Tears in Heaven

Tears in Heaven is a ballad written by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings songwriter originally for the soundtrack of the film Rush ( 1992), but released as a single. The melancholy piece deals with the grief after the accidental death of his Clapton's four-year son, Conor, who fell on 20 March 1991 in New York from a window on the 53rd floor in the residence of his mother's friend.

Music

The song is originally in the key of A major. Chords are played with a finger picking pattern in 4/4-time. After a four-bar intro, the 14 -bar verse begins, followed by a four -bar interlude that leads on to the next verse. The eight bars long bridge is in the key of C major.

Content

In the first stanza, the protagonist wonders if his son would recognize him in heaven. The following lines, in which he remembers it to be strong and to have to go on with his life, because he knows that he does not belong in the sky.

The second stanza varies the first by first again two questions are asked about a meeting in heaven ( " Would you hold my hand "; "Would you support me " ) and again the reflection takes place that he can find his way through days and nights will, because he could not stay in heaven.

The bridge is about hard times and the fact that in the hereafter reign peace and he knew that it would ( ' " There'll be no more tears in heaven" ) be no more tears in heaven.

The song ends with a repetition of the first stanza.

Cover versions

The song was repeatedly gecovert:

• Paul Anka played the song on his 2005 published Jazz & Swing album Rock Swings
• Joshua Redman also recorded a jazz version, which can be found on the 1993 album Wish
• Declan Galbraith coverte the piece on the 2006 released album Thank You, stylistically quite similar to the original version, but orchestrated elaborate
• The singing group Gregorian interpreted it in their typical style pseudogregorianischen
• The Choir Boys sang it on their self-titled album in a version for chorus parts
• Loona has gecovert it in 2004, this version is in contrast to the original orchestral orchestrated relatively
• In 2007, the song was covered by Peter glasses

Awards

At the Grammy Awards in 1993, this song was chosen for the single and song of the year and thus Clapton in the category of Best Male Vocal Performance - nominated pop. Overall, Clapton was nominated that evening six times and won three of the awards. He received his third Grammy for the Unplugged album on which the song is also included.

The American music magazine Rolling Stone listed the piece in 2004 at number 353 of the 500 best songs of all time.