Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers (featuring Eric Clapton) (Live 1982)

Alright, Zoo Freaks, it’s your hippie DJs from The Zoo Crew spinning some soul-stirring vibes tonight with Jeff Beck’s “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers (featuring Eric Clapton) (Live 1982)” from the album The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball. This track is a heart-wrenching instrumental, originally written by Stevie Wonder for his then-wife Syreeta Wright in 1974, but Jeff Beck made it his own with this live performance. Did you know Stevie gifted this song to Beck, who dedicated it to guitarist Roy Buchanan on his 1975 album Blow by Blow? The 1982 live version we’re playing tonight, recorded at the Amnesty International benefit concert, captures the magic of Beck and Clapton—two Yardbirds legends—trading soulful licks. In a 2018 Rolling Stone interview, Beck shared how moved he was by Clapton’s participation in his documentary Still on the Run, saying, “I never expected him to bother to be in it. I studied his face over and over, just to make sure there wasn’t something else going on.” That camaraderie shines through in their performance, making this track a timeless gem.

Now, let’s dive into some trivia. The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball wasn’t just a concert—it was a star-studded event for Amnesty International, featuring Sting, Phil Collins, and Bob Geldof, among others. Beck and Clapton didn’t just play “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers”—they also tore through “Crossroads” and “Further on Up the Road,” and joined an all-star finale with “I Shall Be Released.” A fan on Reddit’s Jeff Beck community recently posted about a 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival performance of this song, calling it “chilling” and a masterpiece. Posts on Amazon reviews for the album rave about how Beck’s guitar “sings” the unspoken lyrics, channeling raw emotion. And get this: for the Blow by Blow version, Beck used a 1958 Fender Telecaster with humbuckers for the solo, though he’s famously tied to his Fender Stratocaster, as noted in a 2024 Guitar Part article.

Let’s take it back to how Jeff Beck got started. Born in Wallington, Surrey, in 1944, Beck was a tinkerer from the start, building his own guitar as a teen, inspired by Les Paul. He idolized Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Gene Vincent’s guitarist Cliff Gallup. A 2013 interview quoted on MSmokeMusic recalls how Beck, along with pals Jimmy Page and Clapton, grew up within 15 miles of each other in England—a hotbed of guitar talent. Beck’s early bands, like the Night Shift and the Tridents, played blues and R&B covers. His big break came in 1965 when he replaced Clapton in the Yardbirds, bringing wild feedback and fuzz to hits like “Heart Full of Soul.” After leaving the Yardbirds, he formed the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, cementing his rep as a guitar innovator. His 1975 album Blow by Blow, produced by George Martin, marked his shift to instrumental jazz-rock, with “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers” as a standout.

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with Jeff Beck’s legacy through his official website at jeffbeck.com. His Facebook page shares tributes and updates, while his Instagram showcases iconic photos and performance clips. On X, posts like one from 2016 by @jeffbeckmusic highlight his career from early bands to his final album, Loud Hailer. Fans gather at the Jeff Beck Fans Facebook group, a vibrant community sharing rare recordings and memories. Another great spot is r/jeffbeck on Reddit, where Zoo Freaks can geek out over his artistry. So, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO, and let Beck’s guitar take you to another dimension!