The famous riff in this song was written by Cream bassist Jack Bruce after seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time and having his face melted to his brain.
And before all the accolades could pour in for this classic blues-rock song, the name it would make for Cream, the reputation it would help form for Eric Clapton, the musical imaginations it would stir around the entire planet, it was first just this single riff, and nothing more. The band couldn't think of how to complete it.
It sat there like a dragon egg that couldn't hatch.
How many one-riffers have I had that never could manage to obtain melodies much less lyrics, additional parts much less any semblance of direction. Bit by bit, though, the song we know as "Sunshine of Your Love" had its hard birth.
The melody only started emerging after an all-night session devoted to finding a singing part, something I've endured many, many times. And as usual, the lyrics in these instances start referring to the bastard of a time you're having finding lyrics. This is the basis of the song's famous opening lines, "It's getting near dawn, and the lights close their tired eyes." Saved by the act of singing what's around you in desperate exhaustion.
But the real savior of this song was Mr. Clapton, who set upon writing a second part for this song and actually arrived at something nearly as great as the verse riff. The chorus is great because the vocal is actually the star of the chorus, climbing in handsome phrases, instead of just riding the back of the riff like in the verse. So with a second and worthy part written, the song was just about there.
But they probably felt they should have one more change in this song, to give it that feeling of middle development. What to do....
Eric Clapton, perhaps you should just solo.
Having a guitarist like Clapton in your band was to have automatic middle development in all of your songs, because you could just let the guy solo for days. All you needed was a viable verse and chorus, and he'd handle the rest.
It's the equivalent of a playmaker quarterback or runner on a football team - you don't have to actually design plays for them. They will simply improv their way to success multiple times per game.
And so, old Slow Hands just sets down one of the coolest guitar tracks of the rock era in the middle of the song and boom, beloved classic.
And that is how you take a one-riff idea from a one-night fling, work on it, play to your strengths, and make it endure.