Monday, August 06, 2007

Patti Speaks

No, not that Patti. Patti Boyd.
We met secretly at a flat in South Kensington. Eric Clapton had asked me to come because he wanted me to listen to a new number he had written.

He switched on the tape machine, turned up the volume and played me the most powerful, moving song I had ever heard. It was Layla, about a man who falls hopelessly in love with a woman who loves him but is unavailable.

He played it to me two or three times, all the while watching my face intently for my reaction. My first thought was: 'Oh God, everyone's going to know this is about me.'


It's a great story.

4 comments:

steve simels said...

Two things about this soap opera have always killed me.

The first is that Patti totally warped my adolescence in her big scene in 'A Hard Days Night." The blonde dolly with the long hair and bangs wearing a mens shirt and tie...
ay caramba.

The second is that George Harrison ever talked to Eric Clapton again.

I guess that Eastern Wisdom really mellowed him out -- if that had happened to me, I guarantee I would have been ready to kill.

Anonymous said...

You know that royalty, Steve. Not at all like us working class blokes.

Anonymous said...

Whatever became of Jenny Boyd - Patti's sister, who was married to Mick Fleetwood, IIRC? Also quite the looker...
-Bill Buckner

TMink said...

And then Eric and George did "Bye Bye Love" with Patti singing backup on one of George's records.

Amazing.

Trey