in 4/4 time in the key of F with a moderate (108 beats per minute) tempo. Part of the song's success may be due to Bland's "telling a convincing story, making brief lyrical vignettes highly believable with his conversational style". Author Anand Prahlad comments on the song's use of "the theme of reciprocity": However, Prahlad adds, "His [Bland's] usage of the proverb contains a philosophical dimension that is absent from the other [songs with similar themes] and a momentary distance from the emotional wound". The song was Bland's first charting single after several years of recording for various record companies. It became a number one hit during a fourteen-week stay in 1957 in the Billboard R&B chart as well as reaching number 43 in the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Bland enjoyed nearly uninterrupted chart success for the next twenty years. "Farther Up the Road" is included on Bland's first album, Blues Consolidated, a co-release with Junior Parker in 1958 on Duke Records. The song is included on many official Bland compilations, including The Best of Bobby Bland and I Pity the Fool: The Duke Recordings, Vol. 1. Eric Clapton renditions Eric Clapton recorded several versions of "Farther Up the Road" over the years, usually calling it after its opening lyrics "Further On up the Road". Clapton uses the lyrics from the original, but the song is performed at a faster tempo as an unembellished shuffle. The song first appeared on his 1975 live album E. C. Was Here. In 1976, a live version was recorded with Freddie King, which is included on Freddie King (1934–1976). Also in 1976, he performed the song with the Band in the concert film The Last Waltz. Another live version was recorded in Japan in 1979 for Clapton's Just One Night. In 1981, Clapton recorded it with Jeff Beck during The Secret Policeman's Other Ball benefit show. A version with Joe Bonamassa appears on the 2009 video Joe Bonamassa: Live from the Royal Albert Hall. Clapton co-performed the song with Robbie Robertson during Clapton's third induction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and resurrected it for his 2007 and 2011 Asian, European and American world tours. References 1957 songs Blues songs 1957 singles Bobby Bland songs Eric Clapton songs Songs written by Don Robey