Eric Claptons' Most tasteful guitar work? | College Students' FIRST TIME REACTION! 

God I miss sitting on the floor with my friends, playing our albums, poring over the album covers. Love this song.

Bobby Whitlock's harmony vocals on this are just amazing.

One of my favorite Clapton songs. You can feel his emotion with every lyric.

"If I could choose a place to die, it would be in your arms." Gives me the chills every single time.

"Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" is an underrated gem in this album, highly recommend it

One of my favorite from Clapton is "Derek and The Dominos - Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (Live)", it is an amazing jam of a great song.

Alex you mentioned the different iterations of Clapton's career, but one you've yet to discover is his time with The Yardbirds. He was their lead guitarist from '63 to '65, and played on their huge hit "For Your Love." You really should check out The Yardbirds -- not only the Clapton era, but also the songs with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.

I'll co-sign all the others here saying "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad?" is worthy of a reaction. Clapton and Duane Allman's interplay is absolutely on fire. There is one moment when your jaw is already on the floor from their passion and virtuosity and you think the song has already hit its peak, when they push their playing even further. It's mind-blowing. You will know what I am talking about the first time you listen to the song.

Probably my favorite Clapton song. I still play it today and sing at the top of my lungs. He sings it with passion and it translates to you.You're going to love it!!! Solid S for me. It is Clapton!!! 🎶🎼🎵

From this album: "Have You Ever Loved A Woman?" Just such a powerful plea to unrequited desire for a girl that's married to his best friend. It's a traditional blues, but Clapton's cover is so semi-autobiogrphical, perfect with the album's theme.

Andy and Alex, you should really just do a Patreon listen of the whole Derek And The Dominos "Layla" album, the whole album is brilliant! Please consider this!

I would posit that Bobby Whitlock was the secret sauce for this band, especially his harmony vox.

Another of Clapton’s Pattie Boyd inspired laments. One of my favorites. Try D & the D’s Live, “Let It Rain”. ✌️❤️🎶

It is worth noting that this song was recorded before Duane Allman joined the Layla sessions. All guitars - lead, rhythm, and chiming overdubs, were by Clapton. As far as names, the one you're looking for is Patty Boyd Harrison Clapton.

Bobby Whitlock’s harmonies are impeccable!

The moment is: 2nd half of the chorus, where the chords are A - Amaj7 - A7 - D with bell-like eighth notes; the vocal is moving upwards; Carl Radle on Bass walks upward 2 beats later (echo); Bobby Whitlock is doing his ultimate harmony in thirds with Eric, like they are competing for who can have the most sob in his voice. That's when I knew this song and the whole album could not be overrated.

This song has an unusual drum feel. In the vocal verses, Jim Gordon hits the snare on beats 1 and 3. It works perfectly... gives the song a special weight.

Check out Eric's song "Blues Power" which he wrote with Leon Russel and came out at about the same time as Layla with a lot of the same players. I always loved it.

Such a good song. It actually doesn't switch from major to minor, it's all major, but it does a full on key change in the chorus!

You should react to the entire album. Listening to Clapton to Duanne Allman is amazing. This is one album that is better to listen to start to finish than individual songs. This song and Layla are the most well known but this album is as close to perfection as you can get!

Lay Down Sally is also a must-do track from him, from right after this period when he felt comfortable enough to go full on solo.

Clapton's 1974 _461 Ocean Boulevard_ carries some impeccable soul. The songs "Please Be With Me" and "Let it Grow" segue one into the other and make an incredible overall mood piece with dobro and slide.

The tasteful guitar work is accentuated by really great guitar harmonic notes

Next for Clapton? Off this album, I love "Keep on Growing." And off Clapton's first solo album earlier the same year, I love "Let It Rain," a radio staple. Both "Keep on Growing" and "Let It Rain" have strong Allman Brothers / Southern road trip vibes. Good 1970 vintage stuff.

A girl I knew who was a graduate student when I was a freshman in college loved this song. She dated one of my friends for a while but they broke up at the end of the semester when he dropped out of school. There was a formal dance in the early part of the second semester. The girl I took was recovering from knee surgery, so she couldn't dance, which wasn't a big deal for me because I sucked at dancing. But she felt bad that I wasn't having fun. Anyway, the grad student saw me and came over to say hello, and ask if I'd heard from my friend. He pretty much dropped off the radar, so I didn't have any news for her. And then this song began to play she she spontaneously asked me to dance. Strange memory, but a good one nevertheless.

Andy and Alex: You must listen to the song "All Your Love" from the album John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton. It was his guitar work on this album that led to the famous London wall graffiti "Eric Clapton is God." I would not steer you wrong! 🎸

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs is one of the great albums of all time. It’s a double album with basically no weak songs (except maybe thorn tree grows in the garden…feels out of place). Key To The Highway, I Looked Away, Anyday, Tell The Truth are all standouts. It doesn’t hurt to have the great Duane Allman contributing on a lot of the songs

another great Derek & The Dominos is "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" - total banger.

Hold that thought... you still haven't listened to "Let It Rain" or "The Core" or "Bad Love" or "Pretending" and I could go on... looking forward to this.

The whole album is a masterpiece. Why does love have to be so sad and Anyday off the album are perfection personified!

You need to do this entire album! Great blues classics and love songs!!

I will state it again, Clapton never made a better album than Layla. Filled with emotion and incredible guitars by Clapton and Duane Allman. Try Key to the Highway and get lost in the sauce.

Totally agree. Released 52 years ago… Just think about that. Still sounds as clean and pure with Clapton’s playing as it did over half a century ago. This has always been on my top 10 list. Awesome song. So glad another generation is able to hear what some of us grew up with. How lucky were we in the 70s. 🎸

You really need to review this entire album. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs is arguably the greatest blues/rock album of all time. The combination of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman is unparalleled. I would definitely check out Anyday and Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad at a minimum.

In my humble opinion this is the greatest recording of all time. As close to perfection as it gets. You need to listen to the whole album and understand what it was all about to really appreciate it.

Clapton’s Derek and the Dominoes work was his artistic and emotional peak. His most passionate piece (save Layla) is his Hendrix cover of ‘Little Wing’.

Do the whole album guys.. it's a Masterpiece. Easily one of the top 10 best rock albums of all time. it's in my top 3

What a great song...I Looked Away is another great one from this album.

Bell Bottom blues was recorded before Duane Allman joined the recording sessions for the Layla album, so this is just Clapton on the song

My favourite EC track. Saw him perform it live at his comeback concert at The Rainbow, London in January 1973. #Fabulous!

Clapton was heavily in love with George Harrison’s wife at this time… unrequited love and this song is dripping with that emotion. I also love the way the beat turns around from the verse to chorus with a couple extra quarter notes added in the chorus. It’s just the tiny details that add up within the total package.

Love this song and overly excited that you're hitting some Clapton. Might I suggest "Stormy Monday" from the Royal Albert Hall 2005

A&A, you’ll love his “After Midnight”, “Forever Man”, “Change The World” and many more!!! He charted solo hit songs from 1970 right thru the 90s!! His “Unplugged”(acoustic) and “24 Nights” are classic live albums!! His blues covers album “From The Cradle” is also outstanding!!

This song always gives me goosebumps. The guitarwork on this song is all Clapton and so outstanding and his voice is perfect. The rest of the band is so perfect. I really loved this band so much. This entire album is fantastic. Thank you for hitting this one. It just had to win the poll. I cannot give this any rating other than S-Tier. There is nothing that can be made better in this song and I honestly believe if it dropped today it would still be a number one hit.

Another vote for the whole album. I think EVERYBODY I knew had/has a copy of this album. I know every musician-friend of mine does. Another vote also for WHY DOES LOVE GOT TO BE SO SAD. It starts off the album with Eric and Duane exchanging and combining exquisite licks. Please react to it soon - your musical soul will thank you.

A song of unrequited love for his good friend George Harrison’s wife (you’ve probably heard of George 🤣 ). Pattie Boyd. Look her up; she’s gorgeous. She and George divorced in 1977 and she married Clapton in 1979. She also inspired Layla and Clapton’s solo hit Wonderful Tonight. They divorced in 1989. He was an alcoholic, abused her, and cheated on her many times. Go figure.

Not to be the old man yelling at clouds, but can you imagine an artist popular now having such soul, patience, and restraint needed to produce a masterpiece like this. No thrashing, no screaming, no f**king dancing. Just a beautiful, simple blues piece. Just Immaculate.

My all time favorite Clapton tune. Got goose bumps as soon as the opening guitar riff started.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Not a bad song on this album. Bobby Whitlock is singing back up, he's so under rated. They do a great version of Little Wing it's my favorite version. You should check it out. Also E C "s solo work. Bad Love , Forever Man ,Old Love live version. Pretending,. Dig in fellows.

One of my favorite Clapton songs.

As with most of the Layla album it was written for Patti Boyd. At the time she was married to Clapton's best friend George Harrison. She asked him to get her a pair of bell bottom pants while he was in America. Bell bottoms weren't available in England at the time.

The way the electric guitars and Clapton's voice CRY with the emotion of the song, lyrics and melody is bar none the best of the best of the best.....

You Guys will LOSE YOUR MINDS with " WHY DOES LOVE HAVE TO BE SO SAD " on this Album As well 😎💎⚡️💋🦅

You need to check out the live version of wonderful tonight with katie kisson. I listened to bell bottom blues over and over as a teenager. Still love it today. Eric Clapton is the GOAT in my book. Love him and this song still today! Glad you finally reacted to this

Forgot how much I love this song. Thanks for the Clapton nods

One of my all time favourite albums. As a matter of fact I love it even more now than I did when I first started spinning it. I have the super duper uber deluxe version with all the jams. I can listen to it all day. Duane Allman and Eric Clapton together just stunning.

My favorite Clapton song. 💕

Pattie Boyd was a modern day Helen of Troy. You should review all the songs written for/about her.

You two are my favorite reaction channel in all of RU-vid. Possibly the world. How much you remind of me and my buddy in college is ridiculous. Scrutinizing Hendrix solos under black lights and laughing at how good it was. Thanks for what you do.

Eric Clapton is one of the greatest guitarists of all time.🎸🎸🎸😎

"The Core" from Slowhand might be my favorite Clapton, but this was a good one.

GOOOOOOOD HOLY HOT MORNING A&A FAMILY!!!! ☮️💟♾️

I forgot what a beautiful song this is. The heartbreaking vulnerability and that lilting guitar. Clapton is a truly amazing artist. Also, Andy and Alex, your reactions keep getting better and better btw. BY FAR the best reaction channel.

Another great reaction guys! This is a true classic and my second favorite.

First comment- the blonde woman in the Beatles movie is Layla and the subject of this song too

Okay, next song off this album should be "Have you ever loved a woman". Clapton's vocal and guitar work is at it's soulful best, and a memorable slide solo by Duane Allman. Ya gotta review it.

“I don’t want to fade away” true lyric there … Vulnerability, longing, pleading…..sounds like a love song… Next from D&D- Let it grow

One of my favorite Clapton and all-time favorite songs, period. The soulful singing and intense chorus just put me in another place!

You guys should react to Jeff Beck Truth. Introduced Rod Stewart to the world, and a companion piece to zeppelin one. Layla is a desert island record for me along with a few others. But Clapton’s Steve Gadd (the drummer from Aja) band in the last twenty years is spectacular as well.

A little overlooked is the fact that during the verses, the beat from the drummer is NOT on the 2 and 4, the typical "backbeat" for popular music. The drummer plays the snare instead on the 1 and 3, very unusual for this type of song.

Been waiting for this one

I still listen to this on vinyl- just for the memories of times & places. Alex you nailed this for me with your first comment about bell bottoms. Great job. My favorite Clapton album!!

Gotta check out the acoustic version of "Layla". THAT is tasteful guitar work.

My fave from the Layla album. S for me!

You've now heard this and Layla from this album and all the other songs are of this caliber. Truly a desert island album.

It's fun watching you guys diggin on our great old rock music from another place and time.

He isn't called Slow Hand for nothin

If you want to hear Clapton really blow your socks off with his guitar solo (and his emotional vocal), listen to Five Long Years. His guitar work on that song makes this sound elementary.

One of my all-time favorites! I never get tired of it, and it always hits!

Absolute fantastic song! Great emotion in his voice. I hear him crying in the lyrics. Amazing!

The album is without fault. Listen to the rest of it and start with Anyday, Keep On Growing, Why Does Love Have to Be So Sad and Tell the Truth.

Guitarist Duane Allman was the secret weapon, he really pushed Clapton to new heights on these songs.

you guys make me proud, listening to and appreciating the great music that was the soundtrack of my life, I'm 58, you guys listening to these greats, before they had all the electronic production, both instrumental and vocal, start to grasp why people my age are critical of a lot of the over produced contemporary music.

Sublime and wonderful. Nice job boys! Keep up the good work.

Love Eric Clapton's early stuff in the 70's blues rock band Derek & The Dominoes. They are best known for "Layla" but I really like "Bell Bottom Blues".

Most tasteful lol sorry to say you know nothing about Clapton . From the Yardbirds, John Mayall Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek & the Dominoes, etc , you have only heard six songs by Clapton ??????. 😀

His cover of Little Wing should be required listening. 😂

My all time fav Clapton tune - among many. Saw him at the Cow Palace in San Fransisco in 74. Dirt floor barn, all wooden structure=fantastic acoustics.

"I don't want to fade away, give me one more day please." Saddest lament in a blues song ever.

Finally! Thank you. I was too young to understand the lyrics when I first heard this song. But, the beauty of the music and vocals never left me.

Great song, brilliant album. Can't even begin to count how many nights this music filled my house in the seventies and eighties. Still listen to it now.

Coincidenctly a number of song reaction channels have recently been reacting to Eric Clapton led bands, and I'm getting flashbacks to seeing him in concert in 1984. Good times!!!!

Eric Clapton at his finest!!! Even thou I have most of his music, I keep coming back to this dbl album time after time. The passion is exquisite!

Great double album, I’ve listened to it in every format over the years.. Derek and the Dominoes started as the backup band for George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album. The solos are on little Pignose amps, Duane and Eric could hear each other play in the studio. ..

From this same album.... "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" is one of the best guitar songs ever. The interplay between Eric Clapton and Duane Allman is some of the best music you will ever hear. Clapton did this song because the lyrics matched up perfectly with what was going on in his love life at the time. He was hopelessly in love with his best friend's wife (George Harrison's wife, Patti). You can hear the pain and torture in his voice and in his guitar play. Also from this same album... "Key to the Highway" just might be my all time favorite guitar song... because of the outstanding interplay between Clapton and Allman. These two guitar gods inspired each other to new heights in this one. It is just a blues guitar masterpiece. Unfortunately... Allman would be dead soon after they recorded this - and we would never get to have these two creating such memorable music together again. At least we will always have the tracks from this album in which they played together.

My man Eric Clapton never does anything halfway. Whether good or bad. His music always has so much passion. And he’s had a rough life.

Love this song. My favourite Clapton song ever, I reckon. That's saying something.

I love that you reacted to the song first, then went into the music. I have no music knowledge, I would always listen to the song and decide if I liked it or not. Now that I’m much much older, I watch guys you you tell me what was going on musically and my own appreciation grows. You guys make this 64 year old happy listening to the music I grew up with.

Don't forget the great Bobby Whitlock on this tune as well. He has a pretty amazing youtube channel to boot.

Love old "slow hand" one of my favorite songs of Clapton, but all of them are, thanks guys for the listen.