Presence of the Lord

Hey there, Zoo Freaks, your hippie DJs at THE ZOO are spinning a classic for you today—Presence of the Lord by Blind Faith from their one-and-only album, Blind Faith. This track, written by Eric Clapton, is a soul-stirring gem that captures a moment of personal triumph. Clapton penned it during a turbulent time, reportedly inspired by the relief of finding a quiet retreat while dodging legal troubles over drugs, as noted in the book A Look At Rock. Some fans on platforms like Songfacts speculate it reflects Clapton’s spiritual awakening, with lyrics like “I have finally found a way to live in the color of the Lord” hinting at a deeper quest for peace. There’s even a wild rumor, shared by a commenter named Patrick Ginter on Songfacts, that the song ties to a lost record store poster—though Clapton’s never confirmed that one!

Another juicy tidbit comes from the song’s creation during Blind Faith’s chaotic early days. According to Best Classic Bands, Clapton was reluctant to sing this deeply personal track, despite its raw emotion. The band recorded it amid rushed sessions at London’s Olympic Studios in 1969, with producer Jimmy Miller piecing together a stockpile of tapes. Fans on Last.fm rave about the swirling organ and Clapton’s pleading guitar, which one blogger on Powerpop says is best cranked to 11 with headphones for a true ‘60s vibe. The song’s live debut at Hyde Park in June 1969, before 100,000 fans, was a high point, though Clapton felt the band’s performance was subpar, as he shared in later interviews.

Now, let’s dive into how Blind Faith came to be. This supergroup—Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech—formed in late 1968 like a musical supernova. Clapton, fresh off Cream’s breakup, was itching to jam with Winwood, who’d just left Traffic. As detailed on AllMusic, the two started messing around at Clapton’s Surrey home, cooking up new sounds. Baker, also ex-Cream, crashed the party, and though Clapton was wary of old baggage, he rolled with it. Ric Grech, from the band Family, joined last, bringing bass and violin chops. Their chemistry was electric but fleeting—they dropped one killer album and toured for three months in 1969 before egos and exhaustion split them apart, as noted on Ginger Baker’s site.

Blind Faith’s legacy lives on, but tracking their official online presence is tricky since they disbanded decades ago. Eric Clapton’s official site, ericclapton.com, covers his career, including Blind Faith tidbits, and you can catch updates on his Facebook, Instagram, and X. Steve Winwood’s got his own hub at stevewinwood.com, with posts on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Sadly, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech have passed, but Baker’s site, gingerbaker.com, is a treasure trove of history. Fans keep the flame alive on sites like eric-clapton.co.uk and in Facebook groups like Eric Clapton Fans. So, Zoo Freaks, keep vibing to Presence of the Lord and stay wild!