"461 Ocean Boulevard" is the second solo studio album by English musician Eric Clapton, released in late July 1974 by RSO Records. The album was a commercial success, topping various international charts and selling more than two million copies. It marked Clapton's return to the studio after a three-year hiatus due to his heroin addiction. The album was named after the address of the house in Golden Beach, Florida, where Clapton lived while recording the album. Clapton's residence at 461 Ocean Boulevard and the nearby Criteria Studios in Miami would later become the location for other artists, including the Bee Gees, who recorded Main Course there.
A remastered two-disc deluxe edition of the album was released in 2004, featuring live performances from the Hammersmith Odeon and additional studio jam sessions.
After overcoming his heroin addiction, Clapton reflected on the time he had lost, as he had spent much of those years in isolation, watching television and losing his physical fitness. Seeking a fresh start, Clapton worked on a farm where he was exposed to new music, alongside the old blues records he had brought with him. These songs and ideas began to form the basis for his next album. Clapton was given a demo tape by Carl Radle, the former bassist from Derek and the Dominos, featuring songs performed by Radle, keyboardist Dick Sims, and drummer Jamie Oldaker. Clapton found the recordings "simply superb" and decided to work with these musicians on his next project.
Clapton set out to leave his new songs as unfinished as possible, in order to give the musicians a chance to contribute and put their own spin on the material. After Clapton's appearance in the rock opera Tommy, his manager, Robert Stigwood, contacted him about a new project. This led to the decision to record the album at Miami's Criteria Studios with producer Tom Dowd. Clapton also brought in guest vocalist Yvonne Elliman and guitarist George Terry as full-time members of his group.
Stigwood arranged for Clapton to live at a house located at 461 Ocean Boulevard in Golden Beach, Florida, during the recording sessions. The album was recorded over the course of April and May 1974, and Clapton used his famous Blackie Fender Stratocaster electric guitar for the majority of the album, as well as several Gibson ES-335 guitars for slide guitar work. Vintage Martin acoustic guitars were also used for some tracks.
The music on 461 Ocean Boulevard varies in style, ranging from "bright blues rock" to sentimental ballads such as "Let It Grow." Robert Christgau described the album's sound as "sleepy postjunk funk" with hints of sensuality. Clapton himself was particularly pleased with the lyrics and instrumental arrangements of "Let It Grow," which he had written himself. The melody and chord progression of the song, however, have often been compared to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, a similarity that Clapton himself acknowledged.
Apart from "Let It Grow" and "Get Ready"—a song Clapton co-wrote with Yvonne Elliman—the album consists mostly of cover versions of songs that had long been in Clapton's repertoire. These include "Willie and the Hand Jive," "Steady Rollin' Man," and "I Can't Hold Out." One track, "Give Me Strength," was a song Clapton had first heard in London in the 1960s, and he had always intended to record it. Another key track, "I Shot the Sheriff," was suggested by guitarist George Terry, who had introduced Clapton to Bob Marley and the Wailers' album Burnin'. Although Clapton initially disliked the song due to its "hardcore reggae" style, he was convinced by his bandmates to record it, and it would become one of his biggest hits. Clapton later recalled that Bob Marley expressed appreciation for his version when they met years later.
The album concludes with "Mainline Florida," a track written by George Terry, which stands out for its use of a talk box, adding a distinctive sound to the album. The track breaks away from the overall tone of the album, offering a more experimental and funky vibe.
