Delaney & Bonnie - Groupie (Superstar)

Husband-and-wife duo Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett were among the foremost proponents of blue-eyed soul in the 1960s and '70s. They're famous for luring Eric Clapton into their midst and influencing the direction of his solo work, but their own legacy stands up well beyond that. Delaney & Bonnie operated in a time when the boundaries of music were bursting open, and their sound is an organic mix of rock, blues, soul, gospel, and country which made for timeless songs and memorable performances.

Accounts of the origin of "Groupie (Superstar)" vary somewhat, but the song grew out of the late 1969/early 1970 nexus of English and American musicians known as Delaney, Bonnie, & Friends that involved Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Rita Coolidge, and various others. The song's working title during portions of its development was "Groupie Song". In its first recorded incarnation, the song was called "Groupie (Superstar)", and was recorded and released as the B-Side to the Delaney & Bonnie single "Comin' Home" in December 1969. Released by Atlantic Records,, the full credit on the single was to Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Featuring Eric Clapton.

Sung by Bonnie, the arrangement featured slow guitar and bass parts building up to an almost gospelish chorus using horns. The song featured Leon Russell on keyboards, Eric Clapton on guitar and Rita Coolidge doing background vocals.

Some accounts have Coolidge suggesting or inspiring the song's creation in the first place, and working with Bonnie Bramlett on her portion of the writing. Coolidge would later go on to sing the song in Joe Cocker's live concert shows and would record the song for Cocker's live "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" album.

The song was about, as the title suggests, a groupie who holds a strong love for a rock star after a short sexual involvement. He has moved on to the next town, and despite his promises to see her again she can now only hear him on the radio. She is just left with pure hopeless yearning as evidenced by the chorus:

Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby ? Said you'd be coming back this way again, baby ?
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby...!

Delaney & Bonnie were not yet well known at the time, and "Comin' Home" only reached #84 on the U.S. Singles Pop Chart, although it achieved a peak of #16 on the UK Singles Chart.

At the time I created this video, I wasn't able to find out exactly which rock star the "groupie" is longing for, so I chose to focus on one of the rock icons of that era, Jim Morrison of The Doors. The video features a few concert clips as well as photos and home movies of Pamela Courson, his common-law wife. I've since learned that the song was actually written about Eric Clapton.

GROUPIE (Superstar)
(Words and music by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett)

Long ago and so far away,
I fell in love with you
Before the second show.
Your guitar,
It sounds so sweet and clear -
But it's just the radio
And you're not really here.

Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby?
(You told me you loved me!)
Said you'd be coming back this way again, baby...
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby? Woah-oh, mmmm...

Loneliness is such a sad affair (sad affair)
And I can hardly wait to sleep with you again.
What to say to make you come again? (come again)
Come back and play for me your sad guitar.

Oh, yeah! Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby!
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby?
(You said you loved me, baby!)
Said you'd be coming back this way again, baby
(Baby, my baby!)
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby!
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby...