Promises (Eric Clapton song)

"Promises"
Single by Eric Clapton
from the album Backless
B-side	"Watch Out for Lucy"
Released	September 1978
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Rock and roll · country
Length	3:00
Label	RSO
Writer(s)	Richard Feldman · Roger Linn
Producer(s)	Glyn Johns
Eric Clapton singles chronology
"If I Don't Be There by Morning" (1978) "Promises" (1978) "Watch Out for Lucy" (1978)

"Promises" is a single released by the British rock musician Eric Clapton in September 1978. It is part of his studio album Backless.

Release

"Promises" was released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the United States, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Australia, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy in September 1978. With the age of digital music, the song is available as a digital music download in nearly every country.^[1] Besides being released as a single, the track appears on various compilation albums including Timepieces: The Best of Eric Clapton (1982), Backtrackin' (1984), The Cream of Eric Clapton (1987), Crossroads (1988), The Cream of Clapton (1995) and Complete Clapton (2007). In total, the title has been released on over 15 albums.^[2]

Chart performance

The release was especially successful in the United States reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, as well as peaking at number six on the magazine's Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached position 82 on the Top Country Singles chart. In Canada, the single ranked at seven on the national singles chart and reached #24 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. Additionally, it charted up to position 12 on the CHUM charts in Canada. In New Zealand, a re-entry reached number 35 on the country's official music chart. In the Netherlands, "Promises" reached #40 on the Top 100 singles chart and stayed on the week for seven weeks. It also reached position three on the Dutch Top 40 "tip parade" (songs bubbling under the main Top 40). In France, the album was listed unter the artist name "Eric Clapton & His Band" and peaked at number 71. In Australia the song peaked at number 26, although in the United Kingdom it only made number 37. In Norway, the release peaked at number one on the Country Singles chart, which had been introduced that year and was removed from the VG-lista in 1980.

Composition and critical reception

"Promises" consists of four verses, two choruses and one outro. The song is in the key of G major^[3] and backing vocals were performed by Marcy Levy. AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann calls the song and gramophone record release an "understated pop shuffle" and notes the writing credits of Richard Feldman and Roger Linn. Ruhlmann then goes on to criticize that Backless and the song "Promises" are not "memorable recordings" of Clapton.^[4] The German music journalist Steffen Greifswald writes in his review for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "Backless is a good recording for music lovers and of course Eric Clapton fanatics. One recording definitely sticks out – the song "Promises" has integrity, soul and passion. The track therefore perfectly sums up Eric Clapton and his work".^[5]

Chart positions

Weekly charts Chart (1978–1979) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 26 Canada (CHUM)[7] 12 Canadian Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 24 Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[9] 7 France (SNEP)[10] 71 Netherlands (Dutch Tip 40)[11] 3 bgcolor="#efefef" Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 40 bgcolor="#efefef" New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 35 Norwegian Country Singles (VG-lista)[14] 1 bgcolor="#efefef" UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[15] 37 bgcolor="#efefef" US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 9 US Top Country Singles (Billboard)[18] 82

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Position Australia (ARIA)[19] 124 Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[20] 149 Norwegian Country Singles (VG-lista)[14] 23 Chart (1979) Position Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[21] 80 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 82

References

1. "Eric Clapton – Promises – austriancharts.at". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Stefan Hung – Hung Medien. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
2. "Promises – Eric Clapton | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
3. "=Promises Chords (ver 2) by Eric Clapton @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com". ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
4. "Backless – Eric Clapton | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
5. Greifswald, Steffen (1978). "New Albums Coming This Year". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: 14.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.Note: This reference gives Australian albums and singles information. It is used for chart peak positions as early materials were released before ARIA regulated the Australian charts itself (1989).
7. 1050 CHUM – CHUM Charts at the Wayback Machine (archived February 22, 2006). CHUM Charts. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
8. "Adult Contemporary – Volume 30, No. 21, February 17, 1979". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. February 17, 1979. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
9. "Top Singles – Volume 30, No. 18, January 27, 1979". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. January 27, 1979. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
10. "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). InfoDisc.fr. Retrieved August 15, 2015. Note: Search for "Eric CLAPTON" and press "OK" to see the chart positions.
11. "Eric Clapton – Promises | Top 40". Dutch Top 40. top40.nl. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – Promises" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
13. "Charts.org.nz – Eric Clapton – Promises". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
14. Gayvin, James (1993). Top 100 Country Singles of 1978 – VG-lista. Dublin: Limited Publishing.
15. "Archive Chart: 1978-11-12" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
16. "Eric Clapton – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Eric Clapton.
17. "Eric Clapton | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
18. "Backless – Eric Clapton | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
19. Ryan, Gavin (2011). ARIA Chart Book 1988-2010. Dublin: Top 200 Singles.
20. "Top Singles – Volume 30, No. 14, December 30, 1978". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. December 30, 1978. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
21. "Top Singles – Volume 32, No. 13, December 22, 1979". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. December 22, 1979. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
22. "Top 100 Hits for 1979". Billboard Magazine. longboredsurfer.com. Retrieved August 15, 2015.