Another key artist added to your list. Many of us know Eric best from his music in the 60s and 70s. Particularly with the iconic 60s band Cream and later as a solo artists, including his Derek and the Dominos band. I loved your reaction, observations, and words of wisdom. You brought the right perspective to this song. Without being melancholic and filled with platitudes, as I see in so many reactions to this. Instead focusing on the wisdom to be drawn. Loved when you said: "Love is eternal. Whether you have lost somebody, the connection is still there." Glad you also gave the music attention and not just the story. You have much more of Eric yet to explore, including his more classic rock sound. Great reaction and observations.
I met Eric Clapton years ago at a party in Chelsea. He sat right next to me and we chit chatted for a bit, but I hadn't recognized him-he essentially looked like an old tramp-until my mate elbowed me and whispered "that's Eric Clapton". I rolled my eyes and went "ugh, I hope he hasn't brought his guitar."
I think Cream would be a next logical listen for many reasons including the blues rock elements, and psychedelic elements as well. Since Cream was so early in the 60's as a major influence it would be useful as a comparison to the Beatles progress say from 66-68.
You missed out the Yardbirds, an incredible band that morphed into the Led Zeppelin and had three of the greatest guitarists of all time in it, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.
Is this not the unplugged version? No wonder I’m hearing sounds I didn’t recognize. The unplugged version is the one that charted and won the awards and I don’t think I’ve even heard another version. Weird! Why did they choose this version? (Eric Clapton Unplugged and Metallica Master of Puppets were the first 2 CDs I owned.)
Every time I listen to your analysis of a familiar song, you point out something new. I can't count the number of times I've heard Tears in Heaven - I even learned to play it on the guitat - I never heard, or perhaps didn't recognize, the stopped guitar technique. I really love the way the horn provides a soft, gentle base for Clapton's expressive guitar and puzzled, yearning voice. Thank you once again, Amy, for expanding my awareness and understanding of musicality and technique. BTW, I would LOVE to hear your performance of Tears in Heaven on the harp - I suspect it would be transcendent.
Amy, I saw the Yardbirds play their first US concert when I was in high school. A friend, Steven Tallarico - later known as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith opened for them, and Linda Eastman who later married Paul McCartney, taught me how to expose to photograph spotlight stage lighting. Eric had already left, but I saw Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page play and it changed our lives.
"Catching the essence of innocence" is such a wonderful description of this tune. To balance the emotions without being cloying or nostalgic is so difficult yet so successfully achieved. "Bewildered" is an excellent observation. Asking his questions without an answer is so delicately presented and achingly painful.
I can't even concieve the strength it must have taken Eric to sing this song, I guess as you said Musicians deal with happiness and tragedy through music and I also guess that it's true that beauty can rise from tragedy.
I enjoyed your reaction a lot. I love the way you describe Claptons voice here ... lovingness is a good word for his expression in this tender song 👌 And the guitar ... you hear it sobbing, so well said 👌 A glimpse into the future: I'm so much looking forward into hearing you talk about the weeping sound in Eric Claptons guitar in the Beatles song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" ... but for that we have to wait now still for a while 😉
The beautiful steel guitar work of Jay Dee Maness is such a perfect choice as it flows, so smoothly through the entire song. As for the Yardbirds, At various times they featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck, all of whom can be found on virtually any list of top 10 rock guitarists of all time. Also in the great covers category consider Clapton's original recording Layla, a hard rock screamer reimagined entirely as an acoustic piece for MTV Unplugged.
Went to a concert and during a solo I felt happy, the sad, then nostalgic and felt he had a joy stick and was moving my emotions at his whim. My brother said " he has the guitar plugged into his heart". Accurate
If you want to hear another emotional rollercoaster, check out Evie by Stevie Wright. Stevie Wright is famous for being in the Easybeats and the song is around 10 minutes long, but it certainly doesn't feel that long. It is an absolute masterpiece.
Amy I can say that you are fortunate to be discovering rock and popular music, and other people are fortunate to discovery classical and other genres of great music. Thank you.
Can I suggest the MTV unplugged version of 'Old Love'. Alongside Clapton the pianist will either make you take up piano.......or never start😂. Excellent EXCELLENT tune.
Like Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, this is a piece of music I've found very difficult to listen to since becoming a father - whcih shows that it conveys the deep feelings behind it
I think there are some people in the world who you can be away from for a long long time & the love never leaves & when you meet them again its like they never left
Thanks again for your incredible talent to explain music with words and give us a chance to dig deeper into an artist's soul and creative process. One of the lines that really touch me is when he say that he knows he don't belong in heaven, because he knows he did a lot of bad and nasty things in the 60, 70 and 80s. I'm a fan of his work since I was 11, in 74, so I know a lot of things about him. He fears that maybe they won't meet again because he's almost sure that he's not going to heaven.
An incredible song about an excruciatingly difficult loss. It is hard to imagine how difficult it must have been to write it but how much more difficult it must have been to perform it. It takes a strong man to cry. At the opposite end of this spectrum is 'Wonderful Tonight', one of the best and most romantic love songs I have had the pleasure of hearing. Eric Clapton is a must listen.
Beautiful video to expose a beautiful song. Thank you Amy, we notice the videos in which the song choice speaks strongly to you. I noticed for the first time that in this song two bass guitars are used. I'm certain that you'll get into Eric Clapton some more on your channel, and it's a deep dive. It is unimaginable to set out to explore and learn the history of rock music without "The Slowhand" (Clapton's nick name). Rather than thinking in terms of "the best guitarist", music is too subjective, there are probably about 10-15, or so, great guitarists whom I find to be significant to the genre and Clapton most certainly is one of them. He was there early on, 1964, 1965, somewhere around there and people often don't realize that that is merely 9-10 years after Fender issued their first solid body electric guitar and Gibson issued their solid body guitar, which was, in many ways, a new instrument, it changed in what fashion guitar were to be used in music. And Eric Clapton was one of the early ones who shaped and came to define how the instrument was to be played and used in music. In this video Amy focusses on the fact tat Clapton composed this song because he did but to me Clapton is also and distinctly known for his creations in covering existing composures.
Tears in heaven was on a movie sound track, and express some of the grief Clapton felt after losing his son. Another song Circus left town, is directly about loosing his son. Their last night together they went to a circus.
Yes. It is wonderful. I could not say better, but different. He has performed this many times and it seems special with every performance.......especially as he got older.
Thank you it means a lot to me your deep and moving thoughtfulness of this piece of heart felt emotional music . This sensitive and grief filled yet resolving healing song helps me every time I hear it. As I to lost a 16 year old son and Eric Clayton’s guitar renditions are so soulfully consoling . Eric is such a master of Robert Johnson blues as well as a brilliant lead guitarist
You mentioned and I agree with the genius of this well crafted song. There is a brittleness to his voice as if he can only provide just enough air to sustain the words. He does a great job of being specific to his own tragedy - that just rips your heart out, but leaves out just enough that the listener can apply it to their own heartaches and tragedies so that hopefulness and comfort at the end of each section - despite his unfathomable loss and grief, he still is offering that comfort and support to the listener.
Eric Clapton is the only person who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Three separate times. In the 70's people would randomly write "Clapton is God." on walls. His nickname is Slow Hand. He is also the lead guitarist on The Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
This is, of course, one of the most beautiful songs ever. And yet, Clapton has conributed other great groundbreaking songs, including "Sunshine of Your Love," "Layla," "Bell Bottom Blues," contributed to other classics such as "White Room" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." You should review them all. There is a reason he's in the Hall of Fame 3 times.
Damnit, just listening to the song had me in tears again. It’s unbearably sad and poignant. I don’t know how he even sang it. It’s like singing a lullaby to your child.
Eric played the guitar for the Beatles song "While my guitar gently weeps" a big friend of the late George Harrison. He is also an excellent blues player. Eric is the only member with us from the group Cream.
My favourite moment from Peter Jackson's 6-hour Beatles documentary "Get Back" is when they're fussing over a song, and Paul McCartney again suggests what they need is to get Eric Clapton in on the track. You can tell that this is right around the time that George and Patti Boyd were on the outs, because he's in a real sour mood and she's the only Beatle's wife who doesn't even make an appearance on set. Even Ringo's usually quiet & absent wife Maureen is there. With hindsight and the Internet, we all know now that George's marriage was falling apart and she was falling for Clapton (this is right around the time he dropped the "Layla" album). Paul is a musical genius operating at his very best in these sessions--you can tell he's really driving the band at this point--but he's completely unaware of the love affair or the breakdown of the marriage. When he says "On this song we really need Eric Clapton again," you can see George quietly fuming. And John, whose response to Paul's taskmaster mode is to chill out, get high and step back from things thorughout the sessions, is the peacemaker who catches the vibe, even if he doesn't know the specifics, and answer back, "On this song we REALLY need George Harrison again."
Clapton is one of the big three English blues rock guitarists, with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck who all came to public attention in the same band. His only album with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers is legendary.
For an example of the playing which he became famous for earlier in his career, you could compare Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" from 1939 to Clapton's live cover on the Cream's 1968 album Wheels of Fire. Clapton also fell in love with his friend George Harrison's wife, and wrote the song "Layla" about her.
So hope you end up diving in to some of Eric's back catalogue ....like his collab with BB King "Riding with the King". Two Blues Masters with their unique guitar skills. Not to forget all of the early stuff with Cream and the Yardbirds And for those looking for some great concert listening ... Eric's Crossroads Foundation does a Crossroads Guitar Festival featuring guitarists from all over every couple of years
I know this song, but confess to tearing up when hearing it - not because I have been in a similar position with a tragedy like this, but still as a father it is so relatable. None of us expect to outlive our children, right? Yes his vocals are as you say 'ethereal' but I also take from them fatherly love: the sort of tone we would adopt if our child was hurt in any way. You have reacted to a Nick Cave song previously, did you know he had two experiences like this (one worked out musically in The Skeleton Tree album)? This is Clapton at his most subdued and comes from a period close to when he wrote another touching song, 'Wonderful Tonight'. However he is perhaps best known for one of the greatest guitar solos of all time in his early 1970s song 'Layla'. At the time he was infatuated with George Harrison's wife Pattie (nee Boyd), they had an affair and then she left George for Eric. However the two men eventually remained great friends, so much so that after George's death Eric co-organised (with Jeff Lynne) a wonderful tribute concert, 'Concert for George'. It is a great video and features many well know rock performers. I will look forward to the day when you have time to react to Eric's pioneering work in The Yardbirds and Cream. Two great bands. Beautiful, intelligent reaction as usual Amy.
Clapton has been open about his alcoholism and drug use. He has said that before he got sober, he never performed on stage - for decades - unless he was high on heroin or nearly blind drunk. "Tears in Heaven" would be the crown in any songwriter's career, but it is not Clapton's top song. That song would be "Layla," which he wrote as frontman of Derek and the Dominos. He wrote the song to convince the wife of his best friend, George Harrison, to leave the Beatle for him. Patti Boyd did leave George Harrison and married Clapton. Harrison and Clapton remained best friends. The 1972 original version of "Layla" is a classic of psychedelic rock. In 1992 Clapton released a soulful acoustic version that replaces the original's anguished howls with quiet desperation. Since 1967, graffiti reading "Clapton is God" have appeared all over the world. The slogan is a tribute to Clapton's mastery of the guitar. You mentioned hearing of the Yardbirds. It may interest you to know that three of music history's top 10 electric guitar players - Clapton, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), and Jeff Beck - all played with the Yardbirds at different times. Also, George Harrison brought Clapton in to recording sessions for the Beatles's "White Album." It is Clapton who plays the guitar solo on the Harrison-penned Beatles song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
As a gear head I've been fascinated by his guitar changes over the years, and how he finally seems to have settled on Strats, although he blocks the trem.
@@Nogill0 Awesome! A gear head will really appreciate all the technical nerdery here: Clapton has kind of taken the best of both worlds by designing his signature Strat. It looks a lot like "Blackie," the Strat he played live throughout the 1970s and retired in the 1980s. But the original Blackie was standard vintage ('50s) Strat parts, and you can hear in the incredible live shows from that period how twangy and shrill it is, as Strats are generally known. The biggest thing he's done is combine hum-reducing single-coil pickups - first Lace Sensors, and then the "Vintage Noiseless" ones in the current generation Clapton Strats - with an incredible 25 dB active mid-boost circuit right inside the guitar in place of one of the tone knobs. It's basically like having a clean boost pedal on the floor at the start of his signal chain, except that he can control it onboard from one of the knobs. The combination of these two things basically gives him the ability to replicate the thick, meaty sounds of the Gibson SG humbucker pickups from his Cream days, while also being able to dial it back to get that powerful edgy top-end of a classic Stratocaster tone without being too shrill. It also has the effect of pushing a nice tube amp straight into overdrive, seemingly without any pedals on the floor at all. Clapton is famous for being able to plug straight into an amplifier and suddenly sound like himself. A lot of that is in the way he's designed the guitar. Another important thing is to note how well he plays the mid-boost knob as if it's part of the instrument, shaping individual solo lines and notes the way Jeff Beck plays the whammy bar. He's constantly adjusting it throughout his solos, and while his total volume is controlled by the front-of-house sound guy, what you really hear is an absolutely fine manipulation of his own gain, the way he moves from clean rhythm playing and glassy bell-like "gentle solo" lines to the really thick, beefy sound he needs for "Sunshine Of Your Love" or the sound that's now become his standard solo tone. The best place to hear it in action is the big 10-minute arrangement of "I Shot The Sherriff" that he's done with his band from about 2005 onwards. It's now characterized by a big, somewhat indulgent solo at the end (I can't get enough of it) that immediately drops off the volume of the whole band, starts in at a very soft, clean tone, then gradually builds back up to full volume: the gradually changing guitar tone as he dials back up to full gain basically directs the band without us seeing any visual cues. It's a neat thing to watch, and very powerful when it's used well. For those guitar players who can't afford or don't want to bother with a signature Clapton Strat, you can get the effect through "gain staging." If you have a robust multi-effects unit (I use a Helix) or a really high-end boost/overdrive pedal that lets you connect an expression pedal to any parameter of the pedal, like the Strymon Sunset or a couple of its other beefy pedals, you can assign the expression pedal to the gain or boost that comes ahead of the second overdrive, and use the pedal to adjust the signal going into the second overdrive the same way Clapton uses the mid-boost knob. I haven't played a Clapton Strat in live performance, or really in any venue outside my local music store. But I think I much prefer using the pedal to do the work, as I don't have to take my hands off the strings to do it as Clapton does (it also means I don't need to keep changing the 9-volt battery in the guitar, as I don't have a tech team like he does). Different strokes for different folks, but that's my trick not for copying Clapton's exact sound, but for adopting one of his signature tone-shaping techniques that is a vital component of what he does, and a great instrument for any working guitarist to have in their trick bag.
On the Yardbirds point, to further that, they morphed into one of the most critically acclaimed bands of all time, Led Zeppelin. Another note. Eric Clapton performed on While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which you have mentioned. Something you haven't mentioned is that George Harrison co-wrote and performed on Badge by Cream.
@@gwengoodwin3992 1970,Actually when layla was recorded. At first he wanted to do a toned down version until Duane told him if he wanted this girl that he should scream for her.
I've been a Clapton fan since I was a young teenager - in the middle of a whole other century - and among all the things he wrote was the most frightening line I've heard in any song. In "Holy Mother", written in the depths of his addiction, he wrote "when my hands no longer play..." and I just can't conceive of a world where that's a reality.
Beautiful and very sad. , this video was always going to be very moving. . Watching this reminded me of another lovely song about a child, sung by Luke Kelly called `Scorn not his Simplicity` Written by Phil Coulter whose son had Downs syndrome.
I do understand Clapton's feelings and capability of singing about it. I'm writing a book and after my father's death I noticed how I strengthened various mourning plots - added more deaths and characters mourning and dealing with it. It's also transferring my feelings on them, I'm guessing similar way Eric Clapton did with song and putting his emotions and feelings in it, making it easier to deal with by talking about it that way, rather than in a straightforward manner.
An interesting side note about this song. Phil Collins was/is one of Clapton's best friends and, when he heard about the tragedy, penned a song about Eric's loss for the next Genesis album. He asked Eric to hear 'Since I Lost You" and get his approval. After the tears, Eric asked Phil to listen to a song he had just written for his opinion. After hearing 'Tears in Heaven' and more tears, he responded that, while a wonderful and heartfelt song, he did not think it would be a good single release. "Shows what little I know!" quipped Collins to the interviewer.
I heard that Clapton doesn't play this song live anymore. He said it expressed, and helped him explore/process, his feelings after his son's death and he is done and has moved on from that place.
Another song that tugs very hard at the heart strings is actually a pair of songs "10,000 Days/Wings For Marie" by Tool. Maynard Keenan wrote several songs about is mother, but these two are about her death. I have no idea how he could sing them without breaking down.
For me the back story detracts from this wonderful love song. Imagine singing this to a woman. It is how I first heard it. In my view my hearing was the best interpretation.
Clapton is indeed Rock and Guitar Royalty. In fact you are going to, or have heard his guitar on a Beatles song! His guitar work was featured on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". And indeed in the "Concert for George" after his untimely death, Clapton and a huge array of his peers, including Paul and Ringo did the song with Clapton both singing and playing with his "slow hand". After you listen to the Beatles version watch the video on UA-cam titled " While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Taken from Concert For George) ". It would be a wonderful candidate for a "Great Covers" video analysis on your part. In fact in addition to a myriad of Rock legends playing, is George's son Dhani, who is a spitting image of a young George Harrison. Also some history - at some point, Lennon quipped that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, and Clapton fans slapped back that Clapton was God!
Clapton wrote another song about the death of his son called “Circus.” The day before the tragedy, Clapton had taken his son to the circus. It is a very different song, from the album “Unplugged” - the Deluxe edition, as well as in the 1998 album “Pilgrim.” The version of “Tears in Heaven” on the “Unplugged” album is my personal favourite version.
In an interview from the filming of MTV Unplugged, Eric said that Circus (available from the Unplugged Deluxe album, was directly about his son. I urge you, please have a listen to Circus from this album. It is even more moving.
A lot of that guitar line sounds like a pedal steel instrument, which is not, that I know of and I've been listening to him since 1966, in Clapton's tool box. The band arrangement is beautiful. Eric was playing the acoustic rhythm guitar. There's a synthesizer, which I initially mistook for an electric organ. Ohh Amy, I found the credits from the recording session. There's actually a Celtic harp in there somewhere. And I was right about the pedal steel. Up front in the sound and not Clapton.
Phenomenon "Change the World" is a song written by Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy, and Wayne Kirkpatrick and recorded by country music artist Wynonna Judd. A later version was recorded by English singer Eric Clapton for the soundtrack of the 1996 film Phenomenon. It began in Nashville Omni Studio A in 1991... Thank's.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe “The Queen of Rock &Roll” (the 1st before anyone) Was a big influence on Eric Clampton & Jimmy Hendrix blew all of their minds, but also his main style that he directly infused is J.J. Cale , who wrote “after midnight” & “cocain” & “call me the breeze”
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To my ear there are elements of the music composition that owe their dues to the influence of John Martyn and the wonderful sliding bass-lines of Danny Thompson who played with John throughout his career.
If i could change the world by clapton is also amazing. As are Layla and Wonderful tonight. But Cream is truly great. Tales of brave Ulysses, The white room and Sunshine of your love.
Lovely reaction to a remarkable song. I would beg to differ with your comment that it is a simple song. The chordal structure behind the lines “I must be strong and carry on” are chromatic and very unusual. And the bridge temporarily modulates to another key. That’s not simple for a pop/rock song.
I heard a story that Eric did not play publicly for a long time after the loss of his son. One night he showed up at his local pub and just asked if he could play a new song. He played this song and sang with tears streaming down his face. Everyone sat in complete silence and respect. Then he left. Wondering if anyone knows this to be a true story.
I can find no evidence to backup this story - so it may just be another Internet myth. However, here is Eric playing what must be a very early performance of Tears in Heaven - to BBC interviewer Sue Lawley - in 1992: ua-cam.com/video/3U4yDkvRjvs/v-deo.html
So so happy you finally did Eric Clapton. But really you need to listen to Layla to get a better feel of what he really is known for, his sensational blues/rock guitar playing.
Ms. Amy, I would like to make a few requests as I would love to hear your take on several pieces. I would love to hear your review of Yngwie Malmsteen’s “Crying”, “Evil Eye”, and “Icarus’ Dream Suite Op: 4”, Dream Theater’s “Change of Seasons”, Steve Vai’s “Tender Surrender” and “For the Love of God”. If you decide to listen, I would love if somehow you’d let me know. I will check back. I think you’ll really enjoy Yngwie’s classical influence. Thank you.
It cuts so deep... it hurts so much that the pain is greater than all the physical pains combined. And then there is the creation of something so beautiful arising from a situation so painful that it even confuses its creator, almost as if it were a mischief of something superior that should have been more serious in relation to such a terrible situation.
Another key artist added to your list. Many of us know Eric best from his music in the 60s and 70s. Particularly with the iconic 60s band Cream and later as a solo artists, including his Derek and the Dominos band. I loved your reaction, observations, and words of wisdom. You brought the right perspective to this song. Without being melancholic and filled with platitudes, as I see in so many reactions to this. Instead focusing on the wisdom to be drawn. Loved when you said: "Love is eternal. Whether you have lost somebody, the connection is still there." Glad you also gave the music attention and not just the story. You have much more of Eric yet to explore, including his more classic rock sound. Great reaction and observations.
Excellent comment and advise to explore more of his music.
I met Eric Clapton years ago at a party in Chelsea. He sat right next to me and we chit chatted for a bit, but I hadn't recognized him-he essentially looked like an old tramp-until my mate elbowed me and whispered "that's Eric Clapton". I rolled my eyes and went "ugh, I hope he hasn't brought his guitar."
I think Cream would be a next logical listen for many reasons including the blues rock elements, and psychedelic elements as well. Since Cream was so early in the 60's as a major influence it would be useful as a comparison to the Beatles progress say from 66-68.
@@marysweeney7370 Absolutely! I completely agree!
You missed out the Yardbirds, an incredible band that morphed into the Led Zeppelin and had three of the greatest guitarists of all time in it, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.
I'm 54, have a 7yr old son. I have NO IDEA how Eric can sing this song without breaking down. It gets me every time.
He did stop performing it as his life moved forward.
Eric said years ago that he won't sing this song again
...too painful
thats why robert plant (led zeppelin) didnt perform "all of my love" many times
I'm a 54 year old, big huge fella, bald head etc. I still cry whenever I hear this song.
Ditto from a 63 year old big Black woman
And Circus? It is the only other song about the accident and I think it is even more powerful.
Same…
52 mate, big bald guy too. This song breaks me!
Same here...
The best version of this song is from the Eric Clapton "Unplugged" album from 1992.
Is this not the unplugged version? No wonder I’m hearing sounds I didn’t recognize. The unplugged version is the one that charted and won the awards and I don’t think I’ve even heard another version. Weird! Why did they choose this version? (Eric Clapton Unplugged and Metallica Master of Puppets were the first 2 CDs I owned.)
@@drivers99 Yeah. The Unplugged version was recorded live for MTV. Big Clapton fan, but I think this was my favorite album.
Right. He only played acoustic on unplugged, which is the version most of us go to.
Yup, just what I was thinking
I bet in an opportune moment, Eric might like visiting your show.
You should look into it. You two would definitely appreciate each other
The best way to describe his voice in this song is vulnerability, he sounds incredibly vulnerable in this.
Every time I listen to your analysis of a familiar song, you point out something new. I can't count the number of times I've heard Tears in Heaven - I even learned to play it on the guitat - I never heard, or perhaps didn't recognize, the stopped guitar technique.
I really love the way the horn provides a soft, gentle base for Clapton's expressive guitar and puzzled, yearning voice.
Thank you once again, Amy, for expanding my awareness and understanding of musicality and technique.
BTW, I would LOVE to hear your performance of Tears in Heaven on the harp - I suspect it would be transcendent.
Amy, I saw the Yardbirds play their first US concert when I was in high school. A friend, Steven Tallarico - later known as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith opened for them, and Linda Eastman who later married Paul McCartney, taught me how to expose to photograph spotlight stage lighting.
Eric had already left, but I saw Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page play and it changed our lives.
I hope Eric gets to see this.
He would really appreciate it I think🎸
"Catching the essence of innocence" is such a wonderful description of this tune. To balance the emotions without being cloying or nostalgic is so difficult yet so successfully achieved. "Bewildered" is an excellent observation. Asking his questions without an answer is so delicately presented and achingly painful.
Absolutely agree
I can't even concieve the strength it must have taken Eric to sing this song, I guess as you said Musicians deal with happiness and tragedy through music and I also guess that it's true that beauty can rise from tragedy.
Nathan East's gorgeous fretless bass part adds perfect motion to the arrangement.
I enjoyed your reaction a lot. I love the way you describe Claptons voice here ... lovingness is a good word for his expression in this tender song 👌 And the guitar ... you hear it sobbing, so well said 👌 A glimpse into the future: I'm so much looking forward into hearing you talk about the weeping sound in Eric Claptons guitar in the Beatles song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" ... but for that we have to wait now still for a while 😉
Thank you for this! Clapton has so many great songs. Forever Man, Wonderful Tonight, Change the World, Pretending... 💜
One of my favourites of his, a song I think is quite underrated, is Promises.
Eric Clapton... WoW .... Most amazing career and so many genres ... And then this ...
The beautiful steel guitar work of Jay Dee Maness is such a perfect choice as it flows, so smoothly through the entire song. As for the Yardbirds, At various times they featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck, all of whom can be found on virtually any list of top 10 rock guitarists of all time. Also in the great covers category consider Clapton's original recording Layla, a hard rock screamer reimagined entirely as an acoustic piece for MTV Unplugged.
Went to a concert and during a solo I felt happy, the sad, then nostalgic and felt he had a joy stick and was moving my emotions at his whim. My brother said " he has the guitar plugged into his heart". Accurate
If you want to hear another emotional rollercoaster, check out Evie by Stevie Wright. Stevie Wright is famous for being in the Easybeats and the song is around 10 minutes long, but it certainly doesn't feel that long. It is an absolute masterpiece.
@@garymaidman625 will check it out. Thx
Amy I can say that you are fortunate to be discovering rock and popular music, and other people are fortunate to discovery classical and other genres of great music. Thank you.
Can I suggest the MTV unplugged version of 'Old Love'. Alongside Clapton the pianist will either make you take up piano.......or never start😂. Excellent EXCELLENT tune.
Like Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, this is a piece of music I've found very difficult to listen to since becoming a father - whcih shows that it conveys the deep feelings behind it
So delicate , so true . . Beauty 🌼
Thank you for reviewing this song. It is one of a handful for which I most want your comments. And I am not disappointed.
I think there are some people in the world who you can be away from for a long long time & the love never leaves & when you meet them again its like they never left
Thanks again for your incredible talent to explain music with words and give us a chance to dig deeper into an artist's soul and creative process. One of the lines that really touch me is when he say that he knows he don't belong in heaven, because he knows he did a lot of bad and nasty things in the 60, 70 and 80s. I'm a fan of his work since I was 11, in 74, so I know a lot of things about him. He fears that maybe they won't meet again because he's almost sure that he's not going to heaven.
Im 49 have 1 year old and 5 this in this is heavy as it gets
An incredible song about an excruciatingly difficult loss. It is hard to imagine how difficult it must have been to write it but how much more difficult it must have been to perform it.
It takes a strong man to cry.
At the opposite end of this spectrum is 'Wonderful Tonight', one of the best and most romantic love songs I have had the pleasure of hearing. Eric Clapton is a must listen.
Another fantastic post by you! Thank you so much for sharing and all your work.
Thank you for that. I really mean it. Bless the three of y’all.
This was on the UNPLUGGED session all acoustic!!
Beautiful video to expose a beautiful song.
Thank you Amy, we notice the videos in which the song choice speaks strongly to you.
I noticed for the first time that in this song two bass guitars are used.
I'm certain that you'll get into Eric Clapton some more on your channel, and it's a deep dive. It is unimaginable to set out to explore and learn the history of rock music without "The Slowhand" (Clapton's nick name). Rather than thinking in terms of "the best guitarist", music is too subjective, there are probably about 10-15, or so, great guitarists whom I find to be significant to the genre and Clapton most certainly is one of them.
He was there early on, 1964, 1965, somewhere around there and people often don't realize that that is merely 9-10 years after Fender issued their first solid body electric guitar and Gibson issued their solid body guitar, which was, in many ways, a new instrument, it changed in what fashion guitar were to be used in music. And Eric Clapton was one of the early ones who shaped and came to define how the instrument was to be played and used in music.
In this video Amy focusses on the fact tat Clapton composed this song because he did but to me Clapton is also and distinctly known for his creations in covering existing composures.
'Time can bend your knees'.
Tears in heaven was on a movie sound track, and express some of the grief Clapton felt after losing his son.
Another song Circus left town, is directly about loosing his son. Their last night together they went to a circus.
Amy, I feel grateful I can listen to your work and Vlad's.
As a variant of the Great Covers strand, I would suggest comparing the Derek and the Dominoes version of Layla, with the version from MTV Unplugged
Yeah, it brings tears to the eyes.
The version from "Eric Clapton Unplugged" (live) is even better. It is simpler and more personal.
Yes. It is wonderful. I could not say better, but different. He has performed this many times and it seems special with every performance.......especially as he got older.
This song is remarkable. It doesn't get more real than this.
This song breaks my heart in pieces. It is so sad. I do not know how he does it because I am crying just listening.
It sounds like a lullaby.
There is a live, acoustic version he sung shortly after writing thus on a talk show that will tear your heart out.
Thank you it means a lot to me your deep and moving thoughtfulness of this piece of heart felt emotional music . This sensitive and grief filled yet resolving healing song helps me every time I hear it. As I to lost a 16 year old son and Eric Clayton’s guitar renditions are so soulfully consoling . Eric is such a master of Robert Johnson blues as well as a brilliant lead guitarist
A song that goes to your heart, and your analysis reveals why it´s so.
"Wonderful Tonight"...
Me and my wife's favorite song. Sadly she passed away 1-1-2015 I miss her so much and this was our song.
I listen to it often.
You mentioned and I agree with the genius of this well crafted song. There is a brittleness to his voice as if he can only provide just enough air to sustain the words. He does a great job of being specific to his own tragedy - that just rips your heart out, but leaves out just enough that the listener can apply it to their own heartaches and tragedies so that hopefulness and comfort at the end of each section - despite his unfathomable loss and grief, he still is offering that comfort and support to the listener.
After learning the backstory to this song, I avoid listening to it because it tears me up, but I'm listening to it now with you to get your reaction.
Eric Clapton is the only person who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Three separate times. In the 70's people would randomly write "Clapton is God." on walls. His nickname is Slow Hand. He is also the lead guitarist on The Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
This is, of course, one of the most beautiful songs ever. And yet, Clapton has conributed other great groundbreaking songs, including "Sunshine of Your Love," "Layla," "Bell Bottom Blues," contributed to other classics such as "White Room" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." You should review them all. There is a reason he's in the Hall of Fame 3 times.
And then there is one of his most underrated songs, that is also one of my favourites of his, Promises.
Thank you, Amy.
Damnit, just listening to the song had me in tears again. It’s unbearably sad and poignant. I don’t know how he even sang it. It’s like singing a lullaby to your child.
Eric played the guitar for the Beatles song "While my guitar gently weeps" a big friend of the late George Harrison. He is also an excellent blues player. Eric is the only member with us from the group Cream.
Thanks for letting us know that
My favourite moment from Peter Jackson's 6-hour Beatles documentary "Get Back" is when they're fussing over a song, and Paul McCartney again suggests what they need is to get Eric Clapton in on the track. You can tell that this is right around the time that George and Patti Boyd were on the outs, because he's in a real sour mood and she's the only Beatle's wife who doesn't even make an appearance on set. Even Ringo's usually quiet & absent wife Maureen is there.
With hindsight and the Internet, we all know now that George's marriage was falling apart and she was falling for Clapton (this is right around the time he dropped the "Layla" album). Paul is a musical genius operating at his very best in these sessions--you can tell he's really driving the band at this point--but he's completely unaware of the love affair or the breakdown of the marriage. When he says "On this song we really need Eric Clapton again," you can see George quietly fuming. And John, whose response to Paul's taskmaster mode is to chill out, get high and step back from things thorughout the sessions, is the peacemaker who catches the vibe, even if he doesn't know the specifics, and answer back, "On this song we REALLY need George Harrison again."
Clapton is one of the big three English blues rock guitarists, with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck who all came to public attention in the same band. His only album with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers is legendary.
For an example of the playing which he became famous for earlier in his career, you could compare Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" from 1939 to Clapton's live cover on the Cream's 1968 album Wheels of Fire. Clapton also fell in love with his friend George Harrison's wife, and wrote the song "Layla" about her.
So hope you end up diving in to some of Eric's back catalogue ....like his collab with BB King "Riding with the King". Two Blues Masters with their unique guitar skills. Not to forget all of the early stuff with Cream and the Yardbirds
And for those looking for some great concert listening ... Eric's Crossroads Foundation does a Crossroads Guitar Festival featuring guitarists from all over every couple of years
I know this song, but confess to tearing up when hearing it - not because I have been in a similar position with a tragedy like this, but still as a father it is so relatable. None of us expect to outlive our children, right? Yes his vocals are as you say 'ethereal' but I also take from them fatherly love: the sort of tone we would adopt if our child was hurt in any way. You have reacted to a Nick Cave song previously, did you know he had two experiences like this (one worked out musically in The Skeleton Tree album)?
This is Clapton at his most subdued and comes from a period close to when he wrote another touching song, 'Wonderful Tonight'. However he is perhaps best known for one of the greatest guitar solos of all time in his early 1970s song 'Layla'. At the time he was infatuated with George Harrison's wife Pattie (nee Boyd), they had an affair and then she left George for Eric. However the two men eventually remained great friends, so much so that after George's death Eric co-organised (with Jeff Lynne) a wonderful tribute concert, 'Concert for George'. It is a great video and features many well know rock performers.
I will look forward to the day when you have time to react to Eric's pioneering work in The Yardbirds and Cream. Two great bands.
Beautiful, intelligent reaction as usual Amy.
Clapton has been open about his alcoholism and drug use. He has said that before he got sober, he never performed on stage - for decades - unless he was high on heroin or nearly blind drunk.
"Tears in Heaven" would be the crown in any songwriter's career, but it is not Clapton's top song. That song would be "Layla," which he wrote as frontman of Derek and the Dominos. He wrote the song to convince the wife of his best friend, George Harrison, to leave the Beatle for him. Patti Boyd did leave George Harrison and married Clapton. Harrison and Clapton remained best friends. The 1972 original version of "Layla" is a classic of psychedelic rock. In 1992 Clapton released a soulful acoustic version that replaces the original's anguished howls with quiet desperation.
Since 1967, graffiti reading "Clapton is God" have appeared all over the world. The slogan is a tribute to Clapton's mastery of the guitar.
You mentioned hearing of the Yardbirds. It may interest you to know that three of music history's top 10 electric guitar players - Clapton, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), and Jeff Beck - all played with the Yardbirds at different times.
Also, George Harrison brought Clapton in to recording sessions for the Beatles's "White Album." It is Clapton who plays the guitar solo on the Harrison-penned Beatles song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
As a gear head I've been fascinated by his guitar changes over the years, and how he finally seems to have settled on Strats, although he blocks the trem.
@@Nogill0 Awesome! A gear head will really appreciate all the technical nerdery here:
Clapton has kind of taken the best of both worlds by designing his signature Strat. It looks a lot like "Blackie," the Strat he played live throughout the 1970s and retired in the 1980s. But the original Blackie was standard vintage ('50s) Strat parts, and you can hear in the incredible live shows from that period how twangy and shrill it is, as Strats are generally known.
The biggest thing he's done is combine hum-reducing single-coil pickups - first Lace Sensors, and then the "Vintage Noiseless" ones in the current generation Clapton Strats - with an incredible 25 dB active mid-boost circuit right inside the guitar in place of one of the tone knobs.
It's basically like having a clean boost pedal on the floor at the start of his signal chain, except that he can control it onboard from one of the knobs. The combination of these two things basically gives him the ability to replicate the thick, meaty sounds of the Gibson SG humbucker pickups from his Cream days, while also being able to dial it back to get that powerful edgy top-end of a classic Stratocaster tone without being too shrill. It also has the effect of pushing a nice tube amp straight into overdrive, seemingly without any pedals on the floor at all. Clapton is famous for being able to plug straight into an amplifier and suddenly sound like himself. A lot of that is in the way he's designed the guitar.
Another important thing is to note how well he plays the mid-boost knob as if it's part of the instrument, shaping individual solo lines and notes the way Jeff Beck plays the whammy bar. He's constantly adjusting it throughout his solos, and while his total volume is controlled by the front-of-house sound guy, what you really hear is an absolutely fine manipulation of his own gain, the way he moves from clean rhythm playing and glassy bell-like "gentle solo" lines to the really thick, beefy sound he needs for "Sunshine Of Your Love" or the sound that's now become his standard solo tone.
The best place to hear it in action is the big 10-minute arrangement of "I Shot The Sherriff" that he's done with his band from about 2005 onwards. It's now characterized by a big, somewhat indulgent solo at the end (I can't get enough of it) that immediately drops off the volume of the whole band, starts in at a very soft, clean tone, then gradually builds back up to full volume: the gradually changing guitar tone as he dials back up to full gain basically directs the band without us seeing any visual cues. It's a neat thing to watch, and very powerful when it's used well.
For those guitar players who can't afford or don't want to bother with a signature Clapton Strat, you can get the effect through "gain staging." If you have a robust multi-effects unit (I use a Helix) or a really high-end boost/overdrive pedal that lets you connect an expression pedal to any parameter of the pedal, like the Strymon Sunset or a couple of its other beefy pedals, you can assign the expression pedal to the gain or boost that comes ahead of the second overdrive, and use the pedal to adjust the signal going into the second overdrive the same way Clapton uses the mid-boost knob.
I haven't played a Clapton Strat in live performance, or really in any venue outside my local music store. But I think I much prefer using the pedal to do the work, as I don't have to take my hands off the strings to do it as Clapton does (it also means I don't need to keep changing the 9-volt battery in the guitar, as I don't have a tech team like he does). Different strokes for different folks, but that's my trick not for copying Clapton's exact sound, but for adopting one of his signature tone-shaping techniques that is a vital component of what he does, and a great instrument for any working guitarist to have in their trick bag.
My favourite Clapton song is “Wonderful tonight”
On the Yardbirds point, to further that, they morphed into one of the most critically acclaimed bands of all time, Led Zeppelin. Another note. Eric Clapton performed on While My Guitar Gently Weeps, which you have mentioned. Something you haven't mentioned is that George Harrison co-wrote and performed on Badge by Cream.
@@gwengoodwin3992 1970,Actually when layla was recorded. At first he wanted to do a toned down version until Duane told him if he wanted this girl that he should scream for her.
I LOOOOOVE that fretless bass!
I can't listen to it without crying. There is no way I could sing it.
I've been a Clapton fan since I was a young teenager - in the middle of a whole other century - and among all the things he wrote was the most frightening line I've heard in any song. In "Holy Mother", written in the depths of his addiction, he wrote "when my hands no longer play..." and I just can't conceive of a world where that's a reality.
Beautiful and very sad. , this video was always going to be very moving. . Watching this reminded me of another lovely song about a child, sung by Luke Kelly called `Scorn not his Simplicity` Written by Phil Coulter whose son had Downs syndrome.
Such a nice surprise. I taught myself to play this song (from 90s era tabs) on classical guitar.
Absolutely heartbreaking ❤
Thanks for the review Amy
His voice sounds tired - from grief. And the music reminds me of a lullaby.
I do understand Clapton's feelings and capability of singing about it. I'm writing a book and after my father's death I noticed how I strengthened various mourning plots - added more deaths and characters mourning and dealing with it. It's also transferring my feelings on them, I'm guessing similar way Eric Clapton did with song and putting his emotions and feelings in it, making it easier to deal with by talking about it that way, rather than in a straightforward manner.
Your thoughtful and affecting analysis put me in mind of Brahms's Requiem. Music born of tragedy that brings consolation.
An interesting side note about this song. Phil Collins was/is one of Clapton's best friends and, when he heard about the tragedy, penned a song about Eric's loss for the next Genesis album. He asked Eric to hear 'Since I Lost You" and get his approval. After the tears, Eric asked Phil to listen to a song he had just written for his opinion. After hearing 'Tears in Heaven' and more tears, he responded that, while a wonderful and heartfelt song, he did not think it would be a good single release.
"Shows what little I know!" quipped Collins to the interviewer.
I am really enjoying this reaction. I have to say, you sing this beautifully, and if you chose to cover it, I would be thrilled.
I heard that Clapton doesn't play this song live anymore. He said it expressed, and helped him explore/process, his feelings after his son's death and he is done and has moved on from that place.
Layla - acoustic and full band version - excellent.
Brilliant!
Wonderful choice. The piano accordion ? in the intro is a perfect touch.
There's a slide guitar in there, is there not? Usually heard in country music tunes. Nice use of the instrument.
Another song that tugs very hard at the heart strings is actually a pair of songs "10,000 Days/Wings For Marie" by Tool. Maynard Keenan wrote several songs about is mother, but these two are about her death. I have no idea how he could sing them without breaking down.
For me the back story detracts from this wonderful love song. Imagine singing this to a woman. It is how I first heard it. In my view my hearing was the best interpretation.
Stopping on the guitar is a fairly common practice called muting. The non-plucking hand is able to mute the strings to create that effect.
Clapton is indeed Rock and Guitar Royalty. In fact you are going to, or have heard his guitar on a Beatles song! His guitar work was featured on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". And indeed in the "Concert for George" after his untimely death, Clapton and a huge array of his peers, including Paul and Ringo did the song with Clapton both singing and playing with his "slow hand". After you listen to the Beatles version watch the video on UA-cam titled " While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Taken from Concert For George) ". It would be a wonderful candidate for a "Great Covers" video analysis on your part.
In fact in addition to a myriad of Rock legends playing, is George's son Dhani, who is a spitting image of a young George Harrison. Also some history - at some point, Lennon quipped that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, and Clapton fans slapped back that Clapton was God!
Clapton wrote another song about the death of his son called “Circus.” The day before the tragedy, Clapton had taken his son to the circus. It is a very different song, from the album “Unplugged” - the Deluxe edition, as well as in the 1998 album “Pilgrim.” The version of “Tears in Heaven” on the “Unplugged” album is my personal favourite version.
Eric Clapton and Wynton Marsalis “Just a closer walk with thee” Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center is an excellent example Blues
React Eric Clapton concerto for eletric guitar!
The Concerto for Electric Guitar was composed by Michael Kamen - it was written for Eric Clapton as the soloist
In an interview from the filming of MTV Unplugged, Eric said that Circus (available from the Unplugged Deluxe album, was directly about his son. I urge you, please have a listen to Circus from this album. It is even more moving.
Beauty out of a tragedy. Godda love Eric.
Love the hair! This song has some serious Beatles vibes.
A lot of that guitar line sounds like a pedal steel instrument, which is not, that I know of and I've been listening to him since 1966, in Clapton's tool box. The band arrangement is beautiful. Eric was playing the acoustic rhythm guitar. There's a synthesizer, which I initially mistook for an electric organ. Ohh Amy, I found the credits from the recording session. There's actually a Celtic harp in there somewhere. And I was right about the pedal steel. Up front in the sound and not Clapton.
Phenomenon
"Change the World" is a song written by Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy, and Wayne Kirkpatrick and recorded by country music artist Wynonna Judd. A later version was recorded by English singer Eric Clapton for the soundtrack of the 1996 film Phenomenon. It began in Nashville Omni Studio A in 1991...
Thank's.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe “The Queen of Rock &Roll” (the 1st before anyone) Was a big influence on Eric Clampton & Jimmy Hendrix blew all of their minds, but also his main style that he directly infused is J.J. Cale , who wrote “after midnight” & “cocain” & “call me the breeze”
Salutări din România ! V-aș aduce în atenție pe cântăreața româno americană Laura Bretan, care cântă muzică de operă dar și alte genuri, cred că v-ar plăcea 😊. De asemenea v-aș sugera cu căldură să ascultați piesa cântată la vioară " Balada ' de compozitorul român Ciprian Porumbescu . Vă promit că nu o să regretați 😉👍😊 🙋🇷🇴 .
Clapton is the king of the palm mute which likely accounts for that controlled muffling of notes coming from his guitar
To my ear there are elements of the music composition that owe their dues to the influence of John Martyn and the wonderful sliding bass-lines of Danny Thompson who played with John throughout his career.
If i could change the world by clapton is also amazing. As are Layla and Wonderful tonight. But Cream is truly great. Tales of brave Ulysses, The white room and Sunshine of your love.
Lovely reaction to a remarkable song. I would beg to differ with your comment that it is a simple song. The chordal structure behind the lines “I must be strong and carry on” are chromatic and very unusual. And the bridge temporarily modulates to another key. That’s not simple for a pop/rock song.
I can’t bear listening to this song but I wanted to see Amy’s thoughts on it 😔 🌷
This is such a wonderful song 👌 I'm very happy I made it to this reaction 😃👍
I heard a story that Eric did not play publicly for a long time after the loss of his son. One night he showed up at his local pub and just asked if he could play a new song. He played this song and sang with tears streaming down his face. Everyone sat in complete silence and respect. Then he left. Wondering if anyone knows this to be a true story.
I got chills, that's a great story, hope it's true
I want it to be a true story.
I can find no evidence to backup this story - so it may just be another Internet myth.
However, here is Eric playing what must be a very early performance of Tears in Heaven - to BBC interviewer Sue Lawley - in 1992:
ua-cam.com/video/3U4yDkvRjvs/v-deo.html
Suggestion for cover songs: Eric Clapton acoustic cover of "Layla", originally by Eric Clapton electric.
There was a phrase ' Clapton is God' going round in the 70s. He is usually placed second greatest rock guitarist of all time behind Jimi Hendrix.
13:52 you have heard Pink Floyd “The Wall”.
But the album “Dark Side Of The Moon” from 1972 is likely their best work.
So so happy you finally did Eric Clapton. But really you need to listen to Layla to get a better feel of what he really is known for, his sensational blues/rock guitar playing.
My favorite Eric Clapton is with Derek and the Dominoes, a song call Bell-Bottom Blues. Give it a listen.
Ms. Amy, I would like to make a few requests as I would love to hear your take on several pieces. I would love to hear your review of Yngwie Malmsteen’s “Crying”, “Evil Eye”, and “Icarus’ Dream Suite Op: 4”, Dream Theater’s “Change of Seasons”, Steve Vai’s “Tender Surrender” and “For the Love of God”. If you decide to listen, I would love if somehow you’d let me know. I will check back. I think you’ll really enjoy Yngwie’s classical influence. Thank you.
It cuts so deep... it hurts so much that the pain is greater than all the physical pains combined.
And then there is the creation of something so beautiful arising from a situation so painful that it even confuses its creator, almost as if it were a mischief of something superior that should have been more serious in relation to such a terrible situation.
Let It rain, please❤