“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.
Lyrics to “The Core”
The lyrics to “The Core” complement the smooth and easily-identifiable riff flawlessly.
Every morning when I wake, a feeling soon begins to overtake me.
Ringing in my ears resounds through my brain; it finally surrounds me.
There is fire, there is life, there is passion, fever and fury.
There is love and there is hate, there is longing, anger and worry
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.
Oh, I have a flame; feel it touch my heart.
And down at my core is the hottest part.
I can burn without fuel.
Sometimes, a good cliché provides the best inspiration. The idea of “burning without fuel” certainly gives a sense of empowerment.
Gypsy woman said to me, “One thing you must bear in your mind:
You are young and you are free, but damned if you’re deceased in your own lifetime.
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
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.