No Reason to Cry
Studio album by
Eric Clapton
Released27 August 1976
RecordedDecember 1975 – May 1976
StudioShangri-La Studios, Malibu and Village Recorders, Los Angeles[1]
GenreRock
Length45:59
LabelRSO
ProducerRob Fraboni
Eric Clapton chronology
E. C. Was Here
(1975)		 No Reason to Cry
(1976)		 Slowhand
(1977)
Singles from No Reason to Cry
  1. "Hello Old Friend"
    Released: October 1976
  2. "Carnival"
    Released: January 1977

No Reason to Cry is the fourth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released by RSO Records on 27 August 1976. The album was recorded in Malibu and Los Angeles between December 1975 to May 1976. The record went silver in the U.K.

Recording

The album was recorded at The Band's Shangri-la Studios in March 1976, and included involvement from all five members of The Band; Rick Danko shared vocals with Clapton on "All Our Past Times", which he co-wrote with Clapton. The album also includes a duet with Bob Dylan on his otherwise unreleased song "Sign Language". The booklet in Bob Dylan's box set The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991 describes his involvement in this album: "Dylan dropped by and was just hanging out, living in a tent at the bottom of the garden. He would sneak into the studio to see what was going on." Dylan offered his new, unrecorded song "Seven Days" to Clapton.[2] Clapton passed on it, but Ron Wood took him up on the offer and released it on his third solo album Gimme Some Neck.[3] The song "Innocent Times" is sung by Marcy Levy, who also shared vocals with Clapton on "Hungry".[4] In the bonus track "Last Night", added in the 1990 re-release, Clapton shares vocals with Richard Manuel.

Chart performance

No Reason to Cry is one of Clapton's most internationally successful albums from the 1970s. The release reached the Top 30 in seven national music album charts, hitting Top 10 in United Kingdom (peaking at No. 8) and in the Netherlands, where it topped out No. 9. The album was certified silver in the United Kingdom. In Norway and the United States, the album charted at No. 13 and No. 15 respectively, while in New Zealand and Sweden, it reached No. 18 and No. 24 respectively.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[6]

AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann awarded the release 3.5 of five possible stars, writing: "No Reason to Cry is identifiable as the kind of pop/rock Clapton had been making since the start of his solo career", adding "the most memorable music on the album occurs when Clapton is collaborating with members of the Band and other guests". Finishing his review, Ruhlmann called the release "a good purchase for fans of Bob Dylan and the Band, but not necessarily for those of Eric Clapton".[5] Rolling Stone journalist Dave Marsh finds, the album recordings are "much more mélange than masterpiece".[7] Robert Christgau rated the album with a "B−" and calls the album "a well-made, rather likable rock and roll LP", noting the "singing is eloquent and the instrumental signature an almost irresistible pleasure".[6]

Track listings

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beautiful Thing"Rick Danko · Richard Manuel4:26
2."Carnival"Eric Clapton3:44
3."Sign Language"Bob Dylan2:58
4."County Jail Blues"Alfred Fields; arranged by Eric Clapton4:00
5."All Our Past Times"Eric Clapton · Rick Danko4:40
6."Hello Old Friend"Eric Clapton3:36
7."Double Trouble"Otis Rush; arranged by Eric Clapton4:23
8."Innocent Times"Eric Clapton · Marcy Levy4:11
9."Hungry"Marcy Levy · Dicky Simms4:39
10."Black Summer Rain"Eric Clapton4:55
Total length:45:59
1990 CD Bonus Track[8]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Last Night"Walter Jacobs4:52
Total length:50:51

Personnel

The listed personnel was taken from the album's liner notes. The back cover also thanks additional people, who worked on the album, without specifying what their contribution was.[9]

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for No Reason to Cry
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[10] Gold 20,000^
Japan — 35,000[14]
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 60,000^
United States — 350,000[21]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Eric Clapton - No Reason To Cry". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  2. ↑ Newman, Martin Alan (2021). Bob Dylan's Malibu. Hibbing, Minnesota: EDLIS Café Press. ISBN 9781736972304.
  3. ↑ Dylan, Bob (1992). The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 [Rare & Unreleased] 1961–1991. Columbia Records (Compact Disc #47382).
  4. ↑ "Album – No Reason To Cry". Eric-clapton.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  5. 1 2 "No Reason to Cry – Eric Clapton | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  6. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: C". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 23 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  7. ↑ "Eric Clapton No Reason To Cry Album Review | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone Magazine. 18 November 1976. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "NO REASON TO CRY – Where's Eric!". Whereseric.com. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  9. ↑ Clapton, Eric; RSO Records (1976). "Liner Notes / Back Cover". No Reason to Cry (LP Liner Notes). United States: RSO Records. pp. 1–2. RS-1-3004 0698.
  10. 1 2 3 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. ↑ "Danske Hitlister – Eric Clapton" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – No Reason To Cry" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Eric Clapton". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 48.
  14. 1 2 3 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  15. ↑ "Charts.nz – Eric Clapton – No Reason To Cry". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  16. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – No Reason To Cry". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Eric Clapton – No Reason To Cry". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  19. ↑ "Eric Clapton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  20. ↑ "British album certifications – Eric Clapton – No Reason To Cry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  21. ↑ "49 Gold LPs In Top 100" (PDF). Cashbox. worldradiohistory.com. 6 November 1976. p. 18. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
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