In 1967, Cream, now considered one of the “best supergroups of all time,” released “Tales of Brave Ulysses,” a track that is widely recognized as one of the band’s most significant and enduring songs.
The all-star trio, formed by Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, had a relatively short run as a supergroup but delivered several notable songs during their two-year stint as a band.
More than five decades after its release, “Tales of Brave Ulysses” continues to captivate new generations of listeners, cementing its status as one of Cream’s best songs and earning widespread acclaim across various platforms.
In a ranking released by Ultimate Classic Rock, the 1967 track secured No. 7 among the top 10 “best Cream songs,” while Discotech ranked it No. 6.
On Reddit, users called it a “great song” while others shared how the track evokes a strong sense of nostalgia.
“Ahhhh this is probably my favorite Cream song!” one wrote.
“Great song, I remember listening to a podcast where it explained they were given the lyrics to this song; I think it was the guy who designed the album cover,” a commenter added.
“Love the descending pattern on the wah,” a Reddit user said, in reference to the signature wah-wah pedal.
The same goes for another user who commented: “All I hear in my head is the magnificent guitar solo.”
Featured on their sophomore album, Disraeli Gears, the song was written by Clapton, with Australian artist Martin Sharp providing the lyrics. Clapton met Sharp at the legendary Speakeasy Club in London.
“Tales of Brave Ulysses” was inspired by Clapton’s trip to the Greek Islands, hence the reimagined version of the story of Odysseus.
Clapton also mentioned that the song was associated with James Joyce’s acclaimed novel, Ulysses, which was adapted into a 1967 movie of the same name.
“At the time we wrote the song, there was a novel by James Joyce which was made into a film,” the musician told Hit Parader via uDiscover Music. “It was getting a lot of publicity and the whole thing clicked. People were connecting our song with the film.”
Despite not charting as a standalone track, the song was considered an underground FM radio staple in the late ’60s.
It also helped establish Cream’s now-signature “wah-wah” sound through Clapton’s use of the Vox wah-wah pedal on songs like “Tales of Brave Ulysses” and “White Room.”
It transformed the pedal into a defining psychedelic effect that other musicians also adopted, including the legendary Jimi Hendrix.
Related: ’60s Rock Band, Disbanded After Two Years, Ranked ‘Best Supergroup’ of All Time