Day 132: May 12: Back in the High Life Again
"when you're born to run it's so hard to just slow down."
Even before I knew that the harmony on this song was James Taylor, it was what made the track work for me. I think it's the best song of Steve's solo career. Steve was a musical prodigy- a prog-rock Stevie Wonder. At age 14, he joined the Spencer Davis Group- at some point writing Gimme Some Lovin'. This title track from a mid-80's album was sort of a comeback for him. It feels a lot like John Lennon's Watching the Wheels- I'm back, but on my own terms, and my own pace. There's also a haunting cover by the late great Warren Zevon that I hear in my head whenever I hear this original version.
The legend of Steve Winwood was so powerful that the potential of working with him (and the potential of getting away from the drama of Ginger Baker) was enough to break up Cream. The result was a single album from Blind Faith producing two of the best songs Eric Clapton was ever a part of- the beautiful Can't Find My Way Home- and this haunting track. I think it was largely Ginger Baker's horning in on this group that made Clapton lose interest so quickly, but there's something special about the two of them together. Here's a reunion of the two playing "Presence of the Lord."
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