Slowhand cover art

  Studio Album · No. 11

Slowhand Songwriting Credits by Eric Clapton

1977 RSO 9 tracks 39 min

Produced by Glyn Johns  ·  Engineered by Glyn Johns

RSO RockBluesCountry
56%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 5 of 9 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 5 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Eric Clapton carries a lyricist or composer credit.

56%
5 trackswritten by Eric Clapton 4 tracksoutside writers
Eric Clapton's roles on this album

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist56%
Composer56%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
8
Lyricists
1
Producers
1977
Released
Data Insight

Slowhand pairs Eric Clapton originals with outside material that became signature songs. Clapton wrote the ballad Wonderful Tonight alone, co-wrote the hit Lay Down Sally with Marcy Levy and George Terry, and co-wrote The Core with Levy. The album's other famous track, Cocaine, is a J.J. Cale cover, and the record also includes John Martyn's May You Never and Arthur Crudup's Mean Old Frisco.

Slowhand is Eric Clapton's 1977 studio album and one of the biggest commercial successes of his career, produced by Glyn Johns and reaching number two in both the US and UK. The album is the home of three of Clapton's most recognized songs: 'Wonderful Tonight,' a gentle love song written for Pattie Boyd that Clapton composed in minutes while she was getting ready to go out, 'Lay Down Sally' (co-written with Marcy Levy and George Terry), and 'Cocaine,' a cover of J.J. Cale's slow blues that became Clapton's most enduring live staple despite the fact he didn't write it. 'The Core,' an extended R&B duet with Marcy Levy, and 'May You Never,' a tender cover of John Martyn's song, round out the album's emotional range. Slowhand represents the commercial and artistic peak of Clapton's post-Cream period, combining accessible songwriting with enough blues authenticity to satisfy longtime followers.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Cocaine
J.J. Cale J.J. Cale Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
2
Wonderful Tonight #16
Eric Clapton Eric Clapton Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
3
Lay Down Sally #3
Eric ClaptonMarcy LevyGeorge Terry Eric ClaptonMarcy LevyGeorge Terry Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
4
Next Time You See Her
Eric Clapton Eric Clapton Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
5
We're All the Way
Don Williams Don Williams Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
6
The Core
Eric ClaptonMarcy Levy Eric ClaptonMarcy Levy Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
7
May You Never
John Martyn John Martyn Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
8
Mean Old Frisco
Arthur Crudup Arthur Crudup Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)
9
Peaches and Diesel
Eric ClaptonAlbhy Galuten Eric ClaptonAlbhy Galuten Glyn Johns Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Carl Radle (Bass)Dick Sims (Keyboards)Jamie Oldaker (Drums)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 12 contributors

More from Eric Clapton

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461 Ocean Boulevard
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1975 50%
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RSO
10 tracksProd. Tom Dowd
1976 50%
No Reason to Cry
RSO
10 tracksProd. Rob Fraboni
1978 40%
Backless
RSO
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1981 67%
Another Ticket
RSO
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1983 60%
Money and Cigarettes
Duck / Warner Bros.
10 tracksProd. Tom Dowd
1985 55%
Behind the Sun
Duck / Warner Bros.
11 tracksProd. Phil Collins
1986 45%
August
Duck / Warner Bros.
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Journeyman
Duck / Reprise
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1994 0%
From the Cradle
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1998 86%
Pilgrim
Duck / Reprise
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2000 0%
Riding with the King
Duck / Reprise
12 tracksProd. Eric Clapton
2001 50%
Reptile
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2004 0%
Me and Mr. Johnson
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2005 50%
Back Home
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Clapton
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2013 0%
Old Sock
Bushbranch / Surfdog
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2016 17%
I Still Do
Bushbranch / Surfdog
12 tracksProd. Glyn Johns
2024 29%
Meanwhile
Bushbranch / Surfdog
14 tracksProd. Simon Climie

Frequently Asked Questions Slowhand

Who wrote Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton?
Eric Clapton wrote Wonderful Tonight himself. It is an original Clapton composition on Slowhand and one of his best-known ballads. It was released as a single in 1978.
Is Cocaine on Eric Clapton's Slowhand a cover?
Yes. Cocaine was written by J.J. Cale, and Clapton's version on Slowhand is a cover. It opens the album and became one of his most recognizable recordings.
Who wrote Lay Down Sally on Slowhand?
Lay Down Sally was co-written by Eric Clapton, Marcy Levy and George Terry. It was released as a single and reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
What songs did Eric Clapton write on Slowhand?
Clapton wrote Wonderful Tonight and Next Time You See Her on his own. He co-wrote Lay Down Sally with Marcy Levy and George Terry, and The Core with Levy.
Who produced Eric Clapton's Slowhand?
Slowhand was produced by Glyn Johns. It was recorded in May 1977 at Olympic Studios in London.
How did Slowhand perform on the charts?
Slowhand reached number 2 on the US Billboard 200 and number 23 on the UK Albums Chart. In the US it was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.

Sources