Cale, J J - Travelin' Light
"It was Clapton who forged the closest relationship with Cale. They were in sync musically and personally. Clapton also recorded Cale songs "Travelin' Light" and "I'll Make Love To You Anytime" and included the Cale composition "Angel" on his album, "Old Sock." Other songs like "Layla" didn't involve Cale, but clearly owe him a debt. The two also collaborated together on "The Road to Escondido," which won the Grammy Award for best contemporary blues album in 2008.
Clapton once told Vanity Fair that Cale was the living person he most admired, and Cale weighed the impact Clapton had on his life in a 2006 interview with The Associated Press: "I'd probably be selling shoes today if it wasn't for Eric."
That quote was typical of the always humble Cale. But while Clapton was already a star when he began mining Cale's catalog, there's no doubt the music they shared cemented his "Clapton is God" status and defined the second half of his career.
"As hard as I've tried I've never really succeeded in getting a record to sound like him and that's what I want," Clapton said in a "Fast Focus" video interview to promote "Escondido."
"Before I go under the ground, I want to make a JJ Cale album with him at the helm."
Clapton described Cale's music as "a strange hybrid. It's not really blues, it's not really folk or country or rock 'n' roll. It's somewhere in the middle."
Travelin' Light
Travelin' light, is the only way to fly
Travelin' light, just you and I
One-way ticket to ecstasy
Way on down, follow me
Travelin' light, we can go beyond
Travelin' light, we can catch the wind
Travelin' light, let your mind pretend
We can go to paradise
Maybe once, maybe twice
Cale, J J
Reducing desires
Reducing threats
Squash the big I am