Unplugged (Eric Clapton album)

Unplugged
Live album by Eric Clapton
Released 25 August 1992
Recorded 16 January 1992, Bray Film Studios, Windsor, England, UK
Genre Acoustic rock, acoustic blues
Length 61:47
Label Reprise, Duck, MTV
Producer Russ Titelman
Eric Clapton chronology
Rush
(1991)		 Unplugged
(1992)		 From the Cradle
(1994)

Unplugged is the sixth live album by Eric Clapton released in 1992.[1] It was recorded for the MTV Unplugged series and includes both the hit song "Tears in Heaven" and a heavily reworked acoustic version of "Layla". The album won three Grammy Awards in 1993 and sold 26 million copies worldwide.[2]

Background

Clapton performed the show in front of a small audience on 16 January 1992 at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England.[3] In addition to the final album tracks, the performance included early versions of "My Father's Eyes" and "Circus Left Town" along with "Worried Life Blues" and a version of "Rollin' and Tumblin'".[4] Clapton played Martin 000-42 acoustic guitars for much of the performance, and in 2004, one of the guitars sold for 791,500 USD (£434,400) in auction.[1][5] Commenting on the popularity of the album in his 2007 autobiography, Clapton wishes the reader to understand the great emotional toll he experienced around that time, and suggests that they visit the grave of his son Conor in Ripley to do so.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Chicago Tribune[8]
Entertainment Weekly(A-)[9]
Los Angeles Times[10]
Robert ChristgauB−[11]

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine starts his review by looking at the commercial figures, calling this Unplugged release a "massive success" and "one of the rare albums to be certified as diamond in the U.S. and it went platinum all over the world". He also notes that the album "was the first-ever MTV album, that it alone was responsible for revitalizing Clapton's career". Erlewine goes on to uplift the release saying the songs that were recorded are "lively and relaxed". He finished his review saying that this live release "cut[s] to the quick of Clapton's musical DNA". He rated the album with 4.5 of 5 possible stars.[7]

Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune calls the release a "blues album for yuppies" and rates it with 2.5 of 4 stars, saying it is between fair and good.[8] Entertainment Weekly journalist Steve Simels scores the album (A-) calling the album "a charmer, a collection of blues standards and recent Clapton songs rendered with just the right combination of intensity (a deeply felt version of "Tears in Heaven") and giddy fun (Clapton actually plays kazoo on "San Francisco Bay Blues")".[9] Steve Hochman from the Los Angeles Times music section gives the album three out of four possible stars (good) and calls the tapes "Clapton's most passionate collection in years".[10]

Accolades

Clapton earned three Grammy Awards for the album, including Album of the Year, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.[12] Although "Tears in Heaven" also earned three Grammy Awards, it was the version from Rush that the judges awarded.[12]

YearOrganisationAwardWorkResultRef.
1992Guitar WorldBest guitar-albums of 1992Unplugged#9[13]
MusikexpressBest albums of 1992#8[14]
1993NARASGrammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal PerformanceWon[15]
Grammy Award for Album of the Year[16]
Grammy Award for Best Rock SongLayla[17]
NCTACableACE AwardUnpluggedNominated[18]
2000QBest British albums#71[19]
2005MusikexpressBest albums of the 1990s#32[20]

Personnel

Commercial performance

In Germany the album peaked at #3 in the German Albums Chart and sold a total of 1.25 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling albums in Germany. In Austria, Unplugged held itself 46 weeks in the Austrian Albums Chart and sold more than 100,000 copies in total. In Switzerland the album also reached #3 in the country's chart. Selling 60,000 copies in the first two weeks, the live album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry – a record for any British artist.[21] In the U.S. the album peaked at number two.

Re-release

On 15 October 2013 the album and concert DVD were re-released, titled Unplugged: Expanded & Remastered. The album includes the original 14 tracks, remastered, as well as six additional tracks, including two versions of "My Father's Eyes". The DVD includes a restored version of the concert, as well as over 60 minutes of unseen footage from the rehearsal.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Signe"  Eric Clapton3:13
2."Before You Accuse Me"  Bo Diddley3:44
3."Hey Hey"  Big Bill Broonzy3:16
4."Tears in Heaven"  Clapton, Will Jennings4:36
5."Lonely Stranger"  Clapton5:27
6."Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out"  Jimmy Cox3:49
7."Layla"  Clapton, Jim Gordon4:46
8."Running on Faith"  Jerry Lynn Williams6:30
9."Walkin' Blues"  Robert Johnson3:37
10."Alberta"  Traditional, arr. by Huddie William Ledbetter3:42
11."San Francisco Bay Blues"  Jesse Fuller3:24
12."Malted Milk"  Robert Johnson3:36
13."Old Love"  Clapton, Robert Cray7:54
14."Rollin' and Tumblin'"  Muddy Waters4:11
Total length:61:47

Single releases

The acoustic rework of "Layla" was released as the single "Layla (Acoustic)", sometimes titled as "Layla (Unplugged)" in September 1992.[22] The release reached top positions in both 1992 and 1993, reaching No .1 in the RPM Canadian Top Singles chart[23] as well as peaking at number four in the Canadian Adult Contemporary Tracks the same year.[24] It also became popular in the US reaching No. 4[25] on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, peaking at No. 9 in the Mainstream Rock chart[26] and reaching place 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[27] It also reached the top ten five of other countries.

Clapton's acoustic version of "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out" was released as a single in Argentina only on 27 September 1992. Journalist Morten Holgersson from Norway liked the cover version noting that Clapton recorded the song more sinfully and in a more modern style than any other artist before. This, recalls Holgersson, is due to the changing of Clapton's finger picking and guitar playing with a pick. He therefore ended his review saying this was "tactful and percussive".[28] American music critic Will Branson also liked Ray Cooper's and Chuck Leavell's work on their instruments.[29]

"Running on Faith" was not released as a single, but reached No. 15 on the Billboard Mainstream rock chart in 1993 as well as No. 28 on the Adult Contemporary chart which are based on radio airplay.[30] "Tears in Heaven" was not released as a single from Unplugged but from the soundtrack for the film Rush.

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (1992–2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 1
Australian Music DVD (ARIA)[32] 12
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[33] 3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 107
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[35] 42
Canadian Albums (RPM)[36] 1
Canadian Albums (The Record)[37] 1
Croatian Foreign Albums (HDU)[38] 31
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[39] 1
Danish Music DVD (Hitlisten)[40] 1
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[41] 1
Finnish Albums (IFPI)[42] 2
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[43] 3
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[44] 23
Hungarian Music DVD (MAHASZ)[45] 9
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[46] 1
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[47] 1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[48] 6
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[42] 2
Scottish Albums (OCC)[49] 92
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[50] 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[51] 3
UK Albums (OCC)[52] 2
US Billboard 200[53] 1
US Top Catalog Albums (Billboard)[54] 3
US Top Video Sales (Billboard)[55] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1992) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[56] 45
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[57] 25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[58] 25
US Billboard 200[59] 36
Chart (1993) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[60] 2
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[61] 7
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[62] 2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[63] 7
US Billboard 200[64] 3
Chart (1994) Position
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[65] 47

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990s) Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[66] 20
US Billboard 200[67] 30

Certifications

Album

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[68] 2× Platinum 240,000*
Argentina (CAPIF)[69]
"Desconectado" version		 2× Platinum
Australia (ARIA)[70] 8× Platinum 560,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[71] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Belgium (BEA)[72] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Brazil (ABPD)[73] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[74] Diamond 1,000,000^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[75] 5× Platinum 400,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[76] Gold 45,034[76]
France (SNEP)[77] 2× Platinum 600,000*
Germany (BVMI)[78] 5× Gold 1,250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[79] 11× Platinum 165,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[80] 8× Platinum 400,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[81] Gold 50,000*
South Korea (Gaon Chart)
2013 Deluxe Edition		 23,421[82]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[83] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Sweden (GLF)[84] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[85] 2× Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[86] 4× Platinum 1,200,000^
United States (RIAA)[87] Diamond 10,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[88] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide 26 million[2]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

VHS and DVD

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Brazil (ABPD)[89] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[90] Platinum 50,000^
France (SNEP)[91] Platinum 20,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[92] Gold 25,000^
United States (RIAA)[93] Platinum 100,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Clapton's guitar smashes record BBC News Retrieved 28 January 2011
  2. 1 2 Steffen, Chris (January 23, 2015). "Bassist Nathan East on Eric Clapton and "Change the World", Plus, Watch His Documentary". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ Clapton, Eric: Unplugged
  4. ↑ Clapton, Eric (2007). Clapton: The Autobiography (autobiography). Crown Archetype. p. 254. ISBN 1-61688-076-7.
  5. ↑ Fretbase: Eric Clapton Unplugged – His Guitars and Gear
  6. ↑ Clapton, Eric (2007). Clapton: The Autobiography (autobiography). Crown Archetype. ISBN 1-61688-076-7.
  7. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Unplugged at AllMusic
  8. 1 2 Kot, Greg (21 February 1993). "It's A Roller-coaster Career From Blues To Pop And Back". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  9. 1 2 Simels, Steve (28 August 1992). "Unplugged Review". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  10. 1 2 Hochman, Steve (27 September 1992). "In Brief". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  11. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Reviews: Eric Clapton". Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  12. 1 2 Billboard 6 Mar 1993 Billboard Retrieved 28 January 2011
  13. ↑ "The Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1992". Guitar World. Tony Grassi. 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  14. ↑ "Die besten Alben und Songs des Jahres 1992". Musikexpress. 1992. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  15. ↑ "Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male". Rock on the Net. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  16. ↑ "Grammy Awards: Album of the Year". Rock on the Net. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  17. ↑ "Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song". Roch on the Net. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  18. ↑ Awards for Eric Clapton at the Internet Movie Database
  19. ↑ http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/Q100british.htm
  20. ↑ "Die besten Alben der 90er (2005)". Musikexpress. 1992. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  21. ↑ See BPI Gold/Platinum.
  22. ↑ "Eric Clapton – Layla (Live Acoustic)". 45cat.com. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  23. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 56, No. 19, November 07 1992". RPM. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  24. ↑ "Adult Contemporary – Volume 56, No. 22, November 28, 1992". RPM. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  25. ↑ "Eric Clapton – Billboard Pop Songs Chart". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  26. ↑ "Eric Clapton Album & Song Chart History (Mainstream Rock Songs)". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  27. ↑ "Eric Clapton Album & Song Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  28. ↑ Holgersson, Morten (1992-12-11). Eric Clapton nye anlegg – Kritikere stemme til "Unplugged". Dagbladet. p. 15.
  29. ↑ Branson, Will (1992). Clapton rocks the Charts. The Rarest Copy. p. 7.
  30. ↑ "MTV Unplugged – Eric Clapton – Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
  31. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  32. ↑ "The ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Pandora.nla.gov.au (570): 28. 29 January 2001. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  33. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  35. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  36. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums (CD's & Cassettes)". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. 56 (18). 31 October 1992. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  37. ↑ "Hits of the World > Canada". Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 104 (48): 61. 28 November 1992. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  38. ↑ "Top Stranih [Top Foreign]" (in Croatian). Top Foreign Albums. Hrvatska diskografska udruga. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  39. ↑ "DR Album Top 20 // 1992 // Uge 37". Hitlisten (in Danish). Danskehitlister.dk. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  40. ↑ "Musik Video Top 10 UGE 15 – 2001". Hitlisten (in Danish). Hitlisten.nu. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  41. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  42. 1 2 "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music and Media. BPI Communications: 22. 14 November 1992. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  43. ↑ "Eric Clapton – Unplugged". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  44. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 1992. 52. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  45. ↑ "Kereső - előadó/cím szerint - Archívum - Hivatalos magyar slágerlisták". Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége (in Hungarian). Slagerlistak.hu. Type "Clapton" in the field "Előadó/cím", select "előadó", press "Keresés" and look for "DVD TOP 20 lista". Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  46. ↑ "Top 10 U.K. Albums" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 106 (7): 46. 12 February 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  47. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  48. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  50. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  51. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  52. ↑ "Eric Clapton | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  53. ↑ "Eric Clapton – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Eric Clapton. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  54. ↑ "Eric Clapton – Chart history" Billboard Top Catalog Albums for Eric Clapton. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  55. ↑ "Top Music Videos" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 105 (13): 68. 27 March 1993. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  56. ↑ "End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  57. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1992". Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  58. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  59. ↑ "Billboard 200 Year-end 1992". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  60. ↑ "End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  61. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1993". Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  62. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1993" (ASP) (in Dutch). Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  63. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  64. ↑ "Billboard 200 Year-end 1993". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  65. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten1994" (ASP) (in Dutch). Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  66. ↑ "Bestenlisten – 90-er album" (ASP) (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  67. ↑ Geoff Mayfield (25 December 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  68. ↑ "Argentinian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  69. ↑ "Argentinian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Desconectado". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  70. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  71. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 12 February 2016. Enter Eric Clapton in the field Interpret. Enter Unplugged in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  72. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2007". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  73. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  74. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Music Canada. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  75. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 12 February 2016. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website
  76. 1 2 "Eric Clapton" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  77. ↑ "French album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  78. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eric Clapton; 'Unplugged')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  79. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  80. ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  81. ↑ "Polish album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  82. ↑ Cumulative sales:
  83. ↑ "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995" (in Spanish). Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  84. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  85. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Eric Clapton; 'Unplugged')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  86. ↑ "British album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 February 2016. Enter Unplugged in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  87. ↑ "American album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 February 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  88. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music and Media. BPI Communications: 22. 1993-10-23. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  89. ↑ "Brazilian video certifications – Eric Clapton" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  90. ↑ "Danish video certifications – Eric Clapton". IFPI Denmark. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website
  91. ↑ "French video certifications – Eric Clapton" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  92. ↑ "British video certifications – Unplugged". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 September 2015. Enter Unplugged in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select DVD in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  93. ↑ "American video certifications – Unplugged". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 24 September 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Video Longform, then click SEARCH
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