Studio Album · No. 3
Wheels of Fire Songwriting Credits by Eric Clapton
Produced by Felix Pappalardi · Engineered by Tom Dowd, Adrian Barber, Bill Halverson
Holds writing credit on 7 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 7 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Eric Clapton carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Wheels of Fire pairs a studio disc with a live disc, and the writing again centers on Jack Bruce and Pete Brown, who wrote White Room, Politician, As You Said and Deserted Cities of the Heart. Ginger Baker co-wrote Passing the Time, Pressed Rat and Warthog and Those Were the Days with Mike Taylor. Eric Clapton has no sole songwriting credit here; his main contribution is arranging the Robert Johnson cover Crossroads on the live disc. Other covers include Sitting on Top of the World, Born Under a Bad Sign and Willie Dixon's Spoonful.
Wheels of Fire is Cream's third album and their first double LP, released in August 1968 with one disc of studio recordings and one of live performances. The studio disc features some of Cream's most polished and ambitious work: 'White Room,' written by Jack Bruce and Pete Brown, became one of the band's signature songs, while 'Politician' and 'Those Were the Days' reflect Bruce and Brown's songwriting partnership at its most focused. Clapton wrote no originals on the studio disc, contributing as performer and guitarist while Bruce and Baker's internal conflicts were intensifying behind the scenes. The live disc, recorded at the Fillmore West and Winterland in San Francisco, captures the trio's improvisational power, particularly on an extended reading of Robert Johnson's 'Crossroads,' that had made Cream a touring phenomenon. Despite the band's fractures, Wheels of Fire reached number one in the US, becoming the first platinum double album in history.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
White Room
#6
|
Jack BrucePete Brown | Jack BrucePete Brown | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 2 |
Sitting on Top of the World
|
Walter VinsonLonnie Chatmon | Walter VinsonLonnie Chatmon | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 3 |
Passing the Time
|
Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 4 |
As You Said
|
Jack BrucePete Brown | Jack BrucePete Brown | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 5 |
Pressed Rat and Warthog
|
Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 6 |
Politician
|
Jack BrucePete Brown | Jack BrucePete Brown | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 7 |
Those Were the Days
|
Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Ginger BakerMike Taylor | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 8 |
Born Under a Bad Sign
|
William BellBooker T. Jones | William BellBooker T. Jones | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |
| 9 |
Deserted Cities of the Heart
|
Jack BrucePete Brown | Jack BrucePete Brown | Felix Pappalardi | Eric Clapton (Guitar, Lead Vocals)Jack Bruce (Bass, Lead Vocals)Ginger Baker (Drums) |