"Have You Ever Loved a Woman" is a blues song written by Billy Myles and first recorded by American

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

artist

Freddie King Freddie King (born Fred Christian; September 3, 1934December 28, 1976), also billed as Freddy King, was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King a ...

in 1960. The song is performed as a slow 12-bar blues with King's vocal and guitar accompanied by a small combo of pianist Sonny Thompson, bassist Bill Willis, and drummer Phillip Paul. When the song was released as a single by Federal Records in 1961, only the B-side, " You've Got to Love Her with a Feeling", reached the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The song was included on King's first album, '' Freddy King Sings'', also issued by Federal in 1961.

Eric Clapton renditions

"Have You Ever Loved a Woman" later became a part of English guitarist-singer

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

's repertoire, with several recorded versions. The first was a live rendition in 1965 while he was a member of

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers were an English blues rock band led by multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter John Mayall. The band has been influential as an incubator for British rock and blues musicians. Many of the best known bands t ...

(''Primal Solos'', released 1977); then a studio version with Derek and the Dominos ('' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'', 1970); and later live recordings on '' In Concert'' (1970, released 1973); '' E. C. Was Here'' (1975), '' Just One Night'' (as a medley with " Ramblin' on My Mind", 1980), '' 24 Nights'' (1991), '' Live in Hyde Park'' (1997), '' One More Car, One More Rider'' (2002), and '' Crossroads Guitar Festival 2004''.

References

{{authority control 1961 songs 1961 singles Freddie King songs Blues songs Derek and the Dominos songs Eric Clapton songs Federal Records singles Songs written by Billy Myles