SWLABR
"SWLABR" is a song recorded by the British rock band Cream in 1967. It first appeared on the album Disraeli Gears (1967). Later, the song was the B-side to Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" single.[lower-alpha 1]
"SWLABR" | ||||
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Single by Cream | ||||
from the album Disraeli Gears | ||||
A-side | "Sunshine of Your Love" | |||
Released |
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Recorded | April–May 1967 | |||
Studio | Atlantic, New York City | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:30 | |||
Label | ||||
Composer(s) | Jack Bruce | |||
Lyricist(s) | Pete Brown | |||
Producer(s) | Felix Pappalardi | |||
Cream US singles chronology | ||||
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Cream UK singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
29-second verse segment
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Background
The poet Pete Brown wrote the words and Cream's bassist Jack Bruce wrote the music. Bruce sings and plays bass guitar, with Eric Clapton on guitars, and Ginger Baker on drums. The title is an initialism for "She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow".[2] Bruce later said the W stood for "Was" rather than "Walks".[3][4]
A live version of "SWLABR" was released on BBC Sessions and the Deluxe Edition of Disraeli Gears—which also includes a four-minute demo version. Several Cream compilation albums include the song, such as Best of Cream, Heavy Cream, Strange Brew: The Very Best of Cream, The Very Best of Cream, Those Were the Days, and Gold.
Notes
- Although several music writers indicate a January 1968 or 1968 release, including Bobby Owsinski, Riley Haas, Chris Welch, and Bob Leszczak, the single entered the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart dated 30 December 1967, precluding the possibility of a January 1968 release.[1]
References
- Cash Box (30 December 1967). "Looking Ahead". Cash Box. 29 (23): 18.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- "Lyrics: Disraeli Gears". JackBruce.com (official website). Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- Interview with disc jockey Steven Seaweed at San Francisco radio station KRQR in the mid-1990s
- "Cream: Disraeli Gears", Classic Albums on VH1, 3 November 2006
Sources
- Clapton, Eric (2007). Clapton: The Autobiography. New York, United States: Broadway Books. pp. g. 74. ISBN 978-0-385-51851-2.
- Hjort, Christopher (2007). Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & the British Blues Boom, 1965–1970. London, UK: Jawbone Press. pp. g. 29. ISBN 978-1-906002-00-8.
- Ertegün, Ahmet (2006). Classic Albums: Cream – Disraeli Gears (DVD). Eagle Rock Entertainment.