Brings a tears to my eyes every time I listen and I have listened hundreds of times. My boy is 33 now you can empathize with the heart break in the song and the pure love for his boy. Awesome song.
My son was the same age as Eric Clapton's son. When I heard it, and heard the backstory, I wept. My son is now well into his 30's, and I still feel a tightness in my throat when I hear the song. Just thinking about what he must have felt is .... terrifying.
Britt, you are amazing at picking up on the meaning, emotion and feelings of a song and the singer. As others have commented, this is about the death of his 4 year old son.
Yes, you certainly picked up on the tragedy and sorrow behind this song. Clapton's 4 yr old son fell out a window a housekeeper left open on the 49th floor of a NYC highrise. This song guts me every time I hear it. ✌❤
He was playing with the housekeeper, running away from her. A maintenance worker for the building was doing work on the windows and had one completely removed.
@@TheKyfe Actually, (having read Clapton's autobiography) there was a crew cleaning the windows of the skyscraper apartment building. They were tilt-up-and-out large windows. They had tilted one open to wash the inside. His little boy (Conor), who, yes, was playing with the housekeeper, ran towards and right through the open window. A tragedy of extreme magnitude. Clapton was on tour at t the time. I cannot BEGIN to fathom getting that phone call or the loss he suffered. I can tell you this (according to his autobiography), Clapton had been an alcoholic for years but he quit drinking around the time of his son's birth. He wrote he could well have used Conor's death as an excuse to fall back into the bottle. But no, he had to be strong and keep on living, to honor his son and give Conor's short life meaning.
@Jill McQuown OK, I stand corrected, though the difference you pointed out wasn't materially significant, lol. I got my information from a documentary, so the sources are similar and basically saying the same thing.
Eric is one of the greatest guitarists ever. This song is about the loss of his 4 year old boy and the unimaginable pain he went through. RIP to his son. Peace and comfort to Eric and his family.
This is the first time I've heard the reggae version of this song. As much as I like it, I've heard the original, less rhythmic version so many times that this one really caught me off guard. I really like this newer version, but I encourage you to check out the original if you find the time. To me, it's more powerful and more moving because his voice and the lyrics are more up front. But either version is outstanding. Loved your reaction.
I went to see Clapton many times, I went to tears of heaven tour at Madison square garden, he came out sat on a stool and sang this. I looked around and everyone was in tears, it was very emotional , he moved everybody there and the garden was full. Wow. It was for his son who died I believe
As others have mentioned, when this song came out it was much slower and full of pain. This says to me that his grieving process has successfully progressed. I understand his pain and the grief stages-this sounds like he is in the acceptance stage which is wonderful. Took me a long time to get to the acceptance stage.
For sure, the earlier versions hit you in the feels way harder all around.. this almost sounds like a reggae version 😅 But it is great he got to a better place of course!
According to Yardbirds rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would remain on stage and replace it. While English audiences waited, they would begin a slow handclap, which is called "to be given the slowhand."
This song always breaks my heart . My sister lost her 4 year old son about time. You have to constantly watch your Young children.. My mother was asked in her 70s about raising her 9 kids she said you never stop rasing your kids. At the time we was in our 40s and 50s
🎼🎼🎼🔥🎼🎼🎼 there you go Britt ..digging into my kaoke file again .. "Tears In Heaven" .. amazingly touching song , and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel .. pure poetry . Thank you for these great reactions. R.I.P. the young son of Eric Clapton.
This song is one of the few songs a grown man can cry to without feeling less of a man. Any man that doesn't get teary eyed over such a song, are dead inside. I am man enough to say I cry every time I hear this song. Especially knowing the truth behind this song.
Eric Clapton is generally regarded as one of the greatest guitarist’s ever. Check out his Layla live performance; he will blow your mind. 1999 Madison Square Garden concert. I saw him back in 1983 and its still the best concert I ever saw!
Eric Clapton's guitar is connected direct to his emotions and heart, it's just the way he plays, he always has. He was a great guitar player that learned to over come his shyness about singing, He blends the emotion of his guitar and voice so well, a truly great artist.
Knowing the back story makes this the saddest song ever. Eric isn't just a great artist but a great person also. Seeing him in concert was amazing. Eric didn't write this song, it was too painful for him. He got a friend write it for him. The friend didn't know if he was up to it but said he had to try.
@@brittreacts his 4 year old son Conor fell from 53rd floor window in NYC in 1991. Eric himself was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in 2013 and exacerbated by the vax. He can no longer play guitar and has been seen in wheelchair. He is 77 years old.
@lisazaccardimeunier8378 Eric was known as God.....he introduced unplugged concerts....so stripped down naked raw songs...fun fact, Eric was asked what is it like being the God of guitar....he simply replied.....I don't know ask prince. Priceless Peace from NZ
@@glenniekiwi I saw him in a restaurant once. He doesn’t primarily live there now, but his house in Bangor has a cool, spooky iron gate and ornate architecture.
@@lisazaccardimeunier8378 oh Bangor...of course....I was thinking Portland but yes Bangor cool, I've been to the US many times but I know Maine is beautiful if not dissimilar from NZ...very green, mountainous etc. Nice to meet you.
This performance almost makes it sound upbeat , when he was younger it was a much more subdued . I believe he did it on a classical guitar back then with a quieter vibe.
He said that he stopped doing this song live for awhile, because he felt that, while he wrote the song to pull him out of a dark place; the audiences were starting to miss the whole point of it. And he didn’t want it trivialized at the expense of his lost son, for sake of commercialized success
i started playing in bands back in 1967 and the drummers always used a carpet to prevent the drums from sliding around but i first noticed it with Joni Mitchell a million years ago , Eric's son Conor fell out of the window of a high-rise building in 1991
Got to see Clapton last year in Boston. 77 years old and still amazing. Was a bucket list for me. This song is absolutely beautiful and so sad!! R.I.P. Conor Clapton!!
Hi Britt, I wrote the comment below before I listened to the whole rendition. GET THE ACOUSTIC VERSION. He is an old man here and the wounds have healed. (thank God) Please do a Take on that. I see you are a deep thinker and fight the inner voices yourself. I hope this is helping your pain. A couple of bands you may like are Blackberry Smoke, Uncle Lucius, Tyler Childs, Cheers Bill
This song was played at my young cousins funeral when he was 18, who was missing for 3 weeks before being found, and his parents and myself were 3 of the last people to see him alive, I tried to hold my tears back, which was near impossible, after hearing this back story.
My son is 7 and I have tears stream my face every time I hear this song. The strength he has to sit there and play this song over and over is so remarkable.
Britt, I really enjoy how well you dissect each song you listen to. You have an uncanny understanding of music and also you have a beautiful singing voice! Keep the videos coming and God bless!
Having lost my wife.... this brings tears.... I'll see you soon my beautiful woman-girl-wife... I don't think anyone can understand the depth of this song, unless they have experienced a loss...
I’ve lost a 25 year old daughter and my mother 2 months later, many in-laws, then my precious father and finally my husband. I think I can understand. Everyone is different, so we don’t know.
Hi Britt!!! Try listening to “BEAUTIFUL” from Carole King’s TAPESTRY album!!! The bestselling album of the mid-seventies!!!! I love your reactions, and the TAPESTRY album is one of my favorites. My Mom used to blast this song on the record player, to wake the four of us girls for school, every once in a while. It was always such a delight to hear this song being played, knowing it had special meaning to each one of us. That’s why the TAPESTRY ALBUM is my top favorite album and continues to be today!!! ❤️✌🏼🫶🏼🤗❤️
Such an amazing artist and so powerful. Eric was asked once in an interview 'how does it feel to be the greatest guitar player?' And he said 'you should ask Prince' 😁 This song was written for his son after he tragically died. I would also recommend 'Father's Eyes' & 'Change The World' by Eric. I also recommend you check out another amazing singer/songwriter who is one of the BEST guitar players of all time. I'm talking about Gary Moore..... Still Got the Blues For You or Parisienne Walkways as your first steps into his beautiful music would be a good start!
As a mom I could no image the sorrow but has has honored his son in the most profound way every summer I think of them and pray another child will not suffer the same fate 🙏 ❤️
ERIC CLAPTON is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" also the most influential musicians of all time. He first was in what is considered the first successful rock band "Yardbirds" in 1963. dissatisfied with the direction of the Yardbirds. He joined bluesbreakers. Left after 1st album again wasn't the sound he was looking for. Then in 1966 he started the power trio Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce "a blues-based psychedelic pop" cream brokeup then 68 Eric started the band "Blind Faith" with Baker, Steve Winwood, after one tour before they broke up. He solo until 1970 then started the band Derek and the Dominos, with whom he recorded "Layla", one of his signature songs.
As a dad that had to lay my infant son to rest in 1997, this song is more of a prayer for me. RIP to my son and Eric's son, you are remembered and missed.
Brava! Your insight and empathy serve you well here. I love the reggae lilt and sway in this version of a deeply emotionally fraught song. As a songwriter, performer and father, I sense he's healed sufficiently from the torment of this horrific loss to find a way to mitigate its impact on audiences as well as to lighten his own emotional investment and inevitable expression of wrenching pain.
The song is a tribute for Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, who died on 20 March 1991 when he accidentally slipped from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment building.
OMG Britt, I had to get back on here to let you know about Eric Clapton 'Wonderful tonight'! How did I not add that in the 1st comment?? Light & love! ✨💞
I saw him do this in concert a few years ago. He still sings it but the tempo is faster. I completely understand. He wants to sing it for his fans but it would be very hard to fully invest emotionally in that ding night after night given that it’s about the death of his son.
Hearing this more upbeat version makes me feel like he has moved on, gotten past some of the pain, and moved the song on to be more of a comfort, with not so much the agony and pain of the early version.
Eric wrote this song after his 4 year old son plunged to his death from over ten stories up in a high rise. Honestly, I don't know how he even sings it in public without breaking down in tears. I can't listen to it without crying, and I never knew his son.
Just found your channel and have watched several of your posts this evening. This is my favorite reaction so far. You really got the vibe of the song. Clapton is one of my favs. He didn’t perform the song this way in the beginning. I feel like it became more peaceful and less painful as the years went by and was reflected in this rendition.
I can’t listen to this song without wanting to cry my son is now 28 born in 1994, two years after Connors tragic death. I can only imagine the pain Eric Clapton felt. I’d die if my son died. My song for him was beautiful boy by John Lennon.
Always ALWAYS been a huge fan of Slowhand Clapton! Knowing the back story of this song, it always knocks the wind out of me. It always brings the loved ones I have lost to my mind.😢 This is so much a grieving song, and still a healing song for me. As much as one CAN heal from the loss.
You need to react to Eric Live at Madison Square Garden 1999 "Layla" ......Eric is a Guitar legend has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 3x......(rare) Many Hits, many tragedies, Much respect....
You have such a beautiful way of presenting a song’s sentiment & sometimes other things and/or its under the surface meaning though the pain & suffering are so clear here. While b/c I can sing, or at least some think so, I was asked to sing this @ my niece’s funeral. And it was a bit ago, but she was so young, vigorous & animated; even gentile, much like you, and it broke my heart And I have no way of knowing, but you often strike me as the quintessential southern belle. As you’re so hospitable & outgoing inviting all these people in to see your emotions & thoughts, as you’re a cultivator of beauty & whimsical, too, though having an ultimately chaste demeanor😊🙃😊 So, T-h-a-n-k Y-o-u, as even though my ‘eyes may have been sweating a lil,’ watching this was also cathartic & I think I finally get what these ‘reaction’ videos are about. As I never really understood until randomly deciding to watch you, yet I think it’s ultimately about people sharing their thoughts & having them affirmed in a way. Inasmuch as you do come from a place of such purifying authenticity that I hope you feel affirmed and happy about what you’re doing here, too. So, remember to smile your smile, today, as I know it’s reflective of your heart❤. When it also makes the world a much better & brighter place, & that I would think, would make you really happy!!! ~ CPT
The carpet is extremely practical. Sound doesn't bounce off of soft surfaces. It does off of hard surfaces. Sound bouncing off of hard surfaces creates unwanted echoes. Stages are usually full of hard surfaces, curtains excepted - hence the rug. I love Eric Clapton too. His album 'Unplugged' is a gem, one among many.
I love your reactions. Pure and true. You are very intuitive and it's beautiful the way you pick up on the emotions and the themes of the music you react to.❤
Many years ago, I found my two year old daughter at the bottom of my swimming pool and I jumped in and pulled her out. Luckily, she coughed up the water in her lungs and today she is happily married and has given me two beautiful grand daughters. But what that taught me was to appreciate the time we have with our children and this song is all about the four short years Eric had with his. That could so easily have been me if I was one minute later in going to see where she was. A beautiful song from one of my favourite artists of all time.
Other song from Eric's collection you should react too, wonderful tonight, river of tears, in my father's eyes, Layla. It's hard to go wrong with any Clapton!
The Blues. Pain, remorse.... knowing the reason for the song and listening to the melody and lyrics make thie, in my opinion, his best and strongest blues song. He has so many, but this is top of that list.
I have seen Clapton live several times and he is humble and shy. This song was written by Eric as he was trying to deal with the tragic loss of his son who fell from a balcony window many floors up in an apartment building.
This Reggae version is very unusual and takes the sting out of the lyrics. You have it right. It was written to mend his heart. He has other versions that will rip your heart out. His female vocalists are always phenomenal.
Like many have said... you nailed the emotion and for the reasons they say about his son. The artical I read led me to believe he was playfully chasing his son when he went through the open window... several floors up. Many of us have followed Eric Clapton through our life time, knowing him as the greatest guitarist in the world, or we thought so anyway. Find videos of the band 'Cream' for his young days. 'would you help me stand, if I saw you in heaven' wow.
I remember the day he lost his son. The New York Post had a front page photo of his boy lying down after the fall. I was so pissed that they showed that, that I called them up on the phone and complained about the photo.
I can't help but tear up every time I hear this. Such beautiful melody. I think of what if my little 18 month old granddaughter passed away in such a tragic way.
This feels like its a reggae version but I had read that he had difficulty peforming this song for obvious reasons so perhaps he also chose to mix up the arrangement to help him get through.
A 8th grade classmates of mine was playing classical guitar at Radio City Music Hall. So we went on a class trip to support him. It so happened that Eric was playing there that same day. So I got to see him in person.
In his late 70s now, Eric Clapton was and is a Rock Icon on par with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and anyone else in Rock History. He started out in the the later 1960s (1967 to be exact) with his First Band "Cream. He then had another Band in the early 70s Called "Derick and The Dominoes." Eric is considered one of the greatest Rock/Blues guitarists ever, right up there with the likes of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Rory Gallagher. This song was written for his little boy, who fell out of high-rise apartment/Condo building window. Eric had his drug addictions in the old days, as did many other Rock stars through the decades. Eric became a Born-again Christian in the mid 80s I think, and He is just a beautiful man and a great artist. Thanks
By now I know you have discovered that this song was written for Eric's 4 year old son Conner, who died from a tragic accident a number of years ago, accidentally falling out of a window in a New York apartment building. This is heartbreaking enough for us to even think about, but for Eric I am sure he is still trying to deal with the pain. If you do not know much about Eric Clapton then you should look up the blues/rock group called 'Cream' and listen to some of his music there. He was the great lead guitarist after leaving a famous group called the 'Yardbirds' before that. He has an amazing history of playing and singing with some of the most famous British rock groups of the late 60's and 70's. His lead guitar, mostly from a blues background, brought him to fame back then and he kept moving forward into his own different styles and his own original compositions with many great musicians of a few generations, even to this day. But Cream is where he became my idol when I was a teenager in the mid to late 60's. I saw the Cream perform live a number of times, and for a guitar playing teenager that was just an unforgettable experience, especially seeing one of the greatest lead guitarists of his time back then. I would love to see you react to the Cream especially, but also a group called 'Blind Faith', which he played with after the Cream, and then many other musicians after as well. 'Layla' is one of his most famous songs as well which he created in the 70's with his group called 'Derek and the Dominoes.' It is about a woman he fell in love with who was at the time the girlfriend of one of the Beatles, George Harrison. I am sure you have heard of the Beatles whose immortal songs are still iconic standards to this day. They were one of the most creative, best selling music groups of all time. I think you would enjoy reacting to some of their music as well. Finally, I have to thank you for your very touching and expressive reactions, especially of Angelina Jordan, who I have been following on UA-cam and Instagram for over 3 years now. She has revived my interest in truly creative music performed in her own uniquely beautiful and expressive ways. Her personality and compassionate sense of humanity shines through her performances as you well know. They will truly have more and more positive influences on the youth of today and the future and hopefully influence many young musicians in sincerely creative and meaningful directions.
Austin Brown of home free version rips my heart out every time I hear it. Maybe it's upbeat to make it easier to get though this song because it is so personal.
I have watched pretty much every reaction on your channel, however this one I am only just watching now. This song is a no go in our family, unless it comes on the radio we don't listen to it ever. The year this song was released my cousin drowned at the local public swimming pool, she was only 6 years old. This song was played at her funeral and until my Nanna passed away and we played it at hers I had only heard this song a handful of times. You did a fantastic job in your reaction Britt, thank you.
Your perception about the song arising from tragedy and then peace is remarkably astute. He had just lost his 4 year old son who, I think, fell from an open window and this song is from that and his journey through his grief to acceptance. I would also recommend that you review his song "Wonderful Tonight." It's not about sadness but celebrates his relationship with his wife.
I know what he went through I also lost my son and every day you struggle with the lost but you keep going with the hope that you will see him again GOD BLESS Erick and his family
My younger brother is named Conor after Eric's son that passed. My dad is a HUGE Clapton fan. We (Eric & I) share a birthday too, tickled my dad oink when he realized it.
Tears In Heaven' was borne out of an unimaginably tragic accident involving his four-year-old son Conor Clapton. Conor died having falling from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment when Eric Clapton was elsewhere in the city.
you are so very intuitive when you hear something for the first time! Yes, as mentioned below it was written after his son's very tragic death from falling some 50 floors from a window in NYC
Yes you hear the pain but you are right, you hear the peace. And that came with time that's why his older performances and the original record just have the pain
On 20 March 1991, Clapton's 4-year-old son Conor died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment belonging to a friend of Conor's mother, Lory Del Santo. After isolating himself for a period, Clapton began working again, writing music for the film Rush (1991). He dealt with the grief of his son's death by cowriting "Tears in Heaven" for the soundtrack with Will Jennings. Eric Clapton had Conor with Italian actress Lory del Santo who had custody of their son, and only the day prior to Conor’s death had taken him on a special day out to the circus at Long Island. According to the biography Slowhand: The Life And Music Of Eric Clapton, by Philip Norman, an excerpt of which has been published in the Daily Mail, it was the first time the acclaimed guitarist had taken his son out by himself. Clapton “intended to be a proper father,” writes Norman. The next morning, as Clapton was due to arrive to pick up Conor for another day out, this time to the Bronx Zoo and lunch at an Italian restaurant, tragedy struck. Conor was running around the 53rd apartment in the New York high-raise his mother shared with Italian film producer Silvio Sardi, excited to see his “papa.” A janitor had been working on the windows in the living room but one was still open recounts Norman. “He called out to the nanny to watch the child, but before she could react, Conor dashed past her, jumped up on to the low window-ledge where he’d normally press his nose against the glass to gaze out - and disappeared,” he wrote. The four-year-old tragically fell to his death.
Eric wrote this song for his 4 yr. old son who fell from a window of their 53rd apartment. He plays it slower usually. He never blamed the employee who left the window open.
As a father, and knowing the backstory of this song, I cannot listen to it without tearing up and feeling the pain he must have gone through.
Brings a tears to my eyes every time I listen and I have listened hundreds of times. My boy is 33 now you can empathize with the heart break in the song and the pure love for his boy. Awesome song.
This song helped me out through the loss of one of my sons. It's a pain truly unlike any other.
My son was the same age as Eric Clapton's son. When I heard it, and heard the backstory, I wept. My son is now well into his 30's, and I still feel a tightness in my throat when I hear the song. Just thinking about what he must have felt is .... terrifying.
@@ferrumaeternum7681 I can only imagine, and feel for your loss.
@@daviddempsey8721 It's a pain I wouldn't wish on my absolute worst enemy.
Britt, you are amazing at picking up on the meaning, emotion and feelings of a song and the singer. As others have commented, this is about the death of his 4 year old son.
As a mother who lost her only child, a son, this song breaks me. I understand his pain
Yes, you certainly picked up on the tragedy and sorrow behind this song. Clapton's 4 yr old son fell out a window a housekeeper left open on the 49th floor of a NYC highrise. This song guts me every time I hear it. ✌❤
Devastating 💔
He was playing with the housekeeper, running away from her. A maintenance worker for the building was doing work on the windows and had one completely removed.
@@TheKyfe Actually, (having read Clapton's autobiography) there was a crew cleaning the windows of the skyscraper apartment building. They were tilt-up-and-out large windows. They had tilted one open to wash the inside. His little boy (Conor), who, yes, was playing with the housekeeper, ran towards and right through the open window. A tragedy of extreme magnitude. Clapton was on tour at t the time. I cannot BEGIN to fathom getting that phone call or the loss he suffered. I can tell you this (according to his autobiography), Clapton had been an alcoholic for years but he quit drinking around the time of his son's birth. He wrote he could well have used Conor's death as an excuse to fall back into the bottle. But no, he had to be strong and keep on living, to honor his son and give Conor's short life meaning.
@Jill McQuown OK, I stand corrected, though the difference you pointed out wasn't materially significant, lol. I got my information from a documentary, so the sources are similar and basically saying the same thing.
@@TheKyfe Don't you just hate know-it-alls? Or the faux intelligent who rely on Wikipedia as gospel?
Eric is one of the greatest guitarists ever. This song is about the loss of his 4 year old boy and the unimaginable pain he went through. RIP to his son. Peace and comfort to Eric and his family.
This is the first time I've heard the reggae version of this song. As much as I like it, I've heard the original, less rhythmic version so many times that this one really caught me off guard. I really like this newer version, but I encourage you to check out the original if you find the time. To me, it's more powerful and more moving because his voice and the lyrics are more up front. But either version is outstanding. Loved your reaction.
I completely agree. The original slow version is much more impactful.
Agree… although the reggae version is “catchy” it’s too upbeat to reflect the utter tragedy of the song… the original nailed his utter sorrow.
Agreed
I went to see Clapton many times, I went to tears of heaven tour at Madison square garden, he came out sat on a stool and sang this. I looked around and everyone was in tears, it was very emotional , he moved everybody there and the garden was full. Wow. It was for his son who died I believe
As others have mentioned, when this song came out it was much slower and full of pain. This says to me that his grieving process has successfully progressed. I understand his pain and the grief stages-this sounds like he is in the acceptance stage which is wonderful. Took me a long time to get to the acceptance stage.
For sure, the earlier versions hit you in the feels way harder all around.. this almost sounds like a reggae version 😅 But it is great he got to a better place of course!
Eric Clapton is undoubtedly one of the best guitarist of an era. His nickname was Slowhand because he made everything he played look effortless.
According to Yardbirds rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would remain on stage and replace it. While English audiences waited, they would begin a slow handclap, which is called "to be given the slowhand."
This song always breaks my heart . My sister lost her 4 year old son about time. You have to constantly watch your Young children.. My mother was asked in her 70s about raising her 9 kids she said you never stop rasing your kids. At the time we was in our 40s and 50s
His 4 year old son fell out of a 53rd floor apartment building window, and he had to go identify the remains. tragic. This song is about that.
🎼🎼🎼🔥🎼🎼🎼 there you go Britt ..digging into my kaoke file again .. "Tears In Heaven" .. amazingly touching song , and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel .. pure poetry . Thank you for these great reactions. R.I.P. the young son of Eric Clapton.
This song is one of the few songs a grown man can cry to without feeling less of a man. Any man that doesn't get teary eyed over such a song, are dead inside. I am man enough to say I cry every time I hear this song. Especially knowing the truth behind this song.
I've always loved this song. It is bittersweet. Such a terrible loss. 😢 Such a beautiful performance. 💙
Eric Clapton is generally regarded as one of the greatest guitarist’s ever. Check out his Layla live performance; he will blow your mind. 1999 Madison Square Garden concert. I saw him back in 1983 and its still the best concert I ever saw!
live aid also.. on here
His acoustic version of Layla showed just accomplished of a guitarist he is.
So glad Duane Allman wrote the leads for Layla ......Clapton wanted a guitar god break and had Allman do the solos on all but 3 songs on the album ❤
Oh without doubt the acoustic live version of Layla is outstanding as is wonderful tonight saw hum in Auckland many years ago....peace from NZ
Eric Clapton's guitar is connected direct to his emotions and heart, it's just the way he plays, he always has. He was a great guitar player that learned to over come his shyness about singing, He blends the emotion of his guitar and voice so well, a truly great artist.
Knowing the back story makes this the saddest song ever. Eric isn't just a great artist but a great person also. Seeing him in concert was amazing.
Eric didn't write this song, it was too painful for him. He got a friend write it for him. The friend didn't know if he was up to it but said he had to try.
Eric co-wrote this song with Will Jennings.
Eric wrote the entire musical arrangement and the first verse and chorus. Will Jennings just finished the words. The song was all Eric
You really nailed it with the meaning of this song. Even without knowing the back story (which is tragic) you understand the pain and heartbreak.
🥺 what’s the back story?
@@brittreacts tragic death of his 4 year old son 💔
@@brittreacts his 4 year old son Conor fell from 53rd floor window in NYC in 1991.
Eric himself was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in 2013 and exacerbated by the vax. He can no longer play guitar and has been seen in wheelchair. He is 77 years old.
@BrittReacts watch his documentary. The Backstory to this song is the son falling out the window. But it's definitely deeper then that
He’s one of the GOATs. I’ve never heard this countryfied version before.
@lisazaccardimeunier8378 Eric was known as God.....he introduced unplugged concerts....so stripped down naked raw songs...fun fact, Eric was asked what is it like being the God of guitar....he simply replied.....I don't know ask prince. Priceless
Peace from NZ
@@glenniekiwi I had his Unplugged CD. Loved it. Peace, from Maine, USA. 🇺🇸
Haha Stephen kings books were primarily based in Maine, big fan 😄
@@glenniekiwi I saw him in a restaurant once. He doesn’t primarily live there now, but his house in Bangor has a cool, spooky iron gate and ornate architecture.
@@lisazaccardimeunier8378 oh Bangor...of course....I was thinking Portland but yes Bangor cool, I've been to the US many times but I know Maine is beautiful if not dissimilar from NZ...very green, mountainous etc. Nice to meet you.
This performance almost makes it sound upbeat , when he was younger it was a much more subdued . I believe he did it on a classical guitar back then with a quieter vibe.
He said that he stopped doing this song live for awhile, because he felt that, while he wrote the song to pull him out of a dark place; the audiences were starting to miss the whole point of it.
And he didn’t want it trivialized at the expense of his lost son, for sake of commercialized success
You have an incredible sense of music it's about losing his young son I enjoy your feelings you make me smile
i started playing in bands back in 1967 and the drummers always used a carpet to prevent the drums from sliding around but i first noticed it with Joni Mitchell a million years ago , Eric's son Conor fell out of the window of a high-rise building in 1991
Got to see Clapton last year in Boston. 77 years old and still amazing. Was a bucket list for me. This song is absolutely beautiful and so sad!! R.I.P. Conor Clapton!!
I cry every time....just gets my heart in the soft spot....
Hi Britt, I wrote the comment below before I listened to the whole rendition. GET THE ACOUSTIC VERSION. He is an old man here and the wounds have healed. (thank God) Please do a Take on that. I see you are a deep thinker and fight the inner voices yourself. I hope this is helping your pain. A couple of bands you may like are Blackberry Smoke, Uncle Lucius, Tyler Childs, Cheers Bill
This song was played at my young cousins funeral when he was 18, who was missing for 3 weeks before being found, and his parents and myself were 3 of the last people to see him alive, I tried to hold my tears back, which was near impossible, after hearing this back story.
My son is 7 and I have tears stream my face every time I hear this song. The strength he has to sit there and play this song over and over is so remarkable.
He lost himself for a long time. He wasn’t a happy man. He’s always been a very talented person. I’m so sorry for his loss.
Britt, I really enjoy how well you dissect each song you listen to. You have an uncanny understanding of music and also you have a beautiful singing voice! Keep the videos coming and God bless!
Eric Clapton is arguably one of if not the best guitar player ever. A true legend.
This is in memory of his 4 year old Son Connor who died in a terrible fall!😢❤
Having lost my wife.... this brings tears.... I'll see you soon my beautiful woman-girl-wife... I don't think anyone can understand the depth of this song, unless they have experienced a loss...
I’ve lost a 25 year old daughter and my mother 2 months later, many in-laws, then my precious father and finally my husband. I think I can understand. Everyone is different, so we don’t know.
One of the greatest Blues-Guitarists of our time, and a humble human as well.
Elmar from Germany
He also raped his wife.
Hi Britt!!! Try listening to “BEAUTIFUL” from Carole King’s TAPESTRY album!!! The bestselling album of the mid-seventies!!!!
I love your reactions, and the TAPESTRY album is one of my favorites. My Mom used to blast this song on the record player, to wake the four of us girls for school, every once in a while. It was always such a delight to hear this song being played, knowing it had special meaning to each one of us. That’s why the TAPESTRY ALBUM is my top favorite album and continues to be today!!!
❤️✌🏼🫶🏼🤗❤️
Such an amazing artist and so powerful.
Eric was asked once in an interview 'how does it feel to be the greatest guitar player?' And he said 'you should ask Prince' 😁
This song was written for his son after he tragically died. I would also recommend 'Father's Eyes' & 'Change The World' by Eric.
I also recommend you check out another amazing singer/songwriter who is one of the BEST guitar players of all time.
I'm talking about Gary Moore.....
Still Got the Blues For You or Parisienne Walkways as your first steps into his beautiful music would be a good start!
The acoustic version of this song is just gut-wrenching. Every version is amazing and deeply felt.
As a mom I could no image the sorrow but has has honored his son in the most profound way every summer I think of them and pray another child will not suffer the same fate 🙏 ❤️
ERIC CLAPTON is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" also the most influential musicians of all time. He first was in what is considered the first successful rock band "Yardbirds" in 1963. dissatisfied with the direction of the Yardbirds. He joined bluesbreakers. Left after 1st album again wasn't the sound he was looking for. Then in 1966 he started the power trio Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce "a blues-based psychedelic pop" cream brokeup then 68 Eric started the band "Blind Faith" with Baker, Steve Winwood, after one tour before they broke up. He solo until 1970 then started the band Derek and the Dominos, with whom he recorded "Layla", one of his signature songs.
As a dad that had to lay my infant son to rest in 1997, this song is more of a prayer for me. RIP to my son and Eric's son, you are remembered and missed.
I’m so sorry. I lost my 25 year old daughter to Cystic Fibrosis in 2010. It doesn’t go away! Ever
Brava! Your insight and empathy serve you well here. I love the reggae lilt and sway in this version of a deeply emotionally fraught song. As a songwriter, performer and father, I sense he's healed sufficiently from the torment of this horrific loss to find a way to mitigate its impact on audiences as well as to lighten his own emotional investment and inevitable expression of wrenching pain.
Eric is a stronger man than I could ever be after losing his infant 4 year old son, and having to perform this song every night to entertain us.
The song is a tribute for Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, who died on 20 March 1991 when he accidentally slipped from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment building.
This young lady is so elegant, beautiful, intelligent and insightful. Her singing voice is also very pleasant to listen to, Thank you, Britt!
This song is about Clapham's 4 year old son Conor who fell to his death from 53rd floor window in his mothers New York apartment. Truly very sad.
Oh my goodness 💔
@@brittreacts it was such a terrible accident. This song just makes me cry, I have 5 kids and couldn't even imagine. WTF. Love your sincerity!!
Your perspective, and your ability to perceive, is amazing
OMG Britt, I had to get back on here to let you know about Eric Clapton 'Wonderful tonight'! How did I not add that in the 1st comment?? Light & love! ✨💞
I saw him do this in concert a few years ago. He still sings it but the tempo is faster. I completely understand. He wants to sing it for his fans but it would be very hard to fully invest emotionally in that ding night after night given that it’s about the death of his son.
That is Eric Clapton. A towering artist
The guy who made me start playing music 15 years ago 💥
Hearing this more upbeat version makes me feel like he has moved on, gotten past some of the pain, and moved the song on to be more of a comfort, with not so much the agony and pain of the early version.
That's great for him but the pure sorrow in the original truly makes it one of the saddest songs on the planet.
Eric wrote this song after his 4 year old son plunged to his death from over ten stories up in a high rise. Honestly, I don't know how he even sings it in public without breaking down in tears. I can't listen to it without crying, and I never knew his son.
Clapton truly makes his guitar sing...such emotion for each song..and so true to the music and song..he is a magician
Just found your channel and have watched several of your posts this evening. This is my favorite reaction so far. You really got the vibe of the song. Clapton is one of my favs. He didn’t perform the song this way in the beginning. I feel like it became more peaceful and less painful as the years went by and was reflected in this rendition.
I can’t listen to this song without wanting to cry my son is now 28 born in 1994, two years after Connors tragic death. I can only imagine the pain Eric Clapton felt. I’d die if my son died. My song for him was beautiful boy by John Lennon.
Celibrate a life. NEVER mourn a death. Clapton is one very strong man. I salute him and his artistry.
You got this song too the core ! Loss and moving on !
You hear the crying in the guitar playing !
Loss of a child is the worst !
Always ALWAYS been a huge fan of Slowhand Clapton! Knowing the back story of this song, it always knocks the wind out of me. It always brings the loved ones I have lost to my mind.😢 This is so much a grieving song, and still a healing song for me. As much as one CAN heal from the loss.
You need to react to Eric Live at Madison Square Garden 1999 "Layla" ......Eric is a Guitar legend has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 3x......(rare) Many Hits, many tragedies, Much respect....
The loss of a child is such a personal grief...Rest in Peace Conner Clapton.
You have such a beautiful way of presenting a song’s sentiment & sometimes other things and/or its under the surface meaning though the pain & suffering are so clear here. While b/c I can sing, or at least some think so, I was asked to sing this @ my niece’s funeral. And it was a bit ago, but she was so young, vigorous & animated; even gentile, much like you, and it broke my heart And I have no way of knowing, but you often strike me as the quintessential southern belle.
As you’re so hospitable & outgoing inviting all these people in to see your emotions & thoughts, as you’re a cultivator of beauty & whimsical, too, though having an ultimately chaste demeanor😊🙃😊
So, T-h-a-n-k Y-o-u, as even though my ‘eyes may have been sweating a lil,’ watching this was also cathartic & I think I finally get what these ‘reaction’ videos are about.
As I never really understood until randomly deciding to watch you, yet I think it’s ultimately about people sharing their thoughts & having them affirmed in a way. Inasmuch as you do come from a place of such purifying authenticity that I hope you feel affirmed and happy about what you’re doing here, too. So, remember to smile your smile, today, as I know it’s reflective of your heart❤. When it also makes the world a much better & brighter place, & that I would think, would make you really happy!!! ~ CPT
The carpet is extremely practical. Sound doesn't bounce off of soft surfaces. It does off of hard surfaces. Sound bouncing off of hard surfaces creates unwanted echoes. Stages are usually full of hard surfaces, curtains excepted - hence the rug.
I love Eric Clapton too. His album 'Unplugged' is a gem, one among many.
He wrote the song for his son Connor, who fell to his death from their high rise apartment I believe, in New York.
I love your reactions. Pure and true. You are very intuitive and it's beautiful the way you pick up on the emotions and the themes of the music you react to.❤
Many years ago, I found my two year old daughter at the bottom of my swimming pool and I jumped in and pulled her out. Luckily, she coughed up the water in her lungs and today she is happily married and has given me two beautiful grand daughters. But what that taught me was to appreciate the time we have with our children and this song is all about the four short years Eric had with his. That could so easily have been me if I was one minute later in going to see where she was. A beautiful song from one of my favourite artists of all time.
Other song from Eric's collection you should react too, wonderful tonight, river of tears, in my father's eyes, Layla. It's hard to go wrong with any Clapton!
Freaking great reaction. You are so intuitive thank you.
The Blues. Pain, remorse.... knowing the reason for the song and listening to the melody and lyrics make thie, in my opinion, his best and strongest blues song. He has so many, but this is top of that list.
I have seen Clapton live several times and he is humble and shy. This song was written by Eric as he was trying to deal with the tragic loss of his son who fell from a balcony window many floors up in an apartment building.
This Reggae version is very unusual and takes the sting out of the lyrics. You have it right. It was written to mend his heart. He has other versions that will rip your heart out. His female vocalists are always phenomenal.
Like many have said... you nailed the emotion and for the reasons they say about his son. The artical I read led me to believe he was playfully chasing his son when he went through the open window... several floors up. Many of us have followed Eric Clapton through our life time, knowing him as the greatest guitarist in the world, or we thought so anyway. Find videos of the band 'Cream' for his young days. 'would you help me stand, if I saw you in heaven' wow.
How can EC sing that without choking up? It's a wonder and amazing that he gave all of us such a gift born of such a tragedy.
He didn’t for a very long time!
I remember the day he lost his son. The New York Post had a front page photo of his boy lying down after the fall. I was so pissed that they showed that, that I called them up on the phone and complained about the photo.
I can't imagine how he can get through this... I tear up, and it's not my child... (the carpet softens the sound and lessens the echo...)
I can't help but tear up every time I hear this. Such beautiful melody. I think of what if my little 18 month old granddaughter passed away in such a tragic way.
This feels like its a reggae version but I had read that he had difficulty peforming this song for obvious reasons so perhaps he also chose to mix up the arrangement to help him get through.
Great reaction to a beautiful song.
Similar song is "Over You." It was performed by Miranda Lambert. She was married to Blake Shelton at the time.
A 8th grade classmates of mine was playing classical guitar at Radio City Music Hall. So we went on a class trip to support him. It so happened that Eric was playing there that same day. So I got to see him in person.
To write a song like this after loosing your child ,only Eric could do this ,the Man’s a genius.a beautiful tribute to his Son❤❤❤❤
In his late 70s now, Eric Clapton was and is a Rock Icon on par with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and anyone else in Rock History. He started out in the the later 1960s (1967 to be exact) with his First Band "Cream. He then had another Band in the early 70s Called "Derick and The Dominoes." Eric is considered one of the greatest Rock/Blues guitarists ever, right up there with the likes of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Rory Gallagher. This song was written for his little boy, who fell out of high-rise apartment/Condo building window.
Eric had his drug addictions in the old days, as did many other Rock stars through the decades.
Eric became a Born-again Christian in the mid 80s I think, and He is just a beautiful man and a great artist.
Thanks
I think the "unplugged" version is the best (much slower and crisper).
By now I know you have discovered that this song was written for Eric's 4 year old son Conner, who died from a tragic accident a number of years ago, accidentally falling out of a window in a New York apartment building. This is heartbreaking enough for us to even think about, but for Eric I am sure he is still trying to deal with the pain. If you do not know much about Eric Clapton then you should look up the blues/rock group called 'Cream' and listen to some of his music there. He was the great lead guitarist after leaving a famous group called the 'Yardbirds' before that. He has an amazing history of playing and singing with some of the most famous British rock groups of the late 60's and 70's. His lead guitar, mostly from a blues background, brought him to fame back then and he kept moving forward into his own different styles and his own original compositions with many great musicians of a few generations, even to this day. But Cream is where he became my idol when I was a teenager in the mid to late 60's. I saw the Cream perform live a number of times, and for a guitar playing teenager that was just an unforgettable experience, especially seeing one of the greatest lead guitarists of his time back then. I would love to see you react to the Cream especially, but also a group called 'Blind Faith', which he played with after the Cream, and then many other musicians after as well. 'Layla' is one of his most famous songs as well which he created in the 70's with his group called 'Derek and the Dominoes.' It is about a woman he fell in love with who was at the time the girlfriend of one of the Beatles, George Harrison. I am sure you have heard of the Beatles whose immortal songs are still iconic standards to this day. They were one of the most creative, best selling music groups of all time. I think you would enjoy reacting to some of their music as well. Finally, I have to thank you for your very touching and expressive reactions, especially of Angelina Jordan, who I have been following on UA-cam and Instagram for over 3 years now. She has revived my interest in truly creative music performed in her own uniquely beautiful and expressive ways. Her personality and compassionate sense of humanity shines through her performances as you well know. They will truly have more and more positive influences on the youth of today and the future and hopefully influence many young musicians in sincerely creative and meaningful directions.
Very empathetic reaction. How you got all that understandingwithout knowing the backstory is impressive
Austin Brown of home free version rips my heart out every time I hear it. Maybe it's upbeat to make it easier to get though this song because it is so personal.
I lost my oldest son way before his time. I cannot to this day hear Eric sing this without tears. I ask the same question...will he know my name.
britt--you are so spot on in your assessment of the back story of this song...you have a great intuition
as you do not know the background, you are very observant/intuitive... kudos
I have watched pretty much every reaction on your channel, however this one I am only just watching now. This song is a no go in our family, unless it comes on the radio we don't listen to it ever. The year this song was released my cousin drowned at the local public swimming pool, she was only 6 years old. This song was played at her funeral and until my Nanna passed away and we played it at hers I had only heard this song a handful of times. You did a fantastic job in your reaction Britt, thank you.
You've got a great voice, love hearing you sing.
Your perception about the song arising from tragedy and then peace is remarkably astute. He had just lost his 4 year old son who, I think, fell from an open window and this song is from that and his journey through his grief to acceptance. I would also recommend that you review his song "Wonderful Tonight." It's not about sadness but celebrates his relationship with his wife.
I know what he went through I also lost my son and every day you struggle with the lost but you keep going with the hope that you will see him again GOD BLESS Erick and his family
My younger brother is named Conor after Eric's son that passed. My dad is a HUGE Clapton fan. We (Eric & I) share a birthday too, tickled my dad oink when he realized it.
This song is timeless, the one that introduced me to Eric Clapton, the official music video or the MTV unplugged version are my favorites!!
I love your channel Britt. This song was written about his son that fell off a balcony and died. So sad.
Tears In Heaven' was borne out of an unimaginably tragic accident involving his four-year-old son Conor Clapton. Conor died having falling from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment when Eric Clapton was elsewhere in the city.
Such a genuine reaction. That’s a rare thing nowadays!
you are so very intuitive when you hear something for the first time! Yes, as mentioned below it was written after his son's very tragic death from falling some 50 floors from a window in NYC
Yes you hear the pain but you are right, you hear the peace. And that came with time that's why his older performances and the original record just have the pain
On 20 March 1991, Clapton's 4-year-old son Conor died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment belonging to a friend of Conor's mother, Lory Del Santo. After isolating himself for a period, Clapton began working again, writing music for the film Rush (1991). He dealt with the grief of his son's death by cowriting "Tears in Heaven" for the soundtrack with Will Jennings.
Eric Clapton had Conor with Italian actress Lory del Santo who had custody of their son, and only the day prior to Conor’s death had taken him on a special day out to the circus at Long Island.
According to the biography Slowhand: The Life And Music Of Eric Clapton, by Philip Norman, an excerpt of which has been published in the Daily Mail, it was the first time the acclaimed guitarist had taken his son out by himself.
Clapton “intended to be a proper father,” writes Norman.
The next morning, as Clapton was due to arrive to pick up Conor for another day out, this time to the Bronx Zoo and lunch at an Italian restaurant, tragedy struck.
Conor was running around the 53rd apartment in the New York high-raise his mother shared with Italian film producer Silvio Sardi, excited to see his “papa.”
A janitor had been working on the windows in the living room but one was still open recounts Norman.
“He called out to the nanny to watch the child, but before she could react, Conor dashed past her, jumped up on to the low window-ledge where he’d normally press his nose against the glass to gaze out - and disappeared,” he wrote.
The four-year-old tragically fell to his death.
Eric wrote this song for his 4 yr. old son who fell from a window of their 53rd apartment. He plays it slower usually. He never blamed the employee who left the window open.
Breaks my Heart every time