BBC Sessions (Cream album)

BBC Sessions is a live album by the British rock band Cream, released on 25 May 2003 on Polydor Records. It contains 22 tracks and 4 interviews recorded live at the BBC studios in London.

BBC Sessions
Live album by Cream
Released	14 April 2003
Recorded	1966–1968
Venue	BBC Playhouse Theatre, London Aeolian 2, London BBC Home Service Maida Vale 4, London
Genre	Blues-rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock
Length	68:30
Label	Polydor
Producer	Bill Bebb Bernie Andrews Jeff Griffin Bev Phillips
Cream chronology
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Cream (2000) BBC Sessions (2003) Gold (2005)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Between 21 October 1966 and 9 January 1968, Cream recorded eight sessions for the BBC radio network, selected highlights from seven of which are featured in chronological order on this collection.

Only the versions of "Steppin' Out" and "Lawdy Mama" had been previously released, although both were released on Eric Clapton's Crossroads box set, not by the band itself.

BBC Sessions was later included as the third disc in the "limited edition box set" release of Cream's 2005 compilation album I Feel Free – Ultimate Cream (also known as Gold).[2]

Track listing

1. "Sweet Wine" (Ginger Baker, Janet Godfrey) – 3:27
2. Eric Clapton Interview 1 – 0:54
3. "Wrapping Paper" (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) – 2:29
4. "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Muddy Waters) – 3:02
5. "Steppin' Out" (James Bracken) – 1:50
6. "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson, arr. Eric Clapton) – 1:53
7. "Cat's Squirrel" (Instrumental) (Traditional, arr. S. Splurge) – 3:38
8. "Traintime" (Bruce) – 2:50
9. "I'm So Glad" (Skip James) – 4:22
10. "Lawdy Mama" (Traditional, arr. Clapton) – 1:53
11. Eric Clapton Interview 2 – 0:48
12. "I Feel Free" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:54
13. "N.S.U." (Bruce) – 2:55
14. "Four Until Late" (Johnson, arr. Clapton) – 1:55
15. "Strange Brew" (Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins Pappalardi) – 3:00
16. Eric Clapton Interview 3 – 0:44
17. "Tales of Brave Ulysses" (Clapton, Martin Sharp) – 2:55
18. "We're Going Wrong" (Bruce) – 3:25
19. Eric Clapton Interview 4 – 0:37
20. "Born Under a Bad Sign" (Booker T. Jones, William Bell) – 3:03
21. "Outside Woman Blues" (Blind Joe Reynolds) – 3:18
22. "Take It Back" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:17
23. "Sunshine of Your Love" (Guitar solo) (Clapton, Bruce, Brown) – 4:08
24. "Politician" (Bruce, Brown) – 3:59
25. "SWLABR" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:32
26. "Steppin' Out" (Instrumental) (Bracken) – 3:37

Recording and broadcast details

Tracks 1–5 recorded 8 November 1966 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London.

Broadcast on Saturday Club, BBC Light Programme, 11 November 1966.

Track 6 recorded 28 November 1966 at Aeolian 2, London.

Broadcast on Guitar Club, BBC Home Service, 30 December 1966.

Tracks 7–10 recorded 9 December 1966 at Maida Vale 4, London.

Broadcast on Rhythm & Blues, BBC World Service, 9 January 1967.

Tracks 11–14 recorded 10 January 1967 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London.

Broadcast on Saturday Club, BBC Light Programme, 14 January 1967.

Tracks 15–18 recorded 30 May 1967 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre, London.

Broadcast on Saturday Club, BBC Light Programme, 3 June 1967.

Tracks 19–23 recorded 24 October 1967 at Aeolian 2, London.

Broadcast on Top Gear, BBC Radio 1, 29 October 1967.

Tracks 24–26 recorded 9 January 1968 at Aeolian 2, London.

Broadcast on Top Gear, BBC Radio 1, 14 January 1968.

Omissions

Whilst recordings exist in private hands, this collection includes no material from Cream's first BBC session on 21 October 1966 at Maida Vale 4, London and broadcast on Band Beat, BBC World Service, 21 November 1966. The tracks recorded at this session were "Sleepy Time Time", "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "Spoonful".

Other songs missing from this collection:[3]

• "Sleepy Time Time" and "I'm So Glad" from the Saturday Club session recorded 8 November 1966 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre.
• "Sitting on Top of the World" and "Steppin' Out" from the Guitar Club session recorded 28 November 1966 at Aeolian 2.
• "Traintime" and "Toad" from the Saturday Club session recorded 10 January 1967 at the BBC Playhouse Theatre.
• "Tales of Brave Ulysses" from the Top Gear session recorded 24 October 1967 at Aeolian 2 - exists in private hands.
• "Blue Condition" and "We're Going Wrong" from the Top Gear session recorded 9 January 1968 at Aeolian 2.

Personnel

• Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
• Jack Bruce – bass, lead vocals, harmonica
• Ginger Baker – drums, percussion, vocals

References

1. Allmusic Review
2. "I Feel Free – Ultimate Cream". Jack Bruce. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
3. "BBC Sessions". Gpatt.customer.netspace.net.au. Retrieved 9 January 2012.