Cream – Goodbye (1969)
Release Date: February 1969
Label: Polydor (UK) / Atco Records (US)
Type: Studio / Compilation Album
Genre: Blues Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Hard Rock
Length: 41:36
Producer: Felix Pappalardi
Overview
Goodbye is Cream’s fourth and final album, released shortly after the band announced their breakup. It’s a hybrid album, featuring new studio recordings alongside previously released singles and B-sides, effectively serving as a farewell statement from one of rock’s earliest supergroups.
The album captures Cream at the height of their creative chemistry, blending blues, rock, and psychedelic experimentation with moments of melodic sophistication. Highlights include “Badge,” co-written with George Harrison, “Doing That Scrapyard Thing”, and the live version of “Lawdy Mama”. While not as experimental as Wheels of Fire, Goodbye balances accessible songs with instrumental and improvisational elements, providing a fitting swan song for the trio.
The album underscores Eric Clapton’s guitar mastery, Jack Bruce’s expressive vocals and basslines, and Ginger Baker’s dynamic drumming, while offering glimpses of new directions the band might have explored. Goodbye charted well internationally and remains a nostalgic and essential conclusion to Cream’s brief but explosive career.
Tracklist
Studio Tracks
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Badge – 2:46
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Doing That Scrapyard Thing – 3:09
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What a Bringdown – 3:50
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Anyone for Tennis – 2:37
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The Coffee Song – 2:50
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Take It Back – 2:32
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I’m So Glad – 3:36
Live Tracks
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Sitting on Top of the World – 3:27
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Strange Brew – 2:45
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N.S.U. – 2:32
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Sleepy Time Time – 4:17
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Rollin’ and Tumblin’ – 4:55
Fun Facts, Trivia & Did You Know?
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Did You Know? “Badge” was co-written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison, who also played rhythm guitar on the track.
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Farewell Album: Cream had already broken up before the album’s release.
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Hybrid Format: Combines new studio material with previously released singles and live recordings, making it part studio album, part compilation.
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Diverse Styles: Tracks range from psychedelic pop (“Anyone for Tennis”) to hard blues rock (“I’m So Glad”).
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Ginger Baker Spotlight: Several live tracks, including “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” highlight Baker’s innovative drumming solos.
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Pop Culture Tie-In: “Anyone for Tennis” was recorded for the film The Savage Seven.
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Legacy: Serves as a capstone to Cream’s career, capturing their evolution from blues revivalists to psychedelic innovators.
Album Credits
Cream:
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Eric Clapton – Guitar, vocals
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Jack Bruce – Bass, vocals, piano, harmonica
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Ginger Baker – Drums, percussion
Guest Musicians:
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George Harrison – Rhythm guitar on “Badge”
Production Team:
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Producer: Felix Pappalardi
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Engineer: Tom Dowd
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Recorded at: Atlantic Studios & Advision Studios, London
Mini Review
Goodbye is a fitting final statement from Cream, blending inventive studio tracks with energetic live recordings. Highlights like “Badge” and “Doing That Scrapyard Thing” showcase Clapton, Bruce, and Baker at the height of their musical synergy, while the live tracks capture the band’s raw power and improvisational fire. Though more of a hybrid than a cohesive studio album, Goodbye remains a must-hear conclusion to one of rock’s most influential trios.
