unplugged

 Eric Clapton poured his grief and pain into this intimate acoustic performance and had the biggest success of his entire career.  After the tragic death of his son Conor, Clapton wrote the cathartic 'Tears in Heaven' with professional songwriter Will Jennings.  Clapton remembers:  "It was written for the film 'Rush'.  The timing was perfect, because they needed a song about loss and I had plenty of them.  'Tears In Heaven' was actually in a very embryonic stage when I was approached and I completed it for 'Rush'.  I needed the film to finish it, because otherwise I probably would have let it go.  It was also a good opportunity for me to write about the loss of my son, and have somewhere to put it-to channel it-because it didn't look like I was going into the studio in the near future.  I really wanted to be able to say something about what happened to me and the opportunity that this movie presented me was excellent, because it meant that I could write this song and express my feelings and have it come out quickly. After the song was done, I thought that it would be nice to put it out as a single as well.  There were other songs like it, of course, but that was the one."

The song became the emotional centerpiece of the live show Clapton recorded for the 'MTV Unplugged' series.  The show took place at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England with Clapton on lead vocals and acoustic guitar; Andy Fairweather-Low on acoustic guitar, and harmonica; Nathan East on acoustic bass and backing vocals; Chuck Leavell on keyboards; Steve Ferrone on drums; Ray Cooper on percussion; and Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles on backing vocals. It was produced by Russ Titelman and engineered by James Barton.  The song selection was a mix of traditional blues standards and some of his own songs.  Clapton confesses:   "These songs helped me get through a very hard patch in my life and I wanted to make them public.  In fact, my performance on MTV was the first time they were played publicly in any form...I think that with what happened to me last year-the loss of my son-my audience would have been very surprised if I didn't make some reference to it.  And I wouldn't want to insult them by not sharing my grief with themin some way.  So I do intend to make these things known and I will play the songs in concert and put them on record.  It is a healing process for me, and I think it's important to share that with people who love your music."  'Unplugged' went to number eight in France; six in Norway; five in Japan; three in Austria and Sweden; two in the UK; and number one Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the US.  The album also won six Grammys for Album of the Year, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, the last three for 'Tears in Heaven'.  It has sold over fifteen million copies worldwide.  








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"Signe" (Clapton) -- 00:00
"Before You Accuse Me" (McDaniel) -- 03:14
"Hey Hey" (Broonzy) -- 07:12
"Tears in Heaven" (Clapton/Jennings) -- 10:41
"Lonely Stranger" (Clapton) -- 15:55
"Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (Cox) -- 21:20
"Layla" (Clapton/Gordon) -- 25:10
"Running on Faith" (Williams) -- 29:39
"Walkin' Blues" (Johnson) -- 36:05
"Alberta" (Traditional) -- 40:00
"San Francisco Bay Blues" (Fuller) -- 44:55
"Malted Milk" (Johnson) -- 48:20
"Old Love" (Clapton/Cray) -- 52:00
"Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Waters) -- 59:35