461 Ocean Boulevard vinyl LP

I always had the UK version of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard, the second track on Side 1 is called 'Give Me Strength'. I recently purchased the US pressing mastered at Sterling and I noticed Side 1 track 2 has a different song 'Better Make It Through Today'.

Anybody know the history of the difference between UK and US track listing.

Not that's it is a source of concern, I now have two version of it with an extra track. COOL!
JG

 

I had both the US and UK vinyl versions and the first time I heard Better Make It Through Today was on the MoFi CD. Maybe the later US pressings had that track?
Which vinyl sounds better to you?
IMHO, the US was better.

 

John, I agree with the US sounds better. The UK pressing was mastered at Tape One.
The US sleeve refers to the 8-Track and Cassette versions so must be pretty old.

But why the different tracks?
JG

 

I think it has to do with Al Jackson's death but I don't have details.

 

I have two US pressings of this album. The first one I bought was the RSO Polydor reissue which I think dates from about 1976. It has "Better Make it Through Today" as the second track. I then found a first pressing RSO Atlantic copy from 1974 which has the original track "Give Me Strength" with Al Jackson on drums. "Better Make it Through Today" first appeared on Clapton's '75 LP There's One in Every Crowd. I really love that song - one of Clapton's better compositions IMO with a great laid-back reggae feel to it. Hope this helps!

----- Chris

 

I can confirm this.

I bought this LP shortly (I think) after it was released, and it has "Give Me Strength."

Was surprised many years later when a bought another to have a "clean" copy (later issue, RSO / Polygram), and noticed it had been replaced by "Better Make it Through Today."

BTW, anyone know how early in the pressing history my first copy is?:

RSO / Atlantic. SO 4801 (ST-SO-743147-MO)

MATRICES:
A: ST-SO 743147-B-REPL (followed by a circled 2) (followed by what appears to be a circled LR) ∆ 19120 (10)
B: ST-SO 743148-B-REPL (followed by a circled 1) (followed by what appears to be a circled LR) ∆ 19120-X (8)

Eric's all-time best album, IMO -- followed closely by Derek & The Dominoes, then "Slowhand," though "Unplugged" has it's moments... well, you get the idea!

 

Thanks Guys!

It doesn't say anywhere on the album sleeve who mastered the album. I suppose the key is to find out who originally mastered the LP and go for that.

The version I have is:
RS-1-3023 AS 1A
RS-1-3023 BS 1A

It was mastered at Sterling (which is also on the dead wax).
JG

 

I don't believe this is correct.

"Give Me Strength" was pulled from later pressings of 461 because a songwriter claimed she was the composer and had not been credited (Clapton was originally listed as composer). It was replaced with the track "Better Make It Through Today", which was recorded in September '74 and originally released on the "There's One In Every Crowd" album in April '75.

I don't know specifically how this controversy was resolved. "Give Me Strength" was eventually returned to LP and CD versions of 461 and my copy of the album (the MFSL gold from the early 1990s) lists EC as the composer.


I found more information about this from a Clapton fan who posted to the Slowhand Digest in 1998;

>The recent posts about past "Give Me Strength" copyright infringement
>problems really ticked my memory. I remembered reading a newspaper
>article about a Chicago woman who claimed that Eric had stolen the song
>from her. The story caught my eye because I had recently bought "461
>Ocean Boulevard." I searched...and found the original clipping taped
>inside the old LP!!
>
>The story (undated, but probably 1974 or early 1975) was written by the
>late legendary syndicated columnist Mike Royko when he was with the
>now-defunct Chicago Daily News. Those of you familiar with his work know
>that he was a true champion of the "little man" or underdog.
>
>Evidently, the woman (I hesitate to publish her name) had written a number
>of church songs. Several were published as sheet music or in songbooks
>and a few were recorded by gospel singing groups. She wrote "Give Me
>Strength" in 1939 and it was published under her name in gospel songbooks.
>
>Someone alerted the woman to the fact that her song was on a hit
>record. (461 OB had already gone platinum at that time). She was shocked
>to see Clapton's name listed as the composer -- and not hers. Mike Royko
>attempted to contact EC's record company on the woman's behalf, but never
>got through. At that point, she had not hired an attorney. However, I
>suspect that the legal wheels started turning after the column appeared.

 

Thanks for the information!!

BTW, both the original Quad Lp and the dts reissue include Give Me Strength.

 

I have the Simply Vinyl re-issue SVLP 199. I have no idea when it was done but probably in the early 90's. It has "Give Me Strength".

 

I should have pointed out in my earlier post that Clapton has a good reputation for giving credit to blues artists whose songs he has covered. I have read in more than one instance that he made sure royalties were being paid to artists or their estates.

As for "Give Me Strength", I've don't know how Clapton first came into contact with the song. Perhaps he thought it was a public domain composition. He has admitted to not being very reliable during those years (due to drugs and alcohol).

 

I'm pretty sure I bought mine within a couple days of release. It does not have the -REPL or a number in a circle after it. It does have ∆ 19120 (1) and ∆ 19120-x(3)

 

Simply Vinyl did not start until the late 90s, and I mean very late 90s.

 

Mine......
US Atlantic RSO SO 4801 with Give me Strength
SIDE1: ST-SO-743147B-1-11 [Specialty Src stamp]
SIDE2: ST-SO-743148-F-1 STERLING

 

Thanks for the matrix info Mike and Ben.

Looks like my copy was quite a bit down the line... so much for my memory!

 

I bought my first Simply Vinyl record in 1997. It used to put out about 10 new titles every month. I think SVLP 199 came out in either 1999 or 2000. Mine was back ordered in 2000 and was shipped in 2001.

My early 1980's German pressing (RSO 2394 138) has Give Me Strength also. The MoFi gold CD, which I don't have, has Better Make It Through Today. I think the MoFi vinyl was withdrawn and only test pressings were made.

 

Excellent memory Paul.
From SV website: "In September 1997 Simply Vinyl released it’s first 25 albums which were selected from the Warner Music, Sony Music and Rykodisc catalogues."

 

The MoFi Gold CD has BOTH "Better Make It Through Today" and "Give Me Strength" and it sounds great. I liked the original RSO Atlantic buff cover - really thick paper stock.

 

Paul, Thanks for the info on SV, your right again about the MoFi vinyl, I tried to score one (do not ask the price) but it was already sold.

 

Oh, I was looking at the 2nd track of the MoFi gold CD and missed that Give Me Strength is listed last as a bonus track.

 

ALP,

You are quite welcome. MoFi vinyl test pressing was already sold? So it's priceless. I think we have to learn to be happy with what is available/what we already have. "You can't always get what you want".