Let the battle begin!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8xjLQ9ofI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM

Easy! The original.

Love them both, but if I had to choose....it'd have to be the original.

I enjoy them both, but the acoustic version is my favorite.

Depends on my mood.

I can´t stand that misogynistic, violent, rude and drunk racist. But I must admit I respect him as a musician.

I prefer THIS version here;

Definitely the Original. That riff is probably my favorite of all-time.

yeah that riff came from above, it's one of the best of all time

Gotta be the og. Duane Allman was beautiful on that version.

diamondpearl1 said:

Gotta be the og. Duane Allman was beautiful on that version.

Duane was practically the reason the original "Layla" sounded the way it did.

Acoustic version is awesome! The rock version's guitar is the only thing really "hot" on that track.

KoolEaze said:

I can´t stand that misogynistic, violent, rude and drunk racist. But I must admit I respect him as a musician.

I prefer THIS version here;

Eric Clapton a racist? Never even knew about that or the other drama. I thought you were describing Mel Gibson for a minute.

The Original

The original, really like the coda on the second half of the song aswell.

alphastreet said:

Let the battle begin!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8xjLQ9ofI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM

I'm not a Eric Clapton fan, I've always thought he was overrated, terribly overrated.

Reel said:

KoolEaze said:

I can´t stand that misogynistic, violent, rude and drunk racist. But I must admit I respect him as a musician.

I prefer THIS version here;

Eric Clapton a racist? Never even knew about that or the other drama. I thought you were describing Mel Gibson for a minute.

Sometime in the '70s he said that he was in favor of some UK politician who thought blacks (mainly of Afro-Carribean descent) living there was turning Britain into a "black colony".

Apparently he was quoted saying this:

"I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Here's a full transcript of what he said:

"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Not too long after seeing this, he was interviewed about his comments and he said this:

"I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."

As recent as 2007, he still tried to turn it around as if what this politician said (and what he said) wasn't "racist".

He said this UK politican was "outrageously brave" in 2004 for what he said. Apparently he thinks Britain was "inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos". Same year he denied being racist saying:

"There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense." (This was to the Scottish newspaper Scotland on Sunday)

In his 2007 memoirs he said he was "deliberately oblivious to it all" then wrote this:

"I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."

----

I personally think Eric should've just shut the fuck up. He already said a mouthful already in '76. It just makes him more of a prick for him to try to explain his views. Of course he said he supported the UK politician and denied that the politician's views was racist.

So there you have it.

ORGers, let's keep it on the tune but there you have it if you wanna know why people call Eric racist 'round here.

Timmy84 said:

Reel said:

Eric Clapton a racist? Never even knew about that or the other drama. I thought you were describing Mel Gibson for a minute.

Sometime in the '70s he said that he was in favor of some UK politician who thought blacks (mainly of Afro-Carribean descent) living there was turning Britain into a "black colony".

Apparently he was quoted saying this:

"I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Here's a full transcript of what he said:

"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Not too long after seeing this, he was interviewed about his comments and he said this:

"I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."

As recent as 2007, he still tried to turn it around as if what this politician said (and what he said) wasn't "racist".

He said this UK politican was "outrageously brave" in 2004 for what he said. Apparently he thinks Britain was "inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos". Same year he denied being racist saying:

"There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense." (This was to the Scottish newspaper Scotland on Sunday)

In his 2007 memoirs he said he was "deliberately oblivious to it all" then wrote this:

"I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."

----

I personally think Eric should've just shut the fuck up. He already said a mouthful already in '76. It just makes him more of a prick for him to try to explain his views. Of course he said he supported the UK politician and denied that the politician's views was racist.

So there you have it.

ORGers, let's keep it on the tune but there you have it if you wanna know why people call Eric racist 'round here.

Thank you. KoolEaze hipped me to this. I was shocked, I had no idea. I was on his damned FB fanpage. Luckily I removed myself as a fan about a month ago because of too many Eric Clapton updates. Dude must have been out of his mind, and he still feels that way as late as 2007.

Timmy84 said:

Reel said:

Eric Clapton a racist? Never even knew about that or the other drama. I thought you were describing Mel Gibson for a minute.

Sometime in the '70s he said that he was in favor of some UK politician who thought blacks (mainly of Afro-Carribean descent) living there was turning Britain into a "black colony".

Apparently he was quoted saying this:

"I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Here's a full transcript of what he said:

"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Not too long after seeing this, he was interviewed about his comments and he said this:

"I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."

As recent as 2007, he still tried to turn it around as if what this politician said (and what he said) wasn't "racist".

He said this UK politican was "outrageously brave" in 2004 for what he said. Apparently he thinks Britain was "inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos". Same year he denied being racist saying:

"There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense." (This was to the Scottish newspaper Scotland on Sunday)

In his 2007 memoirs he said he was "deliberately oblivious to it all" then wrote this:

"I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."

----

I personally think Eric should've just shut the fuck up. He already said a mouthful already in '76. It just makes him more of a prick for him to try to explain his views. Of course he said he supported the UK politician and denied that the politician's views was racist.

So there you have it.

ORGers, let's keep it on the tune but there you have it if you wanna know why people call Eric racist 'round here.

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being racist, as that statement sounded very sarcastic and not to be taken seriously. Typical english sarcasm that's unfortunately gone a bit too far.

Americans don't use sarcasm anywhere near to the same degree when trying to be humorous, so I could understand them taking something like that literally and being shocked.

Although by accounts he may be difficult as a person, I just don't see such a worldly person as him being racist.

Bad attempt at humour IMO.

PsI don't own any of his records but dig a few songs...

nd33 said:

Timmy84 said:

Sometime in the '70s he said that he was in favor of some UK politician who thought blacks (mainly of Afro-Carribean descent) living there was turning Britain into a "black colony".

Apparently he was quoted saying this:

"I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Here's a full transcript of what he said:

"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Not too long after seeing this, he was interviewed about his comments and he said this:

"I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."

As recent as 2007, he still tried to turn it around as if what this politician said (and what he said) wasn't "racist".

He said this UK politican was "outrageously brave" in 2004 for what he said. Apparently he thinks Britain was "inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos". Same year he denied being racist saying:

"There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense." (This was to the Scottish newspaper Scotland on Sunday)

In his 2007 memoirs he said he was "deliberately oblivious to it all" then wrote this:

"I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."

----

I personally think Eric should've just shut the fuck up. He already said a mouthful already in '76. It just makes him more of a prick for him to try to explain his views. Of course he said he supported the UK politician and denied that the politician's views was racist.

So there you have it.

ORGers, let's keep it on the tune but there you have it if you wanna know why people call Eric racist 'round here.

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being racist, as that statement sounded very sarcastic and not to be taken seriously. Typical english sarcasm that's unfortunately gone a bit too far.

Americans don't use sarcasm anywhere near to the same degree when trying to be humorous, so I could understand them taking something like that literally and being shocked.

Although by accounts he may be difficult as a person, I just don't see such a worldly person as him being racist.

Bad attempt at humour IMO.

PsI don't own any of his records but dig a few songs...

He surely didn't sound as if he was being sarcastic but it was bad judgment.

nd33 said:

Timmy84 said:

Sometime in the '70s he said that he was in favor of some UK politician who thought blacks (mainly of Afro-Carribean descent) living there was turning Britain into a "black colony".

Apparently he was quoted saying this:

"I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Here's a full transcript of what he said:

"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. Fucking wogs, man. Fucking Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fucking Jamaicans and fucking (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fucking wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fuck's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"

Not too long after seeing this, he was interviewed about his comments and he said this:

"I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing on-stage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."

As recent as 2007, he still tried to turn it around as if what this politician said (and what he said) wasn't "racist".

He said this UK politican was "outrageously brave" in 2004 for what he said. Apparently he thinks Britain was "inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos". Same year he denied being racist saying:

"There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense." (This was to the Scottish newspaper Scotland on Sunday)

In his 2007 memoirs he said he was "deliberately oblivious to it all" then wrote this:

"I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family."

----

I personally think Eric should've just shut the fuck up. He already said a mouthful already in '76. It just makes him more of a prick for him to try to explain his views. Of course he said he supported the UK politician and denied that the politician's views was racist.

So there you have it.

ORGers, let's keep it on the tune but there you have it if you wanna know why people call Eric racist 'round here.

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being racist, as that statement sounded very sarcastic and not to be taken seriously. Typical english sarcasm that's unfortunately gone a bit too far.

Americans don't use sarcasm anywhere near to the same degree when trying to be humorous, so I could understand them taking something like that literally and being shocked.

Although by accounts he may be difficult as a person, I just don't see such a worldly person as him being racist.

Bad attempt at humour IMO.

PsI don't own any of his records but dig a few songs...

What would it take for you to believe that he was actually serious? Would he have to murder a black person and then write a note next to the body indicating that he did it because he hated their race? He freggin used the word "wog" in his statement. That is an offensive and derogatory word to black Europeans....you should google that.

It FREAKING BOGGLES my MIND how SOME PEOPLE make freggin excuses for racist fuggers all the time even when it's obvious that they are being racist. Some people in the world remain in denial about issues concerning race.

Your statement hits home in the same manner that it does when Jews hear people denying that the Holocaust happened. But that is YOUR OWN ignorance.

Reel said:

nd33 said:

I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to being racist, as that statement sounded very sarcastic and not to be taken seriously. Typical english sarcasm that's unfortunately gone a bit too far.

Americans don't use sarcasm anywhere near to the same degree when trying to be humorous, so I could understand them taking something like that literally and being shocked.

Although by accounts he may be difficult as a person, I just don't see such a worldly person as him being racist.

Bad attempt at humour IMO.

PsI don't own any of his records but dig a few songs...

What would it take for you to believe that he was actually serious? Would he have to murder a black person and then write a note next to the body indicating that he did it because he hated their race? He freggin used the word "wog" in his statement. That is an offensive and derogatory word to black Europeans....you should google that.

It FREAKING BOGGLES my MIND how SOME PEOPLE make freggin excuses for racist fuggers all the time even when it's obvious that they are being racist. Some people in the world remain in denial about issues concerning race.

Your statement hits home in the same manner that it does when Jews hear people denying that the Holocaust happened. But that is YOUR OWN ignorance.

"I used to be into dope, now I'm into racism". I think that really sets his whole statement up for not being taken seriously. Who wouldn't think that whatever followed that opening was not to be taken seriously?

It was a young rock n roller trying unsuccessfully to be smart and funny 30 something years ago IMO. I don't think that he needs to be crusified for that momentary lapse in judgement forever more.

If there are other points to back the racist theory up, I'd be inclined to change my mind. But I'm just going from whats written above.

Guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree. This coming from the mouth of a man who has black musicians in his band. I guess if you're gonna be political you either have to be serious or just shut up. If this was his attempt at humor, he would've been booed off the stage, especially in America. They would've thrown him off the stage. I guess wherever he performed at when he said those things folks were looking at him like .

[Edited 8/8/10 2:37am]

nd33 said:

Reel said:

What would it take for you to believe that he was actually serious? Would he have to murder a black person and then write a note next to the body indicating that he did it because he hated their race? He freggin used the word "wog" in his statement. That is an offensive and derogatory word to black Europeans....you should google that.

It FREAKING BOGGLES my MIND how SOME PEOPLE make freggin excuses for racist fuggers all the time even when it's obvious that they are being racist. Some people in the world remain in denial about issues concerning race.

Your statement hits home in the same manner that it does when Jews hear people denying that the Holocaust happened. But that is YOUR OWN ignorance.

"I used to be into dope, now I'm into racism". I think that really sets his whole statement up for not being taken seriously. Who wouldn't think that whatever followed that opening was not to be taken seriously?

It was a young rock n roller trying unsuccessfully to be smart and funny 30 something years ago IMO. I don't think that he needs to be crusified for that momentary lapse in judgement forever more.

If there are other points to back the racist theory up, I'd be inclined to change my mind. But I'm just going from whats written above.

I'm not going to hijack this thread on this discussion. You can believe what you wish.

I actually like the acoustic version better. His voice sounds old and haggered, but it works for the mood of that version. The acoustic seems more emotional to me.