Eric Clapton Channels A Father’s Love And Grief For Stirring “Tears In Heaven”

Eric Clapton Channels A Father’s Love And Grief For Stirring “Tears In Heaven” | I Love Classic Rock Videos

A Father’s Grief Put Into Song

Losing a child is the biggest wound that any parent could suffer, and it can be difficult to put a loss of that magnitude into words. Eric Clapton did just that, though, when he penned the lyrics to the iconic ‘Tears In Heaven’ after the death of his 4-year-old son Conor.

This performance, featured on MTV’s Unplugged is undeniably Eric’s best and his most honest performance of his entire career – it’s heartfelt without being saccharine, and it’s a flawless tribute to Conor.

Five Things You Didn’t Know About “Tears In Heaven”

  1. Clapton went nearly a decade without performing “Tears In Heaven,” saying that he “didn’t feel the loss anymore” and that he was finally able to make peace with Conor’s death.
  2. It was never even meant to be heard. Written as a way to do something constructive with the mind numbing grief, “Tears In Heaven” was solely for Eric, who had a lifetime of questions about the afterlife stemming from his grandfather’s death.
  3. It marked a turning point in Clapton’s life, seeing the legend turn to music for healing instead of drugs and alcohol to numb the pain.
  4. Following the release of “Tears In Heaven,” Clapton vowed to prevent other parents from experiencing his tragedy by appearing in PSAs calling for the childproofing of windows and staircases.
  5. Songwriter Will Jennings helped Eric Clapton write “Tears In Heaven” after the two teamed up to craft a song for the 1991 film Rush but initially protested when Clapton said, “I want to write a song about my boy,” saying that the subject matter was too personal.

This is our favorite performance of all time – hands down. Eric may have only meant for it to be an outlet for his grief, but ‘Tears In Heaven’ has helped millions of people who have lost a loved one and needed to find some kind of peace. For that, we’re grateful; thank you for sharing this with us, Eric. (Clonazepam)

Rest in Peace, Conor Clapton.