released in November 1970, “Layla” initially had only modest chart success in the United States and the UK. But over time, it became recognized as a rock masterpiece - a raw outpouring of passion and pain, with one of the most iconic guitar riffs in history. The song’s emotional core became even more poignant when Clapton and Pattie Boyd eventually married in 1979, years after it was written. In 1992, Clapton famously reinterpreted “Layla” as a slow, acoustic ballad for his MTV Unplugged performance, earning new generations of fans and multiple Grammy Awards. Yet for many, the original “Derek and the Dominos” version remains unmatched - a snapshot of a moment when love, longing, and musical chemistry collided to create something timeless.

Top songs of 1970 by vote