Exclusive US Video Premiere: Eric Clapton Rehearses "San Francisco Bay Blues" for 1992 MTV 'Unplugged' Special

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive US premiere of a video of Eric Clapton rehearsing for his January 16, 1992, performance on MTV's Unplugged.

The video features Clapton and his band — all of whom play plastic kazoos at one point during the clip — running through Jesse Fuller's folk standard, "San Francisco Bay Blues." The performance is part of Reprise Records' new deluxe 2CD/DVD version of Clapton's Unplugged album, which will be released October 15.

The original live album, which was released in August 1992, sold more than 19 million copies and earned Clapton six Grammy awards, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

"San Francisco Bay Blues" was a staple of the early '60s folk scene and has been performed by Paul McCartney (also as part of MTV's Unplugged), Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Bob Dylan, the Weavers, Richie Havens and many others.

Reprise's deluxe version of the album includes the remastered original release plus six unreleased outtakes on two CDs. The DVD features a restored version of the concert, as well as more than an hour of previously unseen footage from the rehearsal. It is available for pre-order at Amazon.

Check out the entire track listing below the video.

CD/DVD Track Listing

  • 01. “Signe”
  • 02. “Before You Accuse Me”
  • 03. "Hey Hey”
  • 04. "Tears In Heaven”
  • 05. "Lonely Stranger”
  • 06. "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”
  • 07. "Layla”
  • 08. "Running On Faith”
  • 09. "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)

01. "Circus”
02. "My Father’s Eyes” (Take 1)
03. "Running On Faith” (Take 1)
04. "Walkin’ Blues” (Take 1)
05. "My Father’s Eyes” (Take 2)
06. "Worried Life Blues”

DVD Rehearsal Track List

01. "Signe”
02. "Before You Accuse Me”
03. "Hey Hey”
04. "Tears In Heaven”
05. "Circus”
06. "Lonely Stranger”
07. "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”
08. "Layla”
09. "My Father’s Eyes”
10. "Running On Faith”
11. "Walkin’ Blues”
12. "Alberta”
13. "San Francisco Bay Blues”
14. "Malted Milk”

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Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.