Got to Get Better in a Little While

Zoo Freaks, your hippie DJs at THE ZOO are spinning a classic for you today with "Got to Get Better in a Little While" by Derek & The Dominos from the Crossroads album. This track, a fiery blues-rock gem, was never released on their only studio album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, but surfaced on the Crossroads box set in 1988, 18 years after its recording during sessions for an unreleased second album. According to Bobby Whitlock, the band’s keyboardist, the song captures the raw energy of their live performances, with Eric Clapton’s guitar practically “bursting into flames” by the end, as one fan noted on LyricsJonk. The studio version, some say, feels a tad slow compared to the electrifying Live at the Fillmore rendition, which a commenter on LyricsJonk called their favorite for its faster tempo and tight interplay.

Another tidbit from the ClassicRock Reddit community highlights the song’s live debut at the Lyceum Theatre in 1970, where the band, still finding their footing, played with a raw intensity that won over the crowd despite England’s World Cup loss to Germany that same night. Whitlock later shared in interviews that the sessions for this track were marred by tension and substance abuse, which contributed to the band’s dissolution before a second album could be completed. A fan on LyricsJonk lamented this, calling it “a cryin’ shame” that such a gem was shelved for so long. The song’s inclusion on Crossroads and a 2011 Record Store Day vinyl release finally gave it the spotlight it deserved, with Carl Radle’s understated yet tasty basslines earning praise as some of the best in rock.

Derek & The Dominos formed in the spring of 1970, born out of Eric Clapton’s desire to step away from the spotlight after the hype of Cream and Blind Faith. Clapton, a guitar virtuoso, teamed up with Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass), and Jim Gordon (drums), all of whom had played together in Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. Their chemistry sparked during sessions for George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, where they jammed and laid the groundwork for the band. The name “Derek and the Dominos” came about by accident when a Lyceum announcer mispronounced their provisional name, “Eric and the Dynamos,” and Clapton, craving anonymity, embraced it. They debuted at the Lyceum on June 14, 1970, with Dave Mason briefly joining on guitar, and later recorded their masterpiece with Duane Allman’s searing slide guitar at Criteria Studios in Miami.

While Derek & The Dominos disbanded in 1971, Eric Clapton’s legacy endures. You can follow his official updates at his website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans keep the Dominos’ spirit alive through communities like the Where’s Eric! fan site, which offers tour news and exclusive articles, and the Eric Clapton Fan Club on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks can connect and share their love for tracks like “Got to Get Better in a Little While.” So, crank up the volume, let Clapton’s Stratocaster wail, and keep it groovy, Zoo Freaks!