Back Home is the seventeenth solo studio album by Eric Clapton. It was released 29 August 2005 internationally and a day later in the U.S. It is his first album containing new, original material since Reptile (2001), as the previous release Me and Mr. Johnson is an album of song covers of Robert Johnson.
The song, "Say What You Will," was used by the Japanese musical group SMAP.
Critical reception
Back Home was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 52 based on 10 reviews.
Track listing
DualDisc version The special edition DualDisc format of the album features the whole album in surround sound, an interview with Clapton, and five selections from the album played live in the studio. This special package also featured four exclusive guitar picks which display "Back Home" and Clapton's signature on them. The picks came in violet, blue, red, and grey.
Personnel
Eric Clapton – lead vocals, guitar Doyle Bramhall II – guitar Andy Fairweather-Low – baritone guitar Vince Gill – guitar John Mayer – guitar Robert Randolph – pedal steel guitar Simon Climie – keyboards, programming Toby Baker – keyboards Billy Preston – keyboards, acoustic piano, Hammond organ Chris Stainton – keyboards Steve Winwood – keyboards Nathan East – bass guitar Paul Fakhourie – bass guitar Pino Palladino – bass guitar Steve Gadd – drums Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums Nicky Shaw – programming, percussion Kick Horns – brass Gavyn Wright – violin Isobel Griffiths – strings Nick Ingman – strings Michelle John – backing vocals Sharon White – backing vocals Lawrence Johnson – backing vocals
Production
Eric Clapton – producer, cover design concept, liner notes Simon Climie – producer, Pro Tools engineer Alan Douglas – recording engineer Bea Henkel – second assistant engineer George Renwick – assistant engineer Phillippe Rose – assistant engineer Mick Guzauski – mix engineer Tom Bender – mix assistant Joel Evendeen – assistant Pro Tools Jonathan Shakhovskoy – assistant Pro Tools Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, ME). Lee Dickson – guitar technician Debbie Johnson – session coordinator (Los Angeles). Bushbranch – management Catherine Roylance – art direction and design Paul Higgens – illustration Chris Sykes – main photography Allan Titmuss – photography Jill Furmanovsky – photography Dunlop Management, Inc. – pick pack concept
Awards Alan Douglas and Mick Guzauski (engineer) won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for the album.
George Harrison tribute Back Home was Clapton's first studio album released after the death of his close friend George Harrison in November 2001. Clapton covered Harrison's song "Love Comes to Everyone" from his 1979 self-titled album as tribute. Clapton had played the guitar introduction on the original version. In Japan during the tour of George Harrison with Eric Clapton and his band, the song was played but only once, the first night (1 December 1991, Yokohama Arena).
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2005)Peakpositionbgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" European Top 100 Albums (IFPI)3bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" Greek Album (IFPI)6bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" Japanese Albums (Oricon)4bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" bgcolor="#efefef" UK Physical Albums (OCC)19bgcolor="#efefef" US Top Internet Albums (Billboard)13
Year-end charts Chart (2005)PeakpositionAustrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)165Danish Albums (Hitlisten)98German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)141Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)95Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)174
Certifications
References