Presence of the Lord (Blind Faith album)
| "Presence of the Lord" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Blind Faith | |
| from the album Blind Faith | |
| Released | 9 August 1969[1] |
| Recorded | 20 February – 28 June 1969 |
| Studio | |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:50 |
| Label | Polydor |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Miller |
| Alternative cover | |
 US cover | |
Presence of the Lord is the fourth track of the studio album Blind Faith by the English supergroup Blind Faith. The album was originally released in 1969 on Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Europe and on ATCO Records in the United States, topping the album charts in the UK, Canada and US, and listed at No. 40 on the US Soul Albums chart. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
In 2016, Blind Faith was ranked 14th on Rolling Stone's list of "The 40 Greatest One Album Wonders", which described "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Presence of the Lord" as "incredible".[4]
Lyrics
I have finally found a way to live
Just like I never could before
I know that I don't have much to give
But I can open any door
Everybody knows the secret
Everybody knows the score
Yeah yeah yeah
I have finally found a way to live
In the color of the Lord
I have finally found a place to live
Just like I never could before
And I know I don't have much to give
But soon I'll open any door
Everybody knows the secret
Everybody knows the score
I have finally found a place to live
Oh oh oh oh
In the presence of the Lord
In the presence of the Lord
I have finally found a way to live
Just like I never could before
And I know I don't have much to give
But I can open any door
Everybody knows the secret
I said everybody knows the score
I have finally found a way to live
Oh oh oh oh
In the colour of the Lord
In the colour of the Lord— , Presence of the Lord © E C Music Ltd
Live recording
Meaning
This if the first song for which Eric Clapton wrote all the lyrics himself. Steve Winwood sang lead, as he did with all of the Blind Faith songs. Even though it's a very personal song, Clapton made sure he wouldn't be the lead vocalist by writing it in a higher key than he could sing. He thought Winwood was a much better singer (most would agree), and wanted him on this track.
The song is about how Clapton was becoming more comfortable with his life. He had just left Cream at the peak of its popularity, and was looking forward to playing with Blind Faith. He wasn't too comfortable though: Clapton was fighting drug addiction and falling in love with George Harrison's wife, whom he would later marry.
Clapton called this a "song of gratitude." It was one of his first songs to explore spirituality, which he did on some of his solo tracks in the '70s. He said the message of this song was to "say 'thank you' to God, or whatever you choose to call Him, for whatever happens."[5]
- ↑ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 9, 1969. p. 42. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ↑ uDiscover Team (11 February 2020). "Blind Faith". uDiscover Music. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ↑ "The Top 30 British Blues Rock Albums Of All Time". Classic Rock. Future plc. 23 March 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ↑ "40 Greatest One-Album Wonders". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ↑ "Blind Faith - Presence of the Lord". songfacts.com.