Badge

Greatly Appreciated

BADGE
 
 
“Badge”  is a pop rock song performed by British rock music group Cream.  It was written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison.  It was included as a track on Cream’s final album, Goodbye.  “Badge” was a minor hit in the United States, peaking at number 60 on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 after its release as a single in April 1969.  The single was much more successful in the United Kingdom, where it reached position 18.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

Cream officially broke up in July 1968, though the band performed in England as late as November.  Cream’s final album, Goodbye was drawn primarily from concert recordings at The Forum in Los Angeles on October 19, 1968; but it also included a studio version of one of Cream’s finest performances, “Badge” (co-written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison).  

 

(May 2014)

 

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The liner notes for the Wonderwall Music album were a mess, and George Harrison was not originally credited with performing any of the music, leading many to think that he merely oversaw the album; actually, in addition to arranging the music, Harrison played electric and acoustic guitar, piano, and Mellotron.  Other musicians on the album include Eric Clapton on electric guitar – credited as “Eddie Clayton” – Harrison’s bandmate Ringo Starr on drums, and Peter Tork of the Monkees who plays banjo (!).  In 1969George Harrison collaborated with Eric Clapton in writing perhaps my very favorite song by Cream, “Badge
 
(September 2014)
 
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The other George Harrison songs on The Beatles are all standout cuts on the album and illustrate the variety that George has brought in his songwriting all along:  “Piggies, “Long, Long, Long”, and "Savoy Truffle”.  
Many rock critics have noted that the sheer length of All Things Must Pass – the triple LP (including the bonus disk Apple Jam) that George Harrison released after the Beatles broke up – showed the volume of excellent Harrison compositions that never made it onto any Beatles albums.  Eric Clapton was one of the key musicians in those recording sessions; the two also co-wrote one of my favorite songs by Cream, “Badge
 

(June 2015)

 

Last edited: March 22, 2021