A 1970 Derek and the Dominos single, written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, with a sustained guitar riff opening and an extended piano coda.
Composition
Layla was written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon. The lyric reflects Clapton’s then-unrequited attachment to Pattie Boyd, who was married to his friend George Harrison. The opening guitar riff is doubled by Clapton and Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band.
Recording
The recording was made at Criteria Studios in Miami in late 1970. The track is divided into two distinct sections, an electric blues-rock opening and a piano-led coda credited to Gordon.
Reception
On first release the single underperformed. A 1972 reissue reached the top ten in the United States. Clapton later recorded an acoustic version for his 1992 “MTV Unplugged” session, which won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.
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