Cocaine (song)
Encyclopedia
"Cocaine" is a song written and recorded by JJ Cale in 1976 and most widely known in a cover version
recorded by Eric Clapton
. Allmusic calls the latter "among [Clapton's] most enduringly popular hits" and notes that "even for an artist like Clapton with a huge body of high-quality work, 'Cocaine' ranks among his best."
Glyn Johns
, who had previously worked with The Who
, Led Zeppelin
and The Rolling Stones
, produced the Clapton recording, which was released on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand
and as a single in 1980. The live version of "Cocaine" charted on the Billboard Hot 100
as the B-side of "Tulsa Time
", which was a No. 30 hit in 1980. "Cocaine" was one of several of Cale's songs recorded by Clapton, including "After Midnight" and "Travelin' Light".
Because of its ambiguous message, Clapton did not perform the song in many of his concerts; however, over the years, Clapton has added the lyrics 'that dirty cocaine' in live shows to underline the anti-drug message of the song.
appears on their albums The Fool Circle
and Snaz
. Guitarist Andy Taylor
of Duran Duran recorded it for his 1990 solo album Dangerous
.
In 2008, country singer Gretchen Wilson
quoted the melody from the tag end of the chorus ("she don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie") for her song "Work Hard, Play Harder" (which also borrowed from The Black Crowes
). The hard rock band Black Robot
covered the song on their 2010 self-titled album. Post-Grunge band Puddle of Mudd
included a cover as a bonus track for their 2011 covers-album Re:(Disc)overed.
, and in the 2005 film Lord of War
.
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
recorded by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. Allmusic calls the latter "among [Clapton's] most enduringly popular hits" and notes that "even for an artist like Clapton with a huge body of high-quality work, 'Cocaine' ranks among his best."
Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns
Glyn Johns is a musician, recording engineer and record producer.-Career:He has worked with such artists as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Easybeats, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Eric Clapton, The Clash, The Steve Miller Band, Small Faces, Spooky Tooth, The Ozark...
, who had previously worked with The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, produced the Clapton recording, which was released on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand
Slowhand
Slowhand is an album by Eric Clapton, released in 1977. It contained three of his most popular singles, the bluesy "Cocaine", the ballad "Wonderful Tonight" and the country-flavoured #3 U.S. hit "Lay Down Sally", as well as other songs that became Clapton classics on their own like "The Core" and...
and as a single in 1980. The live version of "Cocaine" charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
as the B-side of "Tulsa Time
Tulsa Time
"Tulsa Time" is a song written by Danny Flowers. Don Williams recorded and released it as a single in 1978. "Tulsa Time" would be Don Williams' eighth number one on the country chart...
", which was a No. 30 hit in 1980. "Cocaine" was one of several of Cale's songs recorded by Clapton, including "After Midnight" and "Travelin' Light".
J. J. Cale version
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|
Eric Clapton version
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
3 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
30 |
Analysis
Eric Clapton describes "Cocaine" as "an anti-drug-song. The fans only listen to the refrain: ‘She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don't lie, cocaine.’ But it says, ‘If you wanna get down, down on the ground, cocaine.’" The song also contains the lyric: "Don't forget this fact, you can't get it back". Clapton has called the song "quite cleverly anti-cocaine", noting:- "It’s no good to write a deliberate anti-drug song and hope that it will catch. Because the general thing is that people will be upset by that. It would disturb them to have someone else shoving something down their throat. So the best thing to do is offer something that seems ambiguous—that on study or on reflection actually can be seen to be ‘anti’—which the song "Cocaine" is actually an anti-cocaine song. If you study it or look at it with a little bit of thought... from a distance... or as it goes by... it just sounds like a song about cocaine. But actually, it is quite cleverly anti-cocaine."
Because of its ambiguous message, Clapton did not perform the song in many of his concerts; however, over the years, Clapton has added the lyrics 'that dirty cocaine' in live shows to underline the anti-drug message of the song.
Other cover versions
A live cover by the Scottish rock band NazarethNazareth (band)
Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band, founded in 1968, that had several hits in the UK in the early 1970s, and established an international audience with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog. Perhaps their best-known hit single was a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts", in 1975...
appears on their albums The Fool Circle
The Fool Circle
-Remaster Bonus Tracks:-30th Anniversary Bonus Tracks:-Band members:*Dan McCafferty - vocals*Manny Charlton - guitars*Pete Agnew - bass guitar, vocals*Darrell Sweet - drums-Additional musicians:*Zal Cleminson – 12-string acoustic guitar on "Cocaine"...
and Snaz
Snaz
-Disc two:-Personnel:* Dan McCafferty: vocals* Manny Charlton: guitar* Billy Rankin: guitar, backing vocals* John Locke: keyboards* Pete Agnew: bass guitar, backing vocals* Darrell Sweet: drums, backing vocals...
. Guitarist Andy Taylor
Andy Taylor (guitarist)
Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
of Duran Duran recorded it for his 1990 solo album Dangerous
Dangerous (Andy Taylor album)
Dangerous is a 1990 covers album by the British guitarist Andy Taylor, who is most famous for his work in the band Duran Duran. It was a follow-up to his earlier solo album Thunder....
.
In 2008, country singer Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
quoted the melody from the tag end of the chorus ("she don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie") for her song "Work Hard, Play Harder" (which also borrowed from The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
). The hard rock band Black Robot
Black Robot (band)
Black Robot is a California based hard rock band formed in 2008 by bassist Jonathan Brightman . Their debut album was released June 8, 2010 on Formosa Records/Rocket Science Ventures Brightman is a founding member of the Grammy nominated band Buckcherry, co-writing and performing on their...
covered the song on their 2010 self-titled album. Post-Grunge band Puddle of Mudd
Puddle of Mudd
Puddle Of Mudd is an American rock band from Kansas City, Missouri, USA. To date the band has sold over 7 million albums, and have had a string of #1 mainstream rock singles in the United States. Their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over 5 million copies...
included a cover as a bonus track for their 2011 covers-album Re:(Disc)overed.
In popular culture
The song was featured in the 2004 film Starsky & HutchStarsky & Hutch (film)
Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
, and in the 2005 film Lord of War
Lord of War
Lord of War is a 2005 French-German-American action drama film written and directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Nicolas Cage. It was released in the United States on September 16, 2005, with the DVD following on January 17, 2006 and the Blu-ray Disc on July 27, 2006.Cage plays an illegal arms...
.