When the band was formed in 1968 its members were already famous, making it one of the first “super groups.”  And it wasn’t hard to ascertain their origins, as the stylistic similarities to Traffic and Cream were all but apparent.

The idea began when Steve Winwood began to jam with his good friend (“God” himself)  Eric Clapton at Clapton’s home in Surrey.  Ginger Baker then sat-in on drums and all they needed was a bass-player.  After inviting Ric Grech to join-in they soon began to record an album and decided to call themselves “Blind Faith” in light of Clapton’s warranted cynicism about the group’s durability.

Between recording sessions they played some live engagements. But since they were still working on their first album and didn’t have all that many original songs they were forced to resort to the old Cream and Traffic catalogs.  Clapton in particular was unhappy with this situation, referring to the group as “Super Cream” and not long after the release of Blind Faith’s eponymous album in 1969 the band dissolved.

As for the album, it quickly topped both the US and the UK album charts although some may best recall the controversy provoked by its nameless (only the wrapping paper named the band) cover.  Whereas the US record company issued the record with an alternate cover (of course), featuring a picture of the band, the British release used the “original” cover with a topless pubescent girl holding a silver space ship.

Designed by Clapton’s friend, Bob Seidemann who was then renowned for his pictures of Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, rumors ran rampant that the girl was either a groupie or (as they had similarly colored hair) Ginger Baker’s illegitimate daughter. In reality she was a London suburbanite who, for a fee of £40, posed with the written consent of her parents.

Here’s the album’s second track, written and sung (in those rather strange days) by Steve Winwood.

 LISTEN TO TODAY’S SELECTION – Friday 11 January

Can’t Find My Way Home

 Come down off your throne and leave your body alone

Somebody must change

You are the reason I’ve been waiting so long

Somebody holds the key

Well, I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time

And I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home

Come down on your own and leave your body alone

Somebody must change

You are the reason I’ve been waiting all these years

Somebody holds the key

Well, I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time

And I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home