Eric Clapton and His Band: “I Can’t Stand It” (1981)

The harsh reality of marriage leads to a return to his first love, the blues.

Kronomyth 10.01: Ericonomical.

The Eric Clapton of the 80s was another animal altogether. The music was clean (the man eventually followed), the voice was confident, the band was English. The first single from Another Ticket, “I Can’t Stand It,” snaps and bristles with emotion and energy. It’s the anomaly on an underwhelming album, yet a sign of things to come as Clapton combined the past (blues, country) with present-day studio production to help usher in a new age of modern blues. The flip side, “Black Rose,” is country Clapton, Eric singing the main verses with audible aplomb and Gary Brooker (I’m pretty sure) joining on the chorus. Both songs are identical to the elpee versions that appear on Another Ticket.

Original 7-inch single version

A1. I Can’t Stand It (Eric Clapton) (4:08)
B1. Black Rose (Troy Seals/Eddie Setser) (3:47)

Did You Know?

• Troy Seals is the cousin of Jim Seals (Seals & Croft) and Dan Seals (England Dan & John Ford Coley).

The Plastic

Released on 7-inch on February 13, 1981 in the UK (RSO, RS-074), the US (RSO, RS-1060), France (RSO, 2090 542), Japan (Polydor, 7DW-0010) and New Zealand (RSO, POLY-107). Reached #10 on the US charts (charted February 28, 1981 for 17 weeks). Also released as 7-inch stereo/mono promo in the US (RSO, RS-1060DJ).