 " Crossroads " became a part of Cream 's repertoire when Clapton began performing with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker in July 1966 . Their version features a prominent guitar riff with hard @-@ driving , upbeat instrumental backing and soloing . Clapton previously recorded " Ramblin ' on My Mind " with Mayall and " From Four Until Late " with Cream using arrangements that followed Johnson 's original songs more closely . However , he envisioned " Crossroads " as a rock song : 
