Can't Find My Way Home

"Can't Find My Way Home" is a song written by Steve Winwood that was first released by Blind Faith on their 1969 album Blind Faith. The song was also issued as a single B-side in some countries in 1969 and as an A-side, on the RSO label in the United States, in 1977.

"Can't Find My Way Home"
B-side of Australian release of "Well, All Right"
Single by Blind Faith
from the album Blind Faith
Released	August 1969 (1969-08)
Recorded	London, Spring 1969
Genre	Folk rock
Length	3:16
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Steve Winwood
Producer(s)	Jimmy Miller
Official audio
"Can't Find My Way Home" on YouTube

Origin and meaning

Winwood appears to have never spoken publicly about the origin or meaning of the song. He has said that "When I write a song, I don't like to have to explain it afterwards. To me, it's like telling a joke, then having to explain it. The explanation doesn't add to the song at all." ^[1]

Winwood was 21 or younger when he wrote the song.^[2]

Personnel

• Steve Winwood – vocals, guitars, keyboards
• Eric Clapton – guitars
• Ric Grech – bass guitar
• Ginger Baker – drums, percussion

Reception

Rolling Stone, in a review of the album, noted that the song featured "Ginger Baker's highly innovative percussion" and judged the lyric "...I'm wasted and I can't find my way home" to be "delightful".^[3]

Cover versions

The song has been covered by musicians and bands of different genres, often in the style of the original.

The earliest artist to cover the track was Ellen McIlwaine in her 1972 album Honky Tonk Angel

Later Eric Clapton tapped actress and singer Yvonne Elliman to sing the song during his 1976–77 concert tours.^[4][5]

American blues guitarist Bonnie Raitt sang the song during her 1972 concert series.^[6] A bootleg recording with Raitt, Lowell George, John P. Hammond and Freebo has more than five million views on YouTube.^[7]

In 1989, American band Swans covered the song in their album The Burning World with Jarboe providing the vocals.^[8]

Two notable versions have been heard on screen: one by American singer Alana Davis in 1999's The Mod Squad film,^[9] and another by American bluegrass singer Alison Krauss for the 2003 soundtrack of Crossing Jordan, a television series.^[10]

In 2018, Australian-American singer Rachael Price covered the song on Live from Here with Chris Thile on mandolin.^[11]