Money & Cigarettes [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Eric Clapton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00004Y6NL
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,599 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #98 in Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists > Guitar Gods

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Maybe it was the recording environs of Nassau, Bahamas, that made this such a laidback effort. Maybe it was the presence of trusty Clapton pals Albert Lee, Ry Cooder, and Donald "Duck" Dunn. Money is a relaxed collection of simple songs summed up by the album's sole hit, "I've Got a Rock and Roll Heart." Old-time boogie-woogie and '50s rock is the key inspiration on tracks such as "Slow Down Linda" (which even sounds like a second "Lay Down Sally"), the Eddie Cochran-esque "Man in Love" and "The Shape You're In," which features a nice lead tradeoff between Clapton and Lee. Covers of the Albert King staple "Crosscut Saw" and Sleepy John Estes's "Everybody Oughta Make a Change" boast the album's best blues fills and flurries, while the freight-train jump blues of Johnny Otis's "Crazy Country Hop" closes out the low-key LP with something more resembling a bang. --James Rotondi

Product Description

Vinyl package features one 140g black vinyl disc with insert in direct-to-board Stoughton jacket, manufatured at Pallas.

'Money and Cigarettes' marked several important turning points in Eric Clapton's recording career: his debut release on his own Duck imprint; the first album he made after giving up drinking; and marked his working with new players (with the exception of second guitarist Albert Lee) including Stax Records veteran bassist Donald 'Duck' Dunn and Muscle Shoals drummer Roger Hawkins, also bringing in guest guitarist Ry Cooder.
His new songs reflected on his changed condition, with 'Ain't Going Down,' a thinly veiled musical rewrite of the Jimi Hendrix arrangement of 'All Along the Watchtower,' serving as a statement of purpose that declared, 'I've still got something left to say.' Other notable hits include 'The Shape You're In' the acoustic ballad 'Pretty Girl' and covers of Sleepy John Estes' 'Everybody Oughta Make a Change' (significantly placed as the album's leadoff track), Albert King's 'Crosscut Saw,' and Johnny Otis' 'Crazy Country Hop.' --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid if overlooked album, August 2, 2000

By 

Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Money & Cigarettes (Audio CD)

"Money and Cigarettes" is not one of Eric Clapton's better remembered albums, but that's not because it isn't any good. It ranks somewhere in the second tier of Clapton albums behind classics like "461 Ocean Boulevard" and "Layla" but well ahead of some of his lesser efforts. The best songs here include the easy rockin' "I've Got a Rock'n'Roll Heart," "Pretty Girl," and "Slow Down Linda." The album is also one of Clapton's more bluesy, which perhaps accounts in part for its lack of popularity. Nevertheless, it is a worthwhile listen for Clapton fans.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of his best., July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Money & Cigarettes (Audio CD)

This Eric Clapton album is like a port in a storm, in a way. All of his albums after "Backless" and until "Journeyman" are kind of disappointing, with the strong exception of this one. All of his albums in the 70's and 80's started to drift heavily onto a more poppy sheen, this one included, but it's the songs themselves that speak for this album. There just seems to be this energy and sincerity to the way Clapton plays and sings that I have heard rarely since, and hadn't been displayed to fans since 1977's "Slowhand". The lone single, "I've Got A Rock N' Roll Heart" is (other than being a Clapton fan who wanted more than just "Crossroads") what led me here, and it's not even the strongest cut on here. The whole album is quite strong, melodic, fun, and one of the better Clapton albums. If you're going to pick three to buy, buy "Slowhand", "Eric Clapton" (his solo debut) and this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Even Clapton Had To Make A Change, August 1, 2010

By 

Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Money & Cigarettes (Audio CD)

The early 1980's were something of a forgotton time for Eric Clapton's career.Now he was about to come back very strongly but,the fact was that Clapton's soul,blues and boogie woogie mix of pop/rock music just wasn't really being paid attention to as much anymore now that different post punk and new wave music was being bought to the forefront on the radio. Those genres were definately a breath of fresh air in terms of innovation to an extent but for those who stayed with people like Clapton he actually still had a lot to say. The most interesting thing about this album is that it doesn't really stray all that much from the style Clapton had been using during his mid to late 70's solo career. With Ry Cooder and Albert Lee on the board this is very much a laid back styled rhythm & blues affair. The reason I use that term is because blues artists of this era who were working within the then current ideom actually wound up doing not necessarily straight ahead blues but a sound that was something like a modern variation on what Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin did in the 50's and 60's. Claptons version of "Everbody Oughta Make A Change",therefore is top notch rhythm & blues and,for an even more decent reference there is the presense of Booker T & The MG's Donald "Duck" Dunn actualy ups the ante even more. Many of the songs such as "The Shape You're In","Ain't Going Down" and "Man Overboard" follow a similar lead: none are exactly lowdown blues or smooth blues exactly but have have that rhythic bite and crunch that brings it up to having something of a retro/modern soul flavor to it. "Pretty Girl" brings the same approch to a wonderful romantic ballad that features some wonderful slide guitar playing. "Man In Love","Crosscut Saw" and "Slow Down Linda" are very much reminders of the type of music that Clapton worked magic with back in the day with Cream,Blind Faith,Derek & The Dominoes and even to a certain extent The Plastic Ono Band. Since these songs have a strong small group flavor they tend to make one forget the musicians intensely legendary status and just find him and his fellow musicians relaxing and letting the music flow. The album ends on a pretty appropriatly upbeat note with "Crazy Country Hop".One of the best things about this album IS the fact it wasn't a hit album and would up being forgotton in the huge cannon of Clapton albums extending back to his earliest work with John Mayall and The Yardbirds. The fact he was able to create such an enjoyable album that gets better with each listen says a lot.