“The Core” Is Much More Than An Eric Clapton Riff

“The Core” became a major hit for Eric Clapton on his 1977 album Slowhand.

The duet featured Marcy Levy (or Marcella Detroit), who also performed on “Lay Down Sally" on the album.

"The Core" most memorably featured a recognizable riff that continues all the way through a song that lasts 8:45. However, the less celebrated lyrics send an unexpectedly powerful message.

The lyrics to “The Core” complement the smooth and easily-identifiable riff flawlessly.

Clapton and Levy sang during a generation that didn’t have as much scrutiny of mental health. However, they certainly understood the concept of self-motivation in times of difficulty.

Motivation can strangely come from something as simple as the lyrics to a rock song.

Sometimes, a good cliché provides the best inspiration. The idea of “burning without fuel” certainly gives a sense of empowerment.

It’s a message of encouragement for hard times reminding you not to take life for granted.

Plenty of Clapton's music included themes about religion. "The Core" isn't as famous as "Tears in Heaven" or his cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." However, it brought a different feeling of faith.

Eric Clapton and Marcy Levy formed a star-studded duo on Slowhand.

Clapton continued his ascension as one of the greatest guitarists of all time and the only member of the Rock & Hall of Fame inducted on three separate occasions.

Levy’s performances in “Lay Down Sally” and “The Core” helped propel her career. She also sang with Bob Seger and Leon Russell before joining Shakespeare’s Sister with Siobhan Fahey for a strong run through the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The 1977 duet with Clapton, however, has stood the test of time as arguably her most powerful work.

The two reunited at the 2018 British Summer Time festival in London for a memorable performance.

The Gibson Les Paul has stood the test of time as the most recognizable and successful signature guitar model.

The single-cut, solid body guitar came around as the first era of Rock & Roll was just beginning. Its inventor Lester Polsfuss (Les Paul) became better remembered for his contribution of an instrument than for his Hall of Fame music career after he teamed up with Gibson in 1952.

Gibson's official website honors its creator and his impact on modern and historical music.

Modern versions of the guitar include some creative new innovations like lightweight material and other features that help guitarists’ comfortability.

However, original models from the 1950s and 1960s now sell at incredible prices as vintage collectable items as a tribute to some of the best rockers in history.

A long list of Rock & Roll legends have played the GLP at one point or another during their performance careers.

It’s tough to picture any of Led Zeppelin’s best moments without images flashing through your brain of Jimmy Page holding the iconic model guitar.

Legendary bands like ZZ Top, Rush, Guns N’ Roses, and the Allman Brothers Band have prominently featured artists playing the Gibson Les Paul. Eric Clapton used it with continued success in stints with multiple bands.

Bob Marley added some variety by using it during a career that helped shape the reggae genre. In addition, Billie Joe Armstrong has helped the GLP continue its legacy into the modern era during a long run as the front man for Green Day.

Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, Randy Rhoads of Quiet Riot, and Tom Scholz of Boston helped popularize the Gibson Les Paul throughout the last 70 years, and six Rock & Roll giants have grown it into an unmistakable and iconic brand.

As the story goes, Jimmy Page purchased the "Number One" Gibson Les Paul Standard from future Eagles legend Joe Walsh in 1969, according to The Met.

If the sale had never happened, would Led Zeppelin have become one of the most successful rock bands in history? 

Page has used the same guitar throughout his career, as Led Zeppelin continues an illustrious run over 50 years later.

Eric Clapton is the only musician inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame three times. He first entered as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992, followed by a second opportunity with Cream in 1993, and finally, as a solo artist in 2000.

"Beano," the Gibson Les Paul he used to record in 1966, mysteriously disappeared. Guitar World described its "mythical status" as one of the great mysteries in Rock & Roll history.

He has rotated other Les Pauls throughout an illustrious career.

Billy Gibbons nicknamed his 1959 Les Paul "Pearly Gates," and the iconic nickname has become synonymous ZZ Top and their lead guitarist.

"I’ve spent plenty of money putting together a collection of guitars attempting to find something to replicate Pearly, and it just hasn’t happened yet," Gibbons told Guitar Player in 2020.

He's used it to record every ZZ Top album since the band formed in 1969.

Neil Young has had an unforgettable career that's included stints with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and even Pearl Jam.

While he's alternated between different guitars throughout a career that began in the 1960s, his GLP "Old Black" has been his trusted guitar during his most memorable moments, including "Cinnamon Girl" on Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Duane and Gregg Allman started the Allman Brothers Band in 1969 along with Berry Oakley, Dickey Betts, Jaimoe (Jai Johanny Johanson), and Butch Trucks.

Duane Allman's rotation of Gibson Les Paul guitars helped them become one of the most influential Southern rock bands of all time.

Ace Frehley is the co-founder and guitarist of Kiss. His innovative style included guitar solos with smoking Les Paul guitars, and his legacy lives on through collectors that remember his creativity.