#1798 – PRESSURE DROP – Toots & the Maytals featuring Eric Clapton - 4/24/2020

This ripping version of Toots Hibbert’s classic PRESSURE DROP features one of Eric Clapton’s sweetest (albeit way too short) solos.

It took me years to catch onto reggae and even longer to appreciate Toots & the Maytals due to the unfortunate recollection of the band opening for The Who at the Springfield (Mass.) Civic Center in December of 1975.  2 carloads of us high school mates were lucky enough to score tickets. Previously The Who had not toured often and when they did, they normally only came as close as either Boston or NYC. Anyway, we were a sh1tload of pumped up guys waiting to see the ‘oo. The Who had always had a reputation for good opening acts so we were all hoping this reggae band would be good. But, alas it was not to be. Being white suburban males in 1975, we weren’t quite ready to broaden our horizons enough to embrace this reggae legend and when they broke into their cover version of John Denver’s TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS everyone went nuts booing them off the stage.

So it is with a wee bit of embarrassment that I now have learned to love reggae and embrace Toots as the performer of one of my all-time favorite songs (although I doubt it would be here if it weren’t for EC’s modulated solo). Irie! Irie!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvc952FKtS4

2004