Back in 1992, electric guitar god Eric Clapton hung up his iconic Fender Strat for an acoustic performance on MTV’s Unplugged series, playing a varied set of solo tunes (the heartbreaking ballad “Tears in Heaven”), tracks from his deep catalogue with bands like Derek and the Dominos (a slowed-down, sexed-up version of “Layla”), and plenty of sizzling blues covers (like Bo Diddley’s “Before You Accuse Me”). The results of that show were eventually released as a live album, which earned six Grammys and sold 19 million copies across the globe.
On October 15th, Reprise Records released Unplugged: Expanded and Remastered, a 2-CD/DVD set featured a remastered version of the original LP (with six unreleased outtakes, including early versions of “Circus” and “My Father’s Eyes”) across two CDs, along with a newly restored DVD and an hour-plus of unseen rehearsal footage.
One diehard Clapton nut will win a copy of this impressive set: All you have to do is share your favorite Clapton guitar solo — whether it’s a psychedelic wah-wah run during a live version of “White Room” or a smooth acoustic run from an obscure solo gem. Here are the rules: Find a video or audio clip of the song in question, tell us the time marker for when the solo takes place, and describe why this Clapton solo still, ya know, got you on your knees. The deadline for this contest will be Friday, November 8th, at 5:00 p.m. EST.
The tracklist for the set (along with a brief EPK) is below:
UNPLUGGED: EXPANDED AND REMASTERED
CD & DVD Track Listing
1. “Signe”
2. “Before You Accuse Me”
3. “Hey Hey”
4. “Tears In Heaven”
5. “Lonely Stranger”
6. “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”
7. “Layla”
8. “Running On Faith”
9. “Walkin’ Blues”
10. “Alberta”
11. “San Francisco Bay Blues”
12. “Malted Milk”
13. “Old Love”
14. “Rollin’ & Tumblin’”
CD Disc Two – Outtakes & Alternates (All Tracks Previously Unreleased)
1. “Circus”
2. “My Father’s Eyes” (Take 1)
3. “Running On Faith” (Take 1)
4. “Walkin’ Blues” (Take 1)
5. “My Father’s Eyes” (Take 2)
6. “Worried Life Blues”
DVD Rehearsal Track List
1. “Signe”
2. “Before You Accuse Me”
3. “Hey Hey”
4. “Tears In Heaven”
5. “Circus”
6. “Lonely Stranger”
7. “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”
8. “Layla”
9. “My Father’s Eyes”
10. “Running On Faith”
11. “Walkin’ Blues”
12. “Alberta”
13. “San Francisco Bay Blues”
14. “Malted Milk”
3 Responses
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right from the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqISzRFzDyE 3:19 (or 5:00)
The whole song is a scorching guitar piece but the solo I would pick starts at the 3:19 mark. For me, it is quintessential Clapton. Everything is there; the classic phrases, the tone, the musicality and the emotion. He takes this great Dylan song and turns it into an impassioned blues number. And, if the solo at 3:19 doesn’t do it for you as it does for me, then go to 5:00 for the final solo where he is just pouring his heart into the sound as his guitar becomes a screaming voice. They’re both great solos and, in my opinion, one of Clapton’s best performances.
The whole thing is spectacular – but if you must focus – move forward to minute 6 and take it to the close…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxVy7HWvb5o
Clapton. Raw. Superb.
Damn, I was also going to do with “Don’t Think Twice” from Bobfest. I’d like to second everything that Mike wrote, but would add that I was lucky enough to be there which makes the performance even more meaningful to me. It’s incredible how Clapton reinvents the song. After that night, Dylan no long owned the song, Clapton did.
Was going to be for “Ramblin on My Mind > Have You Ever Loved A Woman” from the 1980 live album “Just One Night” (http://youtu.be/vdXcPL6HXW0) when I was looking for it, I stumbled back upon “Double Trouble” from the same release which I now think is even better. The last 5+ minutes are surreal. Clapton delicately rips it the entire time. Bliss.
http://youtu.be/vdXcPL6HXW0
Amazing.