1989 Eric Clapton – Pretending (US:#55 UK:#96)

“Pretending” is a rock song written and composed by Jerry Lynn Williams. It was released in 1989 on Eric Clapton‘s Journeyman as the first track of the album. The song was released as the lead single from the album, backed with “Hard Times,” and reached #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the album’s highest-charting single on that chart. It was also #1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. In the Netherlands, it reached #3 on the Dutch Tip 40 and #24 on the Dutch Top 40. It became a live favorite.

The song begins with a piano introduction. Clapton uses a wah wah pedal on the song. Author Marc Roberty describes the wah-wah solos as being “superlative.” Roberty criticizes Steve Ferrone’s drumming on the song for being too heavy handed. Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald praises the song’s “great guitar hook” and Clapton’s “great vocal and guitar performances” on the song. However, Greenwald believes that the song’s arrangement is overdone, particularly the “brassy synthesizers,” and feels that the song dated quickly due to its pop music elements.

From the CD liner notes on Pretending: “Jimmy Bralower – Drum Programming” Steve Ferrone is not listed as drummer on the song.

Album

Journeyman is a 1989 album by Eric Clapton. Heralded as a return to form for Clapton, who had struggled with alcohol addiction and had recently found sobriety, the album has a 1980s electronic sound, but it also includes blues songs like “Before You Accuse Me”, “Running on Faith”, and “Hard Times.” “Bad Love” was released […]

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Musicians

Bass	Nathan East
Drums (programming)	Jimmy Bralower
Guitar	Eric Clapton
Guitar	Jerry Lynn Williams
Organ	Alan Clark
Piano	Greg Phillinganes
Synthesizer	Alan Clark
Synthesizer	Jeff Bova
Congas	Carol Steele
Background Vocals	Chaka Khan
Background Vocals	Nathan East
Background Vocals	Jerry Lynn Williams
Vocals	Eric Clapton

Produced By

Russ Titelman

Songwriters

Jerry Lynn Williams

Charts

US:#55
UK:#96