Dennis Lawrenson Writes: Jacks Tracks

A new band, new sound a new album. No I’m not talking about Jack Bruce and the Cuicoland Express in the year 2001. In fact let’s look back 35 years ago this year to the formation of Cream (how time fly’s!)

In fact October marks the 35th anniversary of not only Creams first single but also the 35th anniversary of the Bruce  / Brown collaboration.

In October 1966 Cream released a little commercial ditty titled Wrapping Paper that from start to finish ran for 2 minutes and 22 seconds.

The song didn’t exactly set the world on fire and peaked the UK charts at 34 under the banner of Robert Stigwoods Reactions Records label .An old blues number Cat Squirrel was the B side.

The band already had a good club following in growing numbers responding to Creams raw blues energy. The fans must have been a bit bewildered when they first heard the smooth commercial pop sounding single …In fact on reflecting on the song more than three decades later Ginger Baker was quoted making no apologies by siting “Wrapping Paper was pretty pathetic”.

I must admit that whenever I heard the song I had these images of Fred McMurray in a fur coat and a beaver hat singing the song and playing ukulele!

Jack is quoted from the Those Were The Days CD booklet, “Although Wrapping Paper didn’t set the world on fire, it definitely sent the message that people were not going to get what they expected from this band.”

From a recording and creativity point of view Jacks comment was right on the money.

Cream had arrived and live they had a roaring blues base of extended solo sets that created the trend for others to follow. However in the studio, magic also occurred but in sometimes-different directions .The classic songs that evolved (to many to list here), from the humble beginnings of Wrapping Paper. One should not be too critical of the song as it was the nebulous that has spanned 35 years of Bruce Brown creativity, which has reached on many occasions soaring heights that many might aspire to, but few ever climb.

 

Wrapping Paper  (A Jack Bruce & Pete Brown Composition) Unichappell Music (BMI)

C                   G+            C

Wrapping paper in the gutter

                          G7                       F    

Moving slowly as the wind on the sea

                       FM                    C

(Faces calling, waves moving)

                                 A7                                D7

In your picture on a wall of a house of old times

                G7                         C        F,C,G7. C

Can you hear me wandering sadly?

                 G+                 C

In the city feeling pretty

                                           C7

Down and out and making love to you

                     F

On the shore

                             Fm               C

Ruined buildings, faces empty

                             A7                             D7

In the picture as I gaze ahead and don't see

                      G7                         C,  Instrumental   F,C,G7C,G+,C,C7 

That they're calling Wandering sadly

F                              Fm                       C,A7,D7

Shattered windows, stairs to nowhere

                G7                                C      F,G7,F

Hear you calling As I wander so sadly

                              Fm7

Wish I knew what you'd done to me

C                            C7                        F7

Turned me on to things I never knew

                        Fm                        C

It's all broken, weeds are growing

                             A7                                      D7

Wish I was going home to the house by the shore

                   G7                                C     F,C,G7.C

Where you loved me Loved me so sadly

                                   G+                       C

Someday I'll get back, somehow I'll do it

                                C7                                   F

I'll arrive there and you'll be there to meet me

                          Fm                               C

(Walk together, tread the weeds down)

                            A7                  D7

Kiss again in the picture on the wall

                                            G7

(Where I loved you) In the old house

                                 C                           F,C,G7

(Where I loved you) Loved you so well .

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