Please Be With Me
Eric Clapton · 461 Ocean Boulevard [1974]
Is it love or is it me
That makes me change so suddenly?
Looking out, feeling free.
I sit here lying on my bed,
Wondering what it was I'd said
That made me think I'd lost my head,
When I knew I lost my heart instead.
(chorus)
Won't you please read my signs, be a gypsy.
Tell me what I hope to find deep within me.
Because you can find my mind, please be with me.
Of all the better things I've heard,
Loving you has made the words
And all the rest seem so absurd,
'Cause in the end it all comes out I'm sure.
Chorus
Please Be With Me
Eric Clapton's "Please Be With Me" stands as a defining track from his 1974 album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. Recorded during a pivotal period in his career, the song showcases the guitarist's transition toward a more accessible, roots-oriented sound that would dominate his subsequent discography. The recording features Clapton's signature blues-inflected guitar work, blending soulful melodies with a relaxed, Caribbean-influenced rhythm section. As part of an album that marked his first major commercial success as a solo artist, the track highlights his ability to craft intimate, emotionally resonant music. It remains a celebrated example of his songwriting prowess, reflecting the personal and professional evolution that characterized his work in the mid-1970s.