More than words: Find your way home with a little Blind Faith...

March 6, 11:38 AMSF Rock Music ExaminerSarah-Jayne Couhault

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Blind Faith (c: metalsucks.com)

Have you ever loved a song to the point of ridiculousness but no matter how hard you try, you just can’t understand the lyrics? What was the artist thinking when writing your favorite tune? More Than Words, a weekly column, will help to delve a little deeper…

Can’t Find My Way Home, Blind Faith (Blind Faith, 1969)

“Blind Faith is based on the idea that if you take three of the best soloists around and form them into a single smooth-functioning unit, the result will be one incredible rock band. Ego conflicts must be kept at a minimum; solos are taken not because someone feels like flashing for a while, but because the song calls for a solo at that point.” John Morthland, Rolling Stone, 1969.

Touted as the world’s first ‘Superband’, Blind Faith comprised Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech. The band only released one album in 1969 and on it, was the ever so poignant, ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’.

Despite controversy about the naked image of an eleven-year-old girl on the album’s cover, Blind Faith went on to reach number one in both the UK and the US with ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’ soon becoming a fan favorite.

“Upon its release, Blind Faith topped Billboard’s charts at the No. #1 spot for Pop Album in both the U.S. and the UK, and peaked at #40 on the Black Albums chart – an impressive feat for a British rock quartet. The album sold more than half a million copies within the first month of its release.” Wikipedia.

Whilst there has been speculation about the true meaning of ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’, Steve Winwood declared in an interview that the song was about a close friend who struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. Rumors have circulated that the ‘friend’ was actually one or more of the band’s own members.

Towards the dissolution of his band Cream, Eric Clapton spoke about his drug use to Rolling Stone Magazine’s Robert Palmer.

“Yeah, we did a lot of acid, took a lot of trips in our spare time. And we did play on acid a couple of times.”

The lyrics “Come down off your throne and leave your body alone. Somebody must change. You are the reason I've been waiting so long. Somebody holds the key,” are said to reflect advice to a drug addict. ‘Somebody’ is the addict - the only person who can help him, is himself. The lyric “Can’t find my way home” represents the addict’s struggle to get back on track and back to being himself.

“He (Winwood) said he wrote it (the song) as if it were himself struggling – he was having a discussion with himself. ‘Come down off your thrown and leave your body alone. Somebody must change’ – this signifies the struggle between physical addiction and spiritual awakening. ‘You are the reason I've been waiting here so long’ - again, he has been waiting to return from addiction. The addict is not himself (whilst on drugs).” Songfacts.

The band parted ways only a year after their formation however Clapton and Winwood continued to support one another on individual projects. Clapton and Winwood are performing together live in Oakland at Oracle Arena on June 29^th 2009. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or Live Nation.

“I'm already anxious for the next Blind Faith album. If they ever get it together all at once, rock and roll will never be the same,” John Morthland, Rolling Stone, 1969.

*More Than Words is a weekly column. If you liked this column, you may also enjoy – Message in a Bottle, Buffalo Soldier, Purple Haze, I am The Walrus, Riders on the Storm, White Room, Wear Your Love Like Heaven, Could Have Lied, Go Your Own Way, Sweetest Thing, Smells Like Teen Spirit.