Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
         
Director: Lili Fini  Zanuck
Year:  2017
Rating: 7.0

(an ironic title if ever there was one)


Much to my amazement this played in theaters here in Bangkok a while back. An enjoyable documentary with some wonderful clips and an honest at times painful narration from Clapton himself. Here is the gist of it.


I was born to a small family

In a small house, in a small town

Down south in England Way

Oh my mother and my father they loved me

The way it is meant to be.



Then I found out my sister was my mother

And she always went away, yes she did.

Oh I am down and out in Surrey

Feeling lost and lonely

Because my sister was my mother and she went far far away



So I turned to the Blues, yes I did

That I heard on the radio every day

Voices full of sadness and sorrow that I did borrow

And guitars that sang sweet and low

I turned to the blues to take my pain away



Muddy Waters, Big Bill Broonzy and B.B. King

They played the Blues for me

Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and John Lee Hooker

Yes they took my pain and sadness away

I bought a guitar and learned how to play



The Roosters, The Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers

But I never stayed too long

Cream, Blind Faith and Layla

But no matter what it always felt wrong

I learned very early in life never to stay too long



They thought I was God, but I was no God

I just wanted to play the Blues and stop the pain

Thought I could live the Blues too

I slept with my best friend’s wife and got high on heroin and booze

Because I was a Blues player and I had nothing to lose



But all the Blues, girls, dope and fame

Will never stop the pain of a mother

Barely knowing your name

My sister was my mother

And she stayed far far away