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Best of Cream
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Best of Cream
Greatest hits album by
Released
  • 7 July 1969 (U.S.)
  • 24 October 1969 (UK)
Recorded1966–68
Genre
Length34:45
LabelAtco, RSO, Polydor
ProducerFelix Pappalardi, Robert Stigwood
Cream chronology
Goodbye
(1969)
Best of Cream
(1969)
Live Cream
(1970)
Eric Clapton chronology
Best of Cream
(1969)
Blind Faith
(1969)

Best of Cream is a compilation album of material recorded from 1966 to 1968 by the rock band Cream and released shortly after their disbanding. It was originally released by Cream's U.S. label Atco (Atlantic) Records (catalog no. SD 33-291) and was available on that label during the years 1969–1972. It got a UK release later in 1969 on Polydor Records, who also issued the album in other territories outside the U.S. The album was briefly reissued in the U.S. in 1977 by RSO/Polydor, to whom U.S. distribution rights for Cream's recordings had reverted by that time. A re-release was pressed in 2014 by Polydor on 180g vinyl (catalog no. 535 113-8).

Best of Cream was noteworthy upon its release as the first American record to contain Cream's studio recording of "Spoonful". Although included in international versions of Cream's 1966 debut album Fresh Cream, the song was deleted from Atco's initial U.S. release of the album, and replaced with the band's first hit single "I Feel Free". U.S. reissues of Fresh Cream contain both songs.

The album peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart in July 1969.[1] and reached No. 6 on the UK album charts. It was certified Gold by the RIAA.

Track listing

[edit]

Side 1

[edit]
  1. "Sunshine of Your Love" (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Eric Clapton) – 4:08
  2. "Badge" (Clapton, George Harrison) – 2:45
    • From Cream's fourth (and last original) album Goodbye (1969), produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Eric Clapton.
  3. "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson, arr. Clapton) – 4:13
  4. "White Room" (Bruce, Brown) – 3:04
    • 45 RPM single edit; uncut version appears on Wheels of Fire. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Jack Bruce.
    • Early Spanish Polydor issues of the album (catalog no. 184298) include the uncut version of the song, running time 4:58.
  5. "SWLABR" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:31
    • From Disraeli Gears. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Jack Bruce.

Side 2

[edit]
  1. "Born Under a Bad Sign" (Booker T. Jones, William Bell) – 3:08
    • From Wheels of Fire. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Jack Bruce.
  2. "Spoonful" (Willie Dixon) – 6:30
    • Uncut version, from the international version of Cream's first album Fresh Cream (1966). Produced by Robert Stigwood. Vocal: Jack Bruce.
  3. "Tales of Brave Ulysses" (Clapton, Martin Sharp) – 2:50
    • From Disraeli Gears. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Jack Bruce.
  4. "Strange Brew" (Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins Pappalardi) – 2:45
    • From Disraeli Gears. Produced by Felix Pappalardi. Vocal: Eric Clapton.
  5. "I Feel Free" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:51
    • From the U.S. version of Fresh Cream. Produced by Robert Stigwood. Vocals: Jack Bruce/Eric Clapton.

Personnel

[edit]

Cream

[edit]

Additional personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1969) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[2] 6
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[3] 8
Finnish Albums (Soumen Virallinen)[4] 10
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[5] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[6] 6
US Billboard 200[7] 3

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Citation

[edit]
  1. ^ "Cream > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  2. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Image 7752". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. p. 100. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  5. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Cream – Best of Cream" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Cream Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Cream Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Cream – Best of Cream". Recording Industry Association of America.
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Best of Cream is a compilation album by the British rock supergroup Cream, released on July 7, 1969, by Atco Records in the United States and on October 24, 1969, by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom. The album collects ten tracks from the band's earlier releases, spanning their active years from 1966 to 1968, including studio recordings from Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), and Wheels of Fire (1968), as well as live performances. It features iconic songs such as "Sunshine of Your Love," "White Room," "Badge," and "Crossroads," showcasing the band's blues-rock style, virtuosic musicianship, and psychedelic influences. The album marked Cream's first greatest hits collection, issued shortly after the band's breakup in 1968, and served as a retrospective of their brief but influential career. Formed in 1966 by guitarist , bassist/vocalist , and drummer , Cream pioneered the power trio format and blended , and , influencing generations of musicians. Best of Cream peaked at number 3 on the US chart and number 6 on the , spending 44 weeks and 34 weeks on each respective chart. It was certified gold by the RIAA in the United States for sales exceeding 500,000 copies. Notable for its timing, the release coincided with the debut of Blind Faith, a new supergroup featuring Clapton and , and provided fans with a concise overview of Cream's output amid the band's dissolution. The track selection emphasizes the group's hit singles and album standouts, with original production and engineering credits including and as producers, and Bill Halverson as an engineer, reflecting the high-fidelity sound that defined their recordings. Over the years, Best of Cream has been reissued in various formats, including a 2014 180-gram vinyl edition, maintaining its status as an essential entry point to the band's catalog.

Background

Cream's Formation and Rise

was formed in July 1966 in by guitarist , bassist and lead vocalist , and drummer , establishing the band as one of rock music's earliest supergroups due to the members' prior prominence in groups like the Yardbirds, , and Graham Bond's band. The trio's debut album, , was released on December 9, 1966, by Reaction Records in the UK and in the US, blending blues covers and originals in a raw -rock style that peaked at number 6 on the and number 39 on the US Billboard 200. Cream's sophomore effort, , arrived in November 1967 and marked a commercial breakthrough, reaching number 5 in the UK and number 4 in the US, while introducing psychedelic elements alongside their foundation through tracks like the hit single "," which climbed to number 5 on the US and number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. Their third album, , released in June 1968 in the and August in the UK, solidified their success as a double LP that topped the and reached number 3 in the UK, featuring the psychedelic-tinged single "" that peaked at number 6 in the and number 28 in the UK. Over their active years from 1966 to 1968, Cream transitioned from straightforward blues-rock in to increasingly psychedelic and improvisational sounds in and , influencing the era's rock evolution.

Disbandment and Post-Breakup Context

Cream announced their disbandment on July 10, 1968, with guitarist stating that the band would dissolve after completing their ongoing tour, a decision that had been brewing since May amid mounting pressures. The group's final performance took place on November 26, 1968, at London's , marking the end of their brief but influential run as rock's pioneering supergroup. The split stemmed primarily from deep-seated internal tensions, particularly the longstanding feud between bassist/vocalist and drummer , which dated back to their time in and often erupted into physical altercations on stage and off. Creative differences further strained the trio, as Clapton grew disillusioned with the band's direction—favoring endless improvisational jams over structured songs—and sought a more collaborative, roots-oriented sound inspired by encounters with . Exhaustion from relentless touring, including three grueling U.S. legs that isolated the members and amplified their burnout, ultimately made continuation untenable for all three. Following the breakup, Cream's immense popularity—bolstered by hits like "Sunshine of Your Love" and massive album sales—sparked immediate and sustained interest from fans and their label, Polydor/Atco, in preserving and repackaging their catalog to meet demand for accessible highlights of their work. This fervor was evident in the success of their posthumous releases, such as the 1969 album Goodbye, which combined new studio tracks with live recordings from the farewell tour and charted highly, underscoring the public's appetite for more Cream material. Manager Robert Stigwood played a pivotal role in navigating the band's dissolution and leveraging their legacy, persuading the members to undertake a lucrative farewell tour despite the acrimony and overseeing strategic compilations to sustain commercial momentum in the wake of their split. Under Stigwood's guidance through his Robert Stigwood Organisation, the quick assembly of hits collections like Best of Cream capitalized on the void left by the band's departure, ensuring their blues-rock innovations reached new audiences.

Recording and Production

Track Selection and Sources

The Best of Cream compilation features a curated selection of 10 tracks drawn from the band's primary releases: (1966), (1967), (1968), and Goodbye (1969). These albums encapsulate Cream's evolution from blues-infused rock to psychedelic experimentation, and the choices prioritize material that highlights their signature sound and commercial success following the band's disbandment in late 1968. A key highlight is the inclusion of the studio version of "Spoonful," originally recorded for the UK edition of Fresh Cream but omitted from the initial U.S. release; this marks its debut on an American album, providing listeners with the full-length original rather than the previously available live interpretations. The selection balances studio recordings—such as hits from Disraeli Gears—with live adaptations, exemplified by the electrifying performance of "Crossroads" sourced from the live portion of Wheels of Fire, which captures the improvisational intensity of Cream's concerts. The curation focused on singles and enduring fan favorites to represent the band's most impactful hits, ensuring the compilation served as an accessible entry point to their while emphasizing tracks that drove their popularity in both the and U.S. markets.

Production Process

The production of Best of Cream was overseen by and the Organization, drawing on their prior roles in the band's original sessions. All tracks except "I Feel Free" and "Spoonful" were originally produced by Pappalardi, while "I Feel Free" and "Spoonful" were produced by the Organization. No new material was recorded for the compilation, which instead utilized existing stereo mixes from Cream's original releases between 1966 and 1969, including , , , and Goodbye. To accommodate the constraints of the vinyl LP format, certain selections underwent editing; for instance, "White Room" was shortened from its full 4:58 album version on to the 3:04 single edit, allowing better side timing without excessive fades. The compilation's sequencing prioritized balance across the two LP sides, with Side A featuring shorter, high-energy leading into longer pieces on Side B, all presented in for optimal playback on contemporary equipment. This arrangement yielded a total runtime of 34:43. The falls under the rock classification, blending foundations with psychedelic and influences characteristic of Cream's output.

Release

Initial Release Details

The Best of Cream compilation album was initially released in the United States on July 7, 1969, by under catalog number SD 33-291. The edition followed on October 24, 1969, issued by with catalog number 583 060. Both releases were formatted as LP vinyl records housed in a standard sleeve containing band photographs and . Outside the US and UK, the album appeared on Polydor for the majority of international markets during 1969.

Packaging and Promotion

The packaging for Best of Cream featured cover art created by American pop artist Jim Dine, depicting a colorful collage of vegetable motifs in a playful, abstract style that evoked pop art influences. The liner notes offered a concise historical overview of Cream's formation, key milestones, and the cultural significance of the compilation's tracks, emphasizing the band's innovative blend of blues, rock, and psychedelia. Released in the wake of Cream's disbandment, the album's promotion positioned it as the essential single-disc retrospective for the supergroup, capitalizing on their legacy as pioneering figures in to attract both existing fans and new listeners. Marketing efforts included leveraging radio airplay of standout singles such as "" and "," alongside subtle nods to the band's recent farewell performances during their final U.S. tour in .

Musical Content

Track Listing

The Best of Cream compilation album, released in 1969, features tracks drawn from the band's earlier albums including Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969). The original vinyl LP sequencing divides the 10 tracks across two sides, with a total runtime of 34:45.
SideNo.TitleWriter(s)Length
11"Sunshine of Your Love"Clapton/Bruce/Brown4:08
12"Badge"Clapton/Harrison2:45
13"Crossroads" (live)Johnson4:13
14"White Room" (edit)Bruce/Brown3:04
15"SWLABR"Bruce/Brown2:31
21"Born Under a Bad Sign"Bell/Jones3:08
22"Spoonful"Dixon6:30
23"Tales of Brave Ulysses"Clapton/Sharp2:50
24"Strange Brew"Clapton/Pappalardi/Collins2:45
25"I Feel Free"Bruce/Brown2:51

Notable Tracks and Edits

The compilation Best of Cream exemplifies the band's signature blend of covers and original compositions, highlighting their innovative dynamics where guitar, bass, and drums each took on lead roles in driving extended improvisations and layered textures. This approach allowed to fuse traditional structures with elements, creating a sound that emphasized raw energy and virtuosic interplay without additional instrumentation. Opening the album, "Sunshine of Your Love" stands out as an iconic riff-driven track that captures psychedelic blues-rock at its peak, with Eric Clapton's heavy guitar —derived from a bass line inspired by —anchoring the song's hypnotic groove and Jack Bruce's soaring vocals. The track's structure builds tension through its repetitive and climactic solo, marking a pivotal fusion of intensity and psychedelic atmosphere that propelled Cream's popularity. "White Room" appears in a compilation-specific edit shortened to 3:04 for radio play, trimming the original album version's length while preserving its orchestral strings, dynamic shifts, and Bruce's haunting vocals that evoke a dreamlike, psychedelic . This alteration highlights the track's lush production by , blending baroque influences with blues-rock propulsion to create one of Cream's most atmospheric originals. The cover "" serves as an extended jam at 6:30, transforming the original standard into a showcase of the band's improvisational prowess through layered guitar solos, driving bass lines, and rhythmic intensity that underscore their capabilities. Drawing from Dixon's 1960 recording, Cream's rendition expands the song's suggestive lyrics into a vehicle for collective exploration, emphasizing spontaneous interplay over strict structure. "Badge," co-written by Clapton and (credited as L'Angelo Misterioso), provides a melodic to the album's heavier selections, featuring a soulful contribution from Harrison and a key change leading to an emotive Clapton solo that shifts toward softer rock sensibilities. This track from Cream's final studio album Goodbye illustrates their versatility, incorporating pop-like hooks and harmonic subtlety amid the compilation's predominantly blues-infused energy.

Personnel

Band Members

Cream was a pioneering formed in 1966, comprising on lead guitar and vocals, on bass, lead vocals, and harmonica, and on drums and percussion. This lineup defined the band's innovative blues-rock sound on the tracks compiled in Best of Cream, emphasizing their raw, improvisational energy without reliance on supplementary players for the original recordings. Eric Clapton, often hailed as one of rock's premier guitarists, delivered the band's blistering work, including iconic solos and riffs on songs like "" and "Crossroads." He also provided vocals on select tracks, notably taking lead on "," a rarity given the band's typical vocal dynamics. Jack Bruce anchored the rhythm section with his versatile bass lines, which often drove the melodic structure, while serving as the primary across most of the compilation's tracks, such as "" and "I Feel Free." A classically trained musician, Bruce also contributed harmonica on pieces like those from , adding bluesy texture, and was the band's chief songwriter, co-authoring key hits with poet-lyricist . Ginger Baker supplied the propulsive drums and percussion, renowned for his polyrhythmic complexity and jazz-influenced flair that elevated extended improvisations. His dynamic, intricate drumming is particularly evident in jams like "."

Additional Contributors

The original recordings featured on Best of Cream were primarily produced by , who helmed the band's albums (1967), (1968), and Goodbye (1969), supplying the bulk of the compilation's tracks with his signature blend of psychedelic and blues-rock elements. Tracks from the debut (1966), including "" and "," fell under executive production by , Cream's manager, who oversaw the band's early output. Songwriting contributions extended beyond the band, with poet collaborating closely with bassist/vocalist on lyrics for several key tracks, such as "White Room," "SWLABR," and "I Feel Free," infusing the material with surreal, poetic imagery drawn from Brown's beat poetry background. of co-wrote "Badge" with guitarist , providing the song's bridge and title—derived from a misspelling of "bridge"—which marked a rare external songwriting input for the album. Engineering for the original sessions was handled by various technicians, including Adrian Barber for multiple recordings across the band's albums, though specific credits were not always detailed in contemporary releases; the Best of Cream compilation drew directly from these original master tapes to preserve the source material's fidelity.

Commercial Performance

Chart Positions

The Best of Cream compilation album, released in 1969 following the band's disbandment in 1968, benefited from heightened interest in their catalog amid post-breakup hype, leading to strong chart performance across multiple markets. It debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 in July 1969 and peaked at number 3, spending a total of 44 weeks on the chart. In the United Kingdom, the album entered the Official Albums Chart in November 1969, reaching a peak of number 6 and charting for 34 weeks overall, with runs extending into 1970. The release also saw success internationally, peaking at number 6 in (Kent Music Report), number 8 in (RPM), number 10 in (Suomen virallinen lista), and number 29 in (Media Control).
CountryChartPeak PositionYear
United StatesBillboard 20031969
United KingdomOfficial Albums Chart61969
Kent Music Report61969
RPM Top Albums81969
Suomen virallinen lista101969
Media Control291969

Sales Certifications

In the United States, Best of Cream was certified Gold by the (RIAA) on November 10, 1969, indicating shipments of 500,000 units. This certification underscored the album's strong commercial performance following its July 1969 release, which also saw it peak at number 3 on the chart. The album's U.S. success was bolstered by distribution through , Cream's American label at the time. No other major international certifications, such as from the (BPI) or equivalents in other markets, have been documented for the original 1969 edition.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Reviews

Upon its release in 1969, Best of Cream was lauded for assembling the band's most commercially successful singles into a cohesive package, offering listeners an accessible overview of their blues-rock innovations. Critics appreciated the inclusion of powerhouse tracks like "" and "," which exemplified Cream's raw energy and improvisational prowess, though some pointed out the compilation's emphasis on radio-friendly edits over the extended live jams that defined the group's reputation. Retrospective assessments have solidified its status as an essential starter for casual fans, with awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars and describing it as "a strong collection of hits" that effectively introduces Cream's signature sound despite omissions such as "" and "Swlabr." The review highlights how the album draws primarily from the band's early studio efforts, featuring the studio version of "" from and the live version of "Crossroads" from , which somewhat tempers the full intensity of their performances. Common themes in later critiques emphasize the compilation's ability to capture Cream's explosive synergy among , , and , yet note that shortened tracks occasionally dilute the spontaneous, jam-oriented essence that set the power trio apart. Compared to more expansive later anthologies like the 1983 Strange Brew: The Very Best of Cream, it lacks comprehensiveness but remains a concise, high-impact snapshot of the band's peak creativity for newcomers. Progrography echoes this, calling the track choices "unimpeachable" and critiquing the era's production limitations, such as no digital remastering in early pressings.

Cultural Impact and Reissues

Cream's fusion of , , and , as showcased in works like Best of Cream, significantly contributed to solidifying their status as pioneers of , shaping the evolution of the genre in the late and beyond. As the band's first major posthumous release following their 1968 disbandment, it preserved their innovative sound for new audiences and affirmed their role in bridging traditions with emerging rock forms. Iconic tracks like "" emerged as radio staples, with their heavy riffs, feedback-laden guitars, and rhythmic intensity influencing the foundations of and early heavy metal; the song's doomy, tribal structure has been recognized as a proto-metal that inspired subsequent artists in the heavier spectrum of rock. The album saw a in 1977 by in the UK (catalog number 2394 131), marking a brief return to vinyl pressing amid renewed interest in the band's catalog after U.S. distribution rights reverted to the label. A more recent edition arrived in 2014 from as part of the series (catalog number 535 113-8), featuring 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, exact reproductions of the original artwork, and a digital download voucher, aimed at vinyl enthusiasts seeking high-fidelity remasters of compilations. In Cream's broader legacy, tracks from Best of Cream are prominently featured in retrospective box sets like Those Were the Days (1997), a four-disc featuring the band's complete studio recordings along with live performances and alternate takes that underscores their enduring appeal as the first true supergroup. Despite subsequent releases such as (1995), which expanded on the original with additional tracks, Best of Cream endures as a benchmark for supergroup compilations, providing a streamlined introduction to the trio's high-impact contributions while highlighting their brief but transformative tenure in rock history.

References

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