''24 Nights'' is a live album by

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

, compiled from 42 concerts performed at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

in London, England, in 1990 and 1991. It was released on 8 October 1991. The cover illustration is by Peter Blake. It was reissued in June 2023 as ''The Definitive 24 Nights'' in a limited edition box set containing songs which were not included in the original release. The reissue contains 35 previously unreleased performances and the collection is divided into three sets: Rock, Blues, and Orchestral.

Background

Following a record-setting run of 12 concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in 1989, Clapton broke his own record in 1990, playing 18 nights at the venue between 18 January and 10 February 1990, and again in 1991, playing 24 nights between 5 February and 9 March 1991. The album was named after the 1991 run, but included songs from both the 1990 and 1991 runs. The 1990 concerts were performed with four different ensembles. The first six nights featured a four-piece band, with Clapton, bassist

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass guitarist and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts ...

, drummer

Steve Ferrone Stephen A. Ferrone (born 25 April 1950) is an English drummer. He is known as a member of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 to 2017, replacing original drummer Stan Lynch, and as part of the "classic lineup" of the Aver ...

and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. The second six nights featured a nine-piece band, with the four-piece band joined by

Phil Palmer Philip John Palmer (born 9 September 1952) is a British rock sideman and session guitarist who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous artists. He is best known for his work with Eric Clapton and Dire Straits. Biography Palmer grew up ...

on guitar,

Alan Clark Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark (13 April 1928 – 5 September 1999) was a British Conservative Member of Parliament (MP), author and diarist. He served as a junior minister in Margaret Thatcher's governments at the Departments of Employment, Tr ...

on keyboards,

Ray Cooper Raymond Cooper (born 19 September 1947) is an English musician who has worked as a session and road-tour percussionist. During his career, Cooper has worked and toured with numerous musically diverse bands and artists including Elton John (as ...

on percussion, and backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles. Then came three nights with a blues band, featuring Johnnie Johnson on keyboards, Richard Cousins on bass, and Jamie Oldaker on drums, plus special guests

Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaug ...

and Robert Cray. And finally three orchestra nights, with the nine-piece band joined by the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by

Michael Kamen Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, record producer and musician. Early life Michael Arnold Kamen was born in ...

. The 1991 concerts had a similar configuration, with four different ensembles, this time for six nights each. The only change in the four-piece, nine-piece, and orchestral groups was the substitution of Chuck Leavell for Alan Clark.

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

played some shows in 1991. The blues band was reshuffled, with Joey Spampinato replacing Richard Cousins on bass, and adding Jimmie Vaughan as a regular guitarist, Leavell on keyboards, and Jerry Portnoy on harmonica; Guy and Cray were joined by an additional guest performer, Albert Collins.

Recording

Five of the 1990 concerts were recorded for the live album – the final nights of the first three ensembles, and the final two nights of the orchestra. The four-piece band recording on 24 January 1990 produced the versions of "Running on Faith", "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love" that were included on the CD and DVD. "Worried Life Blues", "Watch Yourself" and "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" were from the blues band recording on 5 February 1990. "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Hard Times" with the orchestra were taken from the first of those sessions, on 9 February 1990. No songs were used from the nine-piece band recording on 1 February 1990, or the second orchestral recording on 10 February 1990. Clapton reportedly was not satisfied with these recordings, and delayed the release of a CD until the following year. Another five concerts were recorded in 1991, this time the penultimate nights with the first three ensembles, and the two orchestra nights before the final night. "Badge" was taken from the four-piece show on 10 February 1991. The nine-piece band session on 18 February 1991 produced "Pretending", "Bad Love", "Old Love" and "Wonderful Tonight" for this album, plus recordings of " No Alibis", "

I Shot the Sheriff "I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley and released in 1973 with his band Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Wailers. Background The song was first released in 1973 on Bob Marley and the Wailers, the Wailers ...

" and "

Cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

" which were subsequently released on various CD singles of "Wonderful Tonight".28 February 1991 - Eric Clapton Tour archive
at Where's Eric! "Hoodoo Man" was from the blues band night recorded on 28 February 1991. "Edge of Darkness" was from the first orchestral session on 7 March 1991. No songs were used from the second orchestral recording on 8 March 1991. The versions of "Old Love", "Wonderful Tonight" and "Pretending" (second solo only) on the ''24 Nights'' DVD are different from their album counterparts. They can be identified as 1991 by the appearance of Chuck Leavell who was not with the band in 1990.

Track listing (CD)

Disc one

# "

Badge A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fir ...

" (

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

) – 6:51 # "Running on Faith" ( Jerry Lynn Williams) – 6:49 # " White Room" ( Jack Bruce/ Pete Brown) – 6:10 # " Sunshine of Your Love" (Bruce/Brown/Clapton) – 9:11 # "Watch Yourself" (

) – 5:39 # " Have You Ever Loved a Woman" ( Billy Myles) – 6:52 # " Worried Life Blues" ( Big Maceo Merriweather) – 5:28 # " Hoodoo Man" ( Amos "Junior" Wells) – 5:41

Disc two

# " Pretending" ( Jerry Lynn Williams) – 7:08 # " Bad Love" (Clapton/ Mick Jones) – 6:25 # " Old Love" (Clapton/ Robert Cray) – 13:01 # " Wonderful Tonight" (Clapton) – 9:11 # " Bell Bottom Blues" (Clapton/

Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memph ...

) – 6:39 # " Hard Times" (

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

) – 3:45 # " Edge of Darkness" (Clapton/

) – 6:30

''The Definitive 24 Nights'' (2023)

Disc one: Rock

# "Pretending" (Jerry Lynn Williams) – 6:47 # "Running on Faith" (Jerry Lynn Williams) – 7:09 # "Breaking Point" (Jerry Lynn Williams/

Marty Grebb Martin Joseph Grebb (September 2, 1945 – January 1, 2020) was an American keyboardist, guitarist, and saxophonist. A member of The Buckinghams in the late 1960s, Grebb was also a record producer and an arranger, who worked with musicians inc ...

) – 6:22 # "

" (

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...

) – 8:01 # "White Room" (Jack Bruce/Pete Brown) – 6:01 # " Can't Find My Way Home" (

Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist prominent for his dis ...

) – 7:01 # "Bad Love" (Clapton/ Mick Jones) – 6:17 # " Before You Accuse Me" ( Ellas McDaniel) – 6:25 # " Lay Down Sally" (Clapton/ George Terry/ Marcy Levy) – 8:05

Disc two: Rock

# "

Knockin' On Heaven's Door "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, written for the soundtrack of the 1973 film '' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid''. Released as a single two months after the film's premiere, it became a worldwide hit, ...

" (

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

) – 6:11 # "Old Love" (Clapton/ Robert Cray) – 8:58 # "No Alibis" (Williams) – 6:39 # " Tearing Us Apart" (Clapton/ Greg Phillinganes) – 7:01 # "

" ( J.J. Cale) – 6:34 # "Wonderful Tonight" (Clapton) – 8:59 # " Layla" (Clapton/ Jim Gordon) – 8:08 # "Crossroads" (

Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His singing, guitar playing and songwriting on his landmark 1936 and 1937 recordings have influenced later generations of musicians. Although his r ...

) – 8:55 # "Sunshine of Your Love" (Bruce/Brown/Clapton) – 11:26 ''Note: the digital release combines the Rock discs, renumbering disc two 10-18''

Disc three: Blues

# "Key to the Highway" ( Charles Segar/ William Broonzy) – 6:32 # "Worried Life Blues" ( Big Maceo Merriweather) – 5:24 # "You Better Watch Yourself" ( Walter Jacobs) – 5:12 # "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" ( Billy Myles) – 6:57 # "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" (Walter Jacobs) – 7:23 # "Something On Your Mind" ( Cecil James McNeely) – 6:12 # " All Your Love (I Miss Loving)" ( Otis Rush) – 6:18

Disc four: Blues

# "It's My Life Baby" ( Don Robey/Ferdinand Washington) – 6:54 # "Johnnie's Boogie" featuring Johnnie Johnson (Johnnie Johnson) – 2:48 # "Black Cat Bone" featuring Albert Collins ( Sam Hopkins) – 4:59 # " Reconsider Baby" ( Lowell Fulson) – 10:50 # "My Time After a While" featuring

( Bob Geddins/Ron Badger) – 10:54 # "Sweet Home Chicago" (Robert Johnson) – 5:23 # "You Better Watch Yourself (Reprise)" (Walter Jacobs) – 3:03 ''Note: the digital release combines the Blues discs, renumbering disc four 8-14''

Disc five: Orchestral

Featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen # "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson) – 9:57 # " Bell Bottom Blues" (Clapton/Bobby Whitlock) – 6:01 # " Lay Down Sally" (Clapton/George Terry/Marcy Levy) – 5:51 # "Holy Mother" (Clapton/ Stephen Bishop) – 5:24 # "I Shot the Sheriff" (Bob Marley) – 8:12 # "Hard Times" (

) – 3:52 # "Can't Find My Way Home" (Steve Winwood) – 6:59 # "Edge of Darkness" (Clapton/Michael Kamen) – 6:15 # "Old Love" (Clapton/Robert Cray) – 9:18

Disc six: Orchestral

# "Wonderful Tonight" (Clapton) – 9:22 # "White Room" (Jack Bruce/Pete Brown) – 5:58 # "Concerto for Electric Guitar" (Kamen) – 28:57 # " A Remark You Made" ( Josef Zawinul) – 1:40 # "Layla" (Clapton/Jim Gordon) – 8:18 # "Sunshine of Your Love" (Bruce/Brown/Clapton) – 8:43 ''Note: the digital release combines the Orchestral discs, renumbering disc four 10-15''

Track listing (DVD)

# " Running on Faith" (6:49) # " White Room" (6:10) # " Sunshine of Your Love" (9:11) # "Watch Yourself" (5:39) # " Have You Ever Loved A Woman" (6:52) # " Worried Life Blues" (5:28) # " Pretending" (7:08) # " Bad Love" (6:25) # "Old Love" (13:01) # " Wonderful Tonight" (9:11) # " Bell Bottom Blues" (6:39) # "Hard Times" (3:45) # " Edge of Darkness" (6:30)

Charts

Weekly charts

Certifications

Album

Video

References

External links

Eric Clapton Bootography
{{Authority control Albums produced by Russ Titelman Eric Clapton live albums Live albums recorded at the Royal Albert Hall 1991 live albums Reprise Records live albums Eric Clapton video albums National Philharmonic Orchestra albums Albums conducted by Michael Kamen