Fra Velvet Underground til Eric Clapton i halvfjerdserne er der et stykke vej. Ja, man fristes til at mene, at man kommer fra ilden til asken eller omvendt. I hvert fald er Claptons periode omkring albummene 461 Ocena Boulevar, There’s one in every crowd og E. C. was here en periode, hvor den tidligere spadesvingende guitargud gik vældigt ned i gear og blev ganske afdæmpet i sit udtryk. Nogle fans faldt fra, men nye kom til.

Nu har pladeselskabet og Clapton fået den udmærkede ide at samle de tre omtalte album i et bokssæt med titlen Give me Strength: The ’74/’75 Recordings i opdaterede og udvidede udgaver. Her er det muligt at opleve den stoffri, genfødte guitarhelt udfolde sig på en underspillet, men ikke desto mindre formidabel facon.

Disc 1: 461 Ocean Boulevard (released as RSO Records SO 4801 (U.S.)/3803 038 (U.K.), 1974) and bonus material

1. Motherless Children
2. Give Me Strength
3. Willie and the Hand Jive
4. Get Ready
5. I Shot the Sheriff
6. I Can’t Hold Out
7. Please Be with Me
8. Let It Grow
9. Steady Rollin’ Man
10. Mainline Florida
11. Ain’t That Lovin’ You (from Crossroads – Polydor 835 261-2, 1988)
12. Meet Me (Down At the Bottom) (from Blues – Polydor 314 547 178-2, 1999)
13. Lonesome Road Blues (Walkin’ Down the Road) (from Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies - Polydor/Chronicles 314 529 305-2, 1996)
14. Getting Acquainted *
15. Getting Acquainted 2 (Too Late) *
16. Eric After Hours Blues (from 461 Ocean Boulevard: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/UMe B0003722-02, 2004))
17. Please Be with Me (Acoustic) *
18. Give Me Strength (Dobro 1) *

Disc 2: There’s One in Every Crowd (released as RSO Records SO 4086 (U.S.)/2479 132 (U.K.), 1975) and bonus material

1. We’ve Been Told (Jesus is Coming Soon)
2. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
3. Little Rachel
4. Don’t Blame Me
5. The Sky is Crying
6. Singin’ the Blues
7. Better Make It Through Today
8. Pretty Blue Eyes
9. High
10. Opposites
11. Burial *
12. Whatcha Gonna Do (from Crossroads – Polydor 835 261-2, 1988)
13. I Found a Love (from Crossroads – Polydor 835 261-2, 1988)
14. (When Things Go Wrong) It Hurts Me Too (from Crossroads – Polydor 835 261-2, 1988)
15. Fools Like Me *
16. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (single A-side – Polydor 2090 166 (U.K.), 1975)
17. Someone Like You (single B-side – Polydor 2090 166 (U.K.), 1975)

Discs 3-4: E.C. Was Here Remixed and Expanded (released as RSO Records SO 4089 (U.S.)/2394 160 (U.K.), 1975)

1. Smile (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) +
2. Have You Ever Loved a Woman(Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974)
3. Presence of the Lord (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974)
4. Crossroads (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) *
5. I Shot the Sheriff (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) *
6. Layla (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) *
7. Little Wing (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) *
8. Can’t Find My Way Home (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974)
9. Driftin’ Blues/Ramblin’ on My Mind (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974)

1. Ramblin’ on My Mind/Have You Ever Loved a Woman (Live @ The Hammersmith Odeon, London – 12/5/1974)
2. Willie and the Hand Jive/Get Ready (Live @ Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – 7/20/1974) **
3. The Sky is Crying/Have You Ever Loved a Woman/Ramblin’ on My Mind (Live @ The Hammersmith Odeon, London – 12/5/1974) **
4. Badge (Live @ Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY – 6/28/1975) **
5. Driftin’ Blues (Live @ Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI – 6/25/1975) **
6. Eyesight to the Blind/Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad (Live @ Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI – 6/25/1975) **
7. Further On Up the Road (Live @ Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale NY – 6/28/1975) **

+ possibly from Timepieces Vol. II – ‘Live’ in the Seventies (Polydor 811 835-2 (U.S.)/RSO Records 8022 (U.K.), 1983)
** from Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies (Polydor/Chronicles 314 529 305-2, 1996)

Disc 5: Freddie King/Criteria Studios Sessions

1. Sugar Sweet (from Burglar – RSO Records SO 4803 (U.S.)/2394 140 (U.K.), 1974)
2. TV Mama (from Freddie King 1934-1976 – RSO Records 1-3025 (U.S.)/Polydor 2934 192 (U.K.), 1977)
3. Boogie Funk (from Texas Flyer 1974-19http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R3MUo1IKoU76, Bear Family BCD 16778, 2010, previously unreleased in U.S.)
4. Gambling Woman Blues (Full-Length Version) (edited version from Freddie King 1934-1976 – RSO Records 1-3025 (U.S.)/Polydor 2934 192 (U.K.), 1977) *

Disc 6: Blu-ray

• 461 Ocean Boulevard – 5.1 Surround Mix by Elliott Scheiner *
• Ain’t That Lovin’ You – 5.1 Surround Mix by Elliott Scheiner *
• Meet Me (Down At the Bottom) – 5.1 Surround Mix by Elliott Scheiner *
• Lonesome Blues (Walkin’ Down the Road) – 5.1 Surround Mix by Elliott Scheiner *
• 461 Ocean Boulevard – Quadraphonic Mix (released as RSO Records QD 4801, 1974)
• There’s One in Every Crowd – Quadraphonic Mix (released as RSO Records QD 4806, 1975)