Analysis Of Eric Clapton's Cocaine

Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” is a powerful song in that it layers seemingly simple lyrics with more ambiguous, complex undertones. Indeed, seen in this light, the track is a direct criticism of the state of the high-pressure music industry in the 1970s. I will be analyzing Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” in relation to musical and cultural context of the time period in which it was first released. In my paper, I will explore the unique appeal of “Cocaine” to both rock aficionados and casual listeners, and the manner in which it establishes Clapton as one of the great pioneers and influencers of the blues rock genre. Clapton’s “Cocaine” (1977) is a cover of a song originally recorded by J.J Cale in 1976, released along with other tracks in his album

Every experience has the same addictive effect and the musician is keenly aware of what to expect from the consumption of cocaine (a temporary respite from the anxieties and pressures of a demanding career). The repetition of the same phrase three times within the refrain serves to emphasize the mutual relationship between Clapton and his most reliable “acquaintance”, the cocaine. Surely, a close examination of the lyrics shows Clapton to be at a stage in his career and life during which his sole source of emotional solace is

In fact, Clapton eventually added the line “that dirty cocaine” during his live performances, reiterating the anti-drug message of the track. Throughout his decades-long career, Clapton, on retrospection, laments most his “old records” that were performed “stoned or drunk”, in which he fails to achieve a desired virtuosity. Thus, he seeks to remind listeners of his own troubled past and warn them from tainting their own lives by consuming cocaine. This is evident by the line: “If you want to get down, get down on the ground, cocaine.” The act of “get[ting] down on the ground” is reminiscent of one falling unconscious or even dropping dead, a morbid allusion made by Clapton to dissuade listeners tempted by cocaine and its stimulatory