Disraeli Gears [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Cream | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 7, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1967
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B0000067L2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #895 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #17 in Music > Classic Rock > Psychedelic Rock
  • #17 in Music > Music Deals > $8.99 and Under
  • #18 in Music > Classic Rock > British Invasion

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fresh Cream, the album that introduced this seminal super-blues trio to America, was perhaps a bit too blues-based to do the advance hype ("Clapton is God!") justice. Two of its three best-known tracks, after all, were blues covers. It was Disraeli Gears that turned Cream into a "supergroup." Here they pursue the psychedelic ideals of the era with total abandon (the LP cover art still stands as one of the 1960s' most striking designs), merging these ideals with their take on the blues and adorning the amalgamation with some superb pop craftsmanship. Of the eleven originals here, four--"Tales of Brave Ulysses," "SWLABR," "Strange Brew," and "Sunshine of Your Love"--earned major airplay. This, their excess-free greatest moment, does the Cream legend proud. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ukulele music to my ears, August 24, 2004

By 

Don Schmittdiel "running_man" (Clinton Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Disraeli Gears (Audio CD)

In the summer of 1968 a friend and I were fortunate fourteen-year olds... we scored a brief summer job clearing knee-high weeds from behind a sign manufacturing shop. With our $30 windfall we purchased two of the classic psychedelic albums released the previous year. I walked home with The Beatles 'Sgt. Peppers', while my buddy picked up Cream's 'Disraeli Gears'. Both were wise purchases, but I felt I had made the better choice since I got the cool pop-out Pepper inserts! Given the same choice today, I may well walk home with Cream...

'Disraeli Gears' is, arguably, the finest album recorded by Cream. The only real competition is from 'Wheels Of Fire', and that's a double-lp, so it's difficult to make comparisons. It is one of several albums that made the late-1960's psychedelic era the psychedelic era. It was the second of their four studio releases, and for most people it was the work that brought the band to their attention. Cream had a hit with 'Crossroads' from their first album, but 'Sunshine of Your Love' rose to number five on the national charts, and essentially ushered in the heavy metal feel for bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. The overall strength of 'Disraeli Gears' also easily eclipsed the quality of their first album, 'Fresh Cream'. Eric Clapton indulges heartily in the mainstay of psychedelic rock, the wah-pedal guitar, while Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce add their readily distinguishable style on drums and bass, respectively. All three contribute to the vocals, though Clapton and Bruce share most of the leads.

The origins of psychedelic rock albums and songs often has strange origins, and this album is a case in point. Consider that the title for this album was gleaned from a mispronunciation of "derailleur gears" for racing bicycles as "Disraeli gears". Can you imagine how many hours stoned-out freaks spent contemplating the connection between Benjamin Disraeli and gears? Ukulele Music To My Ears would have rhymed and perhaps made more sense. The psychedelic imagery is ever-present in the lyrics as well. 'SWLABR', for example, is an acronym for She Walks Like a Bearded Rainbow, words that appear nowhere in this rocked-up tune (though we are told that "the picture has a mustache"...).

I love the beginning of 'Disraeli Gears'. 'Strange Brew', which gleaned a lot of playing time on the emerging FM stations of the era, is the opener. It's followed by 'Sunshine of Your Love', 'World of Pain' and 'Dance the Night Away', superb psychedelic rock numbers. You would be hard pressed to find four finer consecutive songs on any disc. 'Blue Condition', like 'We're Going Wrong' are both slow, dismal numbers, which capture their stories well, but seem to stand in the way of rummaging through the other great rock tracks on the disc, 'Tales of Brave Ulysses', an excellent electrified cover of Arthur Reynold's 'Outside Woman Blues', and 'Take It Back'. 'Mother's Lament', a short (1:47), traditional cockney number, is the a capella closer, essentially a throw-away unless you're into traditional cockney numbers.

Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce are the author's of most of the great compositions found on 'Disraeli Gears'. The album is steeped in memorable guitar riffs and clever, thought-provoking lyrics. And few bands, especially bands stripped down to lead guitar, bass and drums, aside from today's White Stripes (who somehow do it with two...), rocked as fluidly as Cream. There won't be a dollar of your entertainment money wasted here.

50 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hands Down, Best Cream Album, January 16, 2002

By 

jumpy1 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Disraeli Gears (Audio CD)

When you've heard all of Hendrix a thousand times and are desperate for more, but not the same, you must turn to Cream's psychedelic bluesy classic rock! Great tunes, great solos, by the best rock stylists of their time. One great thing about Cream is that whether in the studio or live, they remain fresh and this album is proof. I realize that saying Disraeli Gears is the best Cream album (over Wheels of Fire) is setting myself up for a fight, but there it is. Every song is a major one, with the most immitated rock guitar tracks of all time (the only exception being Stairway to Heaven). Plus, it is most distinctively Cream, whereas the other albums have integrated many licks and styles that can be found on Hendrix and other blues and rock artists' albums. That doesn't stop me from owning and playing the heck out of them, but establishes, for me, that Disraeli Gears is the supreme achievement of the band.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cream's Masterpiece, March 18, 2006

By 

CaptainJack (RockWorld) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Disraeli Gears (Audio CD)

This album brought Cream to the top in 1967. While their debut was a great album on its own, this sophomore effort is in my opinion the band's finest hour. On this record, the trio of Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton approaches variety of genres like Psychodelia, Classic Blues, Rock and many more with perfection. Many songs from this album are longtime Cream classics and stand as a principle of the band's repertoire.

Disraeli Gears saw the trio growing as the musicans. The songwiritng has improved a lot since Fresh Cream and the songs sound a lot more sophisticated and inspired. Unlike on the band's debut, most of the songs are originals written by band's members and there are only two covers to be found (Outside Woman Blues, Mother's Lament)

The album opens with Strange Brew, straight-up blues with a recognizable guitar lick. A good opener. Sunshine Of Your Love, arguably Cream's biggest hit, follows next. This classic opens with a fierce guitar riff and features a legendary guitar solo. Every band member shines on this number. But even if it's the major hit, it's far from being the only one great song on here. World Of Pain and Dance The Night Away deliver some colorful psychedelia, and Blue Condition is a nice relaxing blues track. The giant Tales Of Brave Ulysess follows next. This track features a superb guitar riff and some psychodelic poetry written by Martin Sharp. The use of wah-wah is a great addition. Definately an inspired and amazing track, one of my personal favourites. SWLABR (She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow), an intense rocker, never fails to please. Catchy lyrics and guitar riff will get stuck in your head once You hear it. Outside Woman Blues delivers some more classic blues playing. Take It Back follows similar stylings, and some harmonica is to be found here as well. The closing Mother's Lament is more a joke song, and though most reviewers seem to dislike it, I think it's a nice closer. Cream is not only about being seriously, and they show it on this track.

Disraeli Gears is not only Cream's finest record, it's also one of the major classics of the 60s. It is as influental as Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced", The Doors' debut album or The Beatles' "Sergeant Pepper's lonely Hearts Club Band". If You call Yourself a classic rock fan, this is a must have. And If You want to get into Cream, this is the best place to start. Highly Recommended.