The Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight Story

Eric Clapton wrote Wonderful tonight in 1976 while waiting for his girlfriend (and future wife) Pattie Boyd to get ready for a night out. They were going to a Buddy Holly tribute that Paul McCartney put together, and Clapton was in the familiar position of waiting while she tried on clothes.

Pattie Boyd recalled to The GuardianDecember 13, 2008 that Clapton "was sitting round playing his guitar while I was trying on dresses upstairs. I was taking so long and I was panicking about my hair, my clothes, everything, and I came downstairs expecting him to really berate me but he said, 'Listen to this!'" In the time she had taken to get ready Clapton had written this song.

Wonderful Tonight was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand and released as a single the following year and is regarded as one of his finest love songs.

As you can see in the video's above, Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight performances are always emotional, and from the heart, almost as if Clapton takes himself back to the moment he wrote the song and relives it.

Pattie Boyd, who inspired George Harrison’s song “Something” and also Eric Clapton’s anthem “Layla,” has writen a book of her loife which includes many candid memories of her life with some of the greatest musicians in the history of popular music, aptly named Wonderful Tonight.

In an exerpt from the book she wrote;

"It was a sweet, turbulent life, but one that would take an unexpected turn, starting with a simple note that began “dearest l.”

I read it quickly and assumed that it was from some weirdo; I did get fan mail from time to time.... I thought no more about it until that evening when the phone rang. It was Eric [Clapton]. “Did you get my letter?”... And then the penny dropped. “Was that from you?” I said....It was the most passionate letter anyone had ever written me."

Eric Clapton Wonderful Tonight Lyrics

Visit thse great sites for more amazing Eric Clapton videos and facts;

Eric Clapton Layla   Eric Clapton Tears In Heaven   Eric Clapton Unplugged