Top 10 Best Cream Songs
Cream wasn't around long, but they packed more musical muscle into their brief lifespan than most bands manage in a decade. With Eric Clapton's guitar tone that could melt steel, Jack Bruce's bluesy wail and thunderous bass, and Ginger Baker's manic drumming that somehow always found the groove, they were the musical equivalent of a pressure cooker on high.
They fused British blues, jazz, and psychedelia into a sound that was loud, loose, and unpredictable. Solos stretched for miles. Lyrics read like acid-fueled poetry. And somehow, through the haze of backstage fights and soaring egos, they managed to drop track after track that still floors listeners today.
What are the best Cream songs? Vote for the ones that stomped on the gas, that still give you chills, that made you want to pick up an instrument or just sit back and let the fuzz-soaked riff wash over you.
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Sunshine of Your Love
Awesome. Clapton is king! 4th best guitarist ever! (Hendrix, Page, and Gilmour) Sunshine is intense! White Room 2nd. Then Crossroads, then Badge.
I love the riff in this song. Probably one of the most recognizable riffs in the history of rock.
How is this not number one? It has one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time!
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White Room
Without a doubt, the best Cream song there is. The awesome intro harmonies, and then that snare. Just one nod. And it explodes into that blistering riff. And the way Jack says, "In a white room with black curtains, at the station..." You just know it's the beginning of an amazing journey. Baker was immense in this song. Bruce was at his vocal best, and the basslines are so good. And Clapton was more Clapton than ever.
First heard this while listening to a classic rock radio station on TV last weekend, and I haven't stopped listening to it since. Great guitar work, great vocals and drums, and awesome lyrics!
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Crossroads
The greatest of all Cream songs. Ginger Baker at his best and Eric Clapton playing like the king he was.
Amazing song, so much soul. Everyone should hear this song. Really.
One of the best guitar solos forever!
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Tales of Brave Ulysses
Pure simple brilliance! This song personifies the legendary and incredible journey of the mighty Odysseus!
With tales of great solos, your naked ears are pleasured by Cream sweetly singing.
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Strange Brew
I like this song much better than Crossroads. It is equivalent to The Doors' Break on Through.
Really good song, but I personally think Crossroads is the best.
My fave after 50 years. The best Cream song.
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I Feel Free
Bump bump bump ba dum dum
Bump bump bump ba dum
Come on, you've sung that at least once in your life.
These guys were super. All great songs in only a few years! Awesome!
Try to listen to this song without dancing.
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Badge
I could listen to this on repeat for a good few hours. Catchy, fun, and featuring some irresistible guitar work from Clapton and co-writer George Harrison. Great tune, deserves the top spot.
It is the best Cream song of all time. Clapton at his best and Bruce and Baker are not shoddy either!
I could listen to this song for days. It is definitely one of their greatest.
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Toad
One of the greatest drum solos and much better than Moby Dick. Also has a great guitar riff to it.
I agree, much better than Moby Dick (no disrespect to Bonham). Also, Black Sabbath's "Rat Salad" is an amazing song with a drum solo in it.
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SWLABR
This song really needs to be in the top ten!
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I'm So Glad
The riff! Clapton is just so beautiful! The riff is truly life-changing! I believe this one is their best song!
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Pressed Rat and Warthog
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Those Were the Days
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Deserted Cities of the Heart
This song is so amazing, it makes you think and feel that you are in an apocalyptic atmosphere. The solo, the fast strumming of Bruce in the acoustic, the bass lines, and Baker's fast drumming. One of the hidden gems in the history of rock, totally underrated song.
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Spoonful
Superb, especially with headphones for full appreciation.
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Politician
This absolutely needs to be number one. The live version is legendary. Everyone gives it their all. Jack Bruce's vocals are amazing. You have my vote.
I really love the riff in this one. Massively underrated. One of my favorites from Cream.
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N.S.U.
N.S.U. should definitely be the one. It's the perfect song. You should have experienced it at least once. I'm very curious to know what other people think about it or why they overlook it. It is sheer magic. Some describe it as a kind of nursery rhyme, and I interpret that as being hypnotizing. It can even energize you, ignite a lust for life, or lift you out of a depression.
What's interesting about N.S.U. is that it's the only Cream song that has gone through so many changes. First, there's the short, fast, and perfect studio version on 'Fresh Cream' (less than 3 minutes). Then, there are the early rough live versions. Next, there are the extended versions that go on for 12 minutes and even 24 minutes! Lastly, there's the slower version from their reunion concert.
Why are there so many versions? It's likely because it's one of their earliest songs, born out of pure inspiration or improvisation, and not as calculated or sophisticated as their other Cream songs. (Compare it to "Take It Back.")
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Outside Woman Blues
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Wrapping Paper
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We're Going Wrong
Probably the best song for me! What a song! I'm not talking about the drum bit or guitar riff or the vocal here because it's self-understood (all four sections are the best). If you look at the lyrics, it just becomes the most auspicious, overwhelming, and welcoming song in everyone's life. Just ask yourself... WE'RE GOING WRONG? Definitely at the moment!
The 2005 gig at Royal Albert Hall was my favorite version of this song. Was not really interested in this song until I heard the 2005 version.
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Sweet Wine
Great composition. Clapton's most bitingly incisive, fierce solo ever.
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World of Pain
Their best song. Sad that it's not in the top 10...
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Dance the Night Away
A mostly forgotten but exquisite gem. Look it up and have a listen on YouTube. You'll be glad you did!
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Sitting On Top of the World
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Blue Condition
The best Cream song hands down. It doesn't have outrageous guitar work, but the lyrics and Ginger Baker's vocals make this a fresh and welcoming song.
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What a Bringdown
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Take It Back
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Dreaming
