Sitting on Top of the World (Live) - Cream

[fireblossom2u]

One of my favorite songs...regardless of the recording quality. It's raw and powerful...love it. I've revisited Clapton's guitar on this for over forty years. Some nights he just killed with control and attack and this was one of those nights.

[1willhughes]

MUSIC IS THE BEST

[1willhughes]

JACK BRUCE is the finest blues vocal. harp playing , ruler of the BASS GUITAR....that ever lived

[IIty2iII]

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ne!

[socrates1818]

Was Clapton playing a 335 on this?

[evanguy]

@socrates1818 Pretty sure he was not playing a 335, since he didn't take one on the tour. It's either his single-coil pickup Firebird or a Les Paul (Special, I think).

[tmobil8]

@socrates1818 his les paul he's playing. that's a sound of a les paul. es335 cant sound like that even if you tried.

[blackandtanful]

ｴﾘｯｸ･ｸﾗﾌﾟﾄﾝのとんでもないﾌﾞﾙｰｽ技を見せつけた­超絶"TopOfTheWorld"～溢れ出るﾌﾚｰｽﾞの嵐､­ｼﾞｬｯｸのﾍﾞｰｽも噛み付くｸﾞｯﾊﾞｲ･ｸﾘｰﾑ



[warlordzephyr]

They're all on lead, this is the reason Cream was so good.

[serfair1]

DZIĘKUJĘ !!!

[joewalshman96]

Jack Bruce always played lead bass. He always was the lead instrument

[blackandtanful]

神様､仏様､ｴﾘｯｸ･ｸﾗﾌﾟﾄﾝ様､ｸﾞｯﾊﾞｲ･ｸﾘｰﾑ­"Sitting On Top Of The World"～脅威のｿﾛ､ジャｯｸのﾍﾞｰｽと声も噛みつき!

[rss619]

anybody got the bass tabs?

[gazzaboy2531977]

Bruce's bass level was always an issue with Ginger tho. Too loud good as he was

[BlueDiamondPro]

Im 16, love the blues, love me some Clapton, and i have this record so suck it lol

[jackshit54942]

@BlueDiamondPro I think "i'm 16 and i don't listen to rap" should be a new youtube meme. Surprise surprise, nobody really cares anymore. I'm So Glad the embarrassment of 2000-2010 is finally over, now you and me can work on making 2010's awesome again. The Black Keys are the only good modern blues band out there I can think of Who are really kicking ass. Some of my local bands are pretty damn talented, this one chick who sings for this band called Black Carl I swear sounds like JJ.

[BlueDiamondPro]

@jackshit54942 Anything with Adam Gussow and Mr.Hilbert. theres is alot of good blues going on. Jack White frm the white stripes and his two oother bands does alot of blues. Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Theres alot of modern blues band out there that our good even if it isnt all strict blues. the only real way to bring the good stuff out there is to show it around and play it. thats what i do.

[gmasterg13]

@BlueDiamondPro check out lance lopez texas rock blues, davy knowles and backdoor slam.british

this new kid tyler bryrant is pretty good. another texas boy. these guys are passionate about their music.

[boc234]

Crunchy!

[Bluesdirections]

@boc234 Agreed. I was thinking of the same term and I saw yours earlier. What else can I say. Crunch indeed.

[MrRicfrick]

Very hard to find this version from Wheels of Fire. It's uncouth- Clapton is great; Bruce is unworldly. As an old bass player, Jack was my hero for many years. His progressions were often classical in nature. Not like normal blues riffs. and his vocals were godly, like Jimi's.

[guitar1067]

Fantastic! As fine a slow blues as I've heard. Wish they'd played it when I saw them at the Baltimore Civic Center, Nov 3 1968 with Moody Blues and Terry Reid. Best show I ever saw, along with Jimi Hendrix on May 16 1969 same venue. He played Sunshine of Your Love as a tribute to Cream. Saw EC, Winwood, and Ginger Baker with Blind Faith there, the day the first men walked on the moon, July 20 1969. "Those were the days, yes they were" (today is great too}

[Poetchants]

I was at this concert at the Forum. Traded a long fringed buckskin jacket for two tickets in the parking lot outside Wallach's Music City Records in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. Our seats were so high, that we snuck underneath the stage, and were among about 10 of us on a platform where we had to lie down. The thing I remember the most is that on some songs whenever Jack Bruce sang, Clapton would cut his vocals off with a ripping lead riff. My head was right under Clapton's amp. True! Dane Stitts

[floofynut]

This is awesome.. on the `those were the days` box set :)

[FloydCrimsonSistem]

Fantatic :)

[TheBlueBandYTAccount]

I think Jack is playing a fretless here, because of the heavy tone (tick fingers instead of metal frets) and the notes, wich are sometimes a bit from pure. Very badass. ^^

[evanguy]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount

You may be right, but he tended to play an EB-3 on the farewell tour, which had frets. The Farewell Concert footage shows him playing it, though this wasn't recorded at that performance.

[eamonosu]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount

Jack is using a fretted Gibson sg bass in cherry red, the dirty sound is down to the amp and tone. Sounds a little out of tune in places, eg 2.33, but a brilliant performance

[proferic]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount Jack didn't start playing fretless until the mid-seventies. Testimony to his great playing that he can great a "fretless" sound of the EB-3.

[oOJimmySueOo]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount Didn't start playing fretless for almost another 10 years. This is the EB-3 with it's crunchy humbucker.

[EdSullivan101]

@oOJimmySueOo If you're talking about the giant pickup near the neck on most EBs, that's a single coil, similar to a P-90 but much bigger for bass. There is a mini-humbucker toward the bridge.

[ShakinSlim]

@EdSullivan101 It's a dual humbucker bass. One in the neck position, usually known as a 'mudbucker' by those who know Gibson basses, and yes a mini-humbucker in the bridge position.

[EdSullivan101]

@ShakinSlim I know; it's a common misconception. I thought the same thing, until I got my own.

[rigmarole55]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount - i dunno whether he ever played a fretless back then - but i can't be sure. From 'Goodbye', this song and I'm So Glad are brilliant examples of what they were about. Less accepting now of Clapton as i was as a teenager, each are standing high on these two pieces. Slow as it is, this is as 'full on' as Glad. J Bruce is bursting out everywhere - what energy! I'm sure he's trying to get a quarter tone happening at around 3.43... Maybe not. Outrageous playing.

[EdSullivan101]

@TheBlueBandYTAccount Definitely not a fretless. Listen closely.

[OlRetro]

This creature kills and takes no prisoners. One of my all-time favorites. Regards, The '62 Mathew St. Band (1 Man-Full Group Retro)

[msaintpc]

@OlRetro Amen to that!

[collarenvy]

Jack is the

Man

[eamonosu]

the first album i ever bought as a 17 year old, got it home and played it, mm it was a bit advanced for me at first but after listening to it a few times i began to understand what i was hearing

[bluefen]

@eamonosu Same here, except my brother bought it...it took me half a dozen listens but when it sunk in it never let go...to this day it's still spine tingling...I used to play along with EC's solos on my tennis racquet...all three were on another planet at this stage of the band's life...genius and endless touring forged a freakish musical relationship on stage.....cain't touch this!!:)

[decko87]

oh my god the bass tone is CRUSHING

[eamonosu]

youre right and thats the main reason that this is my favourite cream number

[Nick5379]

I have this album :) I love it

[faronthefiddler]

You got that right, dantelliott!

[elpepadevina]

great...!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheMindfx]

CATERVA!

[npspec34]

she's gone

but I don't worry

[powderkostisblue]

Killer version...

[cavekiller480]

claptons smoking on this one

[dantelliott]

Jack Bruce's bass is the lead instrument on this album, without doubt.

[evanguy]

@dantelliott

Well, that's mostly 'cause it's unusually high in the mix. Clapton's guitar is just as much a lead instrument, as was always the case with Cream.

[Vortigern99]

@evanguy They're all three the lead instrument: that's the beauty of Cream!

[evanguy]

@Vortigern99

Yup.

[TheSkytrasher]

@Vortigern99 totally right. that's how good music is actually

[samansun]

They used to say " it's all lead with Cream".

[CadillacL]

TOTALLY! Jack was just as much lead on the bass as Clapton on guitar. Ginger somehow kept the anchor down.

[toonzz5215]

@dantelliott Jack Bruce is arguably the best bass player ever, possible exception ? John "Thunderfingers" Entwistle.

[LuvIzAhl]

Totally edgey inspired Blues Power!

[floofynut]

the fucking drums rock :)

[eslmc]

An orgasmic version. Power to the max!

[BordiniBlues85]

great... so awesome this fat bass sound.. great !!!!

[costa1953]

aahhhh ... what a pleasure ... awsome tune ;O)

thank you for posting ;O)

[B7flat5flat9]

"Going down to the freight yard, yeah yeah yeah...

gonna catch me a freight train..."

Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon (1930)

[B7flat5flat9]

"The middle verse of Howlin Wolf's version 'Worked all the summer, worked all the fall / Had to take Christmas, in my overalls' was an addition [1957] to the 1930 original, but had previously appeared in a version recorded by Ray Charles in 1949" [Wiki].

[3eyedho]

Best blues song of all time! Over the top talent! Jack Bruce is awesome. Eric' best work. Ginger..always so fine.

[caseyjones67]

listen to the deads version off there first album its really upbeat and fast its a great rendition

[babinm]

I read Wikapedia on this song and it sounds like you could research it's origins and the people who took credit for a version of it for a college class. Cream deserve credit for most original rendition. Claptons solos is his most soulful in my opinion of any thing he's done. His phrasing makes my stomach tighten into a knot.

[4854derrida]

And, the joyous TENSION that Bruce sets up by playing against the rhythm, by setting up dissonance begging to be resolved, etc.

[samansun]

Good textbook for successful attempts like "Misty Mountain Hop" or "Black Dog" in later years.

[zoroisdead]

the original is the best but i like bob wills' cover the best, i think the fiddle brings this song home

[msspi764]

@babinm Mississippi Sheiks records it, 1930. Robert Johnson records Come on in my Kitchen, same melody, in 1936. Open G tuning. Beautiful song both versions, but that's the first recorded version, what the origins are, impossible to determine.

[Carthsgtr]

@babinm

The Grateful dead version is 10 times better. I love Cream but "Goodbye" was a shit album and this song was mediocre.

[rigmarole55]

@babinm - i agree about Clapton on this - i hear things he's not doing elsewhere in their live set. Maybe this is as close as he got (in Cream) to 'the blues' - that thing Jack Bruce says was 'simply a starting point' to other greater things. Here, EC is showing why he dug the blues. Having Bruce and Baker in there made it much more intense than anybody else could.

[eamonosu]

ooh what a filthy bass sound ! its obscene

[proferic]

The best!!!

[babinm]

The only thing I can say is EXACTLY!! Also I play bluegrass and there is a version of this sung and played don't know the origin though blues or bluegrass?

[nickelmos]

mississippi sheiks

[Vortigern99]

The answer is the blues, not bluegrass.

[HOTROD74GremlinX]

Fucking Epic! this is my style of blues I'm influenced by Claptons Cream era playing as well. Thanks god for my dads awesome record collection I'd raid as a kid and be blown away by this awesome music!

[Dota4life7156]

everybody get this entire set -its from the L.A. Forum 1968 farewell tour.

[sam19851]

Reminds me of being 16 stoned out of my mind exclaiming Cream were not from this planet!

hehe. Good times dude. Nice upload, always one of my favorites.

[ginastefani]

epimetero, the BASS LINE is exactly what you've said. If I was born again I would be a bass guitarist in some girl band being so awesome & great as ever. This song makes me young again.

[acotw67]

THANKS! I've been looking for this live rendition. I LOVE Clapton & this is a brilliant arrangement. (The original by Howling Wolf is actually uptempo & an a sheer delight thanks to his growling voice & blues harp. I think the style is called jump blues.) BRILLIANT interpretation, incredibel technique, enough soul to rock ALL of the British Ilses, from theChannel to the Arans. 10 STARS!

[Snotra]

Strats have sustain of a banjo.

[HOTROD74GremlinX]

standard ones do but with custom pickups they don't but your right there aint nothing like a Gibson paying the blues!

[kaioxygen]

Gonna leave this town yeah, yeah, yeah , yeah yeah

[kemetianqueen7]

wow; they really put their soul into this song, they sound almost as good as the architects of blues, jazz, soul...........down home gooooooood music, the instrumentals.......bananas!!!­!! lover of good music......

[opeygibs]

jack's vocals always remind me of soaring bagpipes, must be the Scottish thing....wish i could sing like that.

[diesel828]

BADFUCKINGASS. I remember covering this with my band back in 1999 when I was in high school. This version tears shit up!

[epimetero]

dig the bass line so fucking great isn't it??

[proferic]

Fuck yes!! As much as I respect Clapton and Baker, I think Jack Bruce makes this song.

[martinaxman]

No question about it. The technical prowess of all was amazing, but it's the voice that sells. Wouldn't have been Cream without Jack Bruce. Still amazing that three guys could make this much noise. lol. Drove my ol' man CRAZY!

[brownbear224]

this is my favorite clapton solo just beautiful wild abandon he doesnt play like this anymore i saw him in nyc with winwood and he was good but not great this is great

[sulatlalaki]

AMEN! Sorry, but all that "Lay Down Sally Sh**" doesn't even compare to this!

[sam19851]

obviously. what was he gonna do, play like this all his life...

[3eyedho]

All at their very shining best, here. Baddest guitar work ever, here! All is stupendous!

[elliotwoodlandbyrne]

Jack bruce is the kiddie!!!!*

(in a good way!)

[JackAwful]

Effin A baby.

[montag911]

The riff Eric plays near the end of his solo, when the bubble on the progress bar is just passing Jack Bruce's foot on the album photo, is the best riff ever played by any guitar player. It's 7 triplets played in four positions going down then back and ending in the same position. Never have heard a better riff from anyone ever.

[thailandajarn]

Is that his left or right foot...? ;)

[montag911]

They are all standing with their right foot forward and left foot back. The riff occurs when the progress bar is passing in between Jack's left foot and Eric's left foot.

[thailandajarn]

Is that Jack's proximal or lateral metatarsal? ;))

wtf don't you just use a time point, say...1:56, like anyone else?

[montag911]

The riff occurs at 2:57 through3:00.

[jimmymcmenamin]

Gone but I don't worry....what a great performance this is. Eric Clapton please. Jack Bruce rips on this.

[Treboreno]

Great tone Eric, played from the heart. I'm going to sing this often shortly - separation looming! You don't play the blues, the blues play you!!!!!!!! Rock and Roll

[costa1953]

oh my god how I love this song ...

greetings from costa@rome.italy

[ciavattiella]

Tihis is THE interplay

[kroftkarl]

I love this song, and love playing it

[janeythebrit]

my favourite 'LIVE' Cream song....Jack blows my mind EVERY time on this one. listen to the jamming....spine-tingling....t­he three WERE one. and Jack's bass-playin : WHEW !!

[JHallia]

This was the Jack Bruce/Cream preformance that blew my mind as a young bassist . It still sounds amazing to me today. I love Jack's recent work, but this recording is rare history.

[JHallia]

Their chemistry was really magic. This is an amazing performance.

And that is one seriously badass bass tone- talk about attitude-wow

[leopoldomarcialochoa]

the best song ever by the greatest group

C R E A M

[yescure6]

this is so great, my fav live version, that bass sound so powerful, and his voice too!!:D

[proferic]

Jack was such a great bassplayer!!!!!

[stormerne]

The first 42 seconds of this song are forever a classic. Probably the best intro Clapton ever played. It doesn't get any better than this dirty salty sweet blues.

[babinm]

I note that bluegrass bands play a song called sitting on top of the world similar to this only not LSD infused scottish fury rock blues style. Clapton's best solo in my opinion. Out of the two million he has played.

[Ptahoteph]

My god...i can belive that this is live..magic.. the vibe is knock out..them on pick

[3eyedho]

No blues was ever better!

[alexrags]

This a classic example of why clapton was destined to be one of the greatest blues rock guitarists of all time. Remember this was 1968.

[gobles68]

You can clearly hear Bruce and Baker trying to one-up each other. The bass is louder than the guitar!

[DAconfusedZED]

do you mean bruce and clapton?

[evanguy]

Yeah, I'm not sure if the bass was actually louder or if it was the recording or the way it was mixed.

[msaintpc]

@evanguy They were developing the concept of the " Supergroup " whereby the bass, drums and guitar basically soloed together. However, you are correct in that the bass was deliberately cranked up so that Bruce's runs could be distinctly heard. The formula worked, giving birth to Metal. Led Zep followed and toned down the bass volume, giving metal a more coherant and controlled form.

[gobles68]

No, Clapton was a mediator between Jack and Ginger. They even fought in their other band before Cream until Baker fired Bruce. Clapton formed the band and wanted it too work out, but called it quits because he fas fed up of the constant bickering between Ginger and Jack.

[wholeinmytree]

I wonder if it had worked with a different drummer.

[catbirdtree]

I agree - the dirtiest one they recorded. Low and mean, just like it should be!

[singray7]

This is their best recorded rendition of this song. Very nice!