The 1995 Eric Clapton documentary Nothing but the Blues, which was broadcast just once on PBS, got its official release Friday on multiple formats and configurations, along with a companion soundtrack album.
The film features Clapton showcasing and discussing his lifelong passion for the blues. It includes performances from two concerts that he played in November 1994 at San Francisco’s famed Fillmore venue during his tour in support of his blues covers album From the Cradle.
Nothing but the Blues is available as a super deluxe limited-edition box set and as a standalone DVD or Blu-ray, while the soundtrack has been issued on CD and digitally. A two-LP vinyl version of the album will be released on July 29.
The movie was executive produced by Martin Scorsese, who also conducted an in-depth interview with Clapton for the film, in which the British guitar legend talks about his love for blues music and the artists who influenced him, such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Robert Johnson.
The film has been upgraded to 4K video, while the audio has been newly remastered.
The box set features a Blu-ray of the documentary, the soundtrack on both CD and as a two-LP set, and a bonus CD featuring four extra tracks. The collection comes packaged in an exclusive hardcover book and includes a lithograph, a poster, a set of Clapton guitar strings, guitar picks and a bandana.
In conjunction with Friday’s release of Nothing but the Blues, a video of Clapton performing the Willie Dixon-penned 1957 song “Groaning the Blues” has premiered at Clapton’s YouTube channel, where you also can watch a few other clips from the film.
Here’s the track list of the Nothing but the Blues DVD and Blu-ray:
“Blues All Day Long”
“Standin’ Round Crying”
“Forty-Four”
“It Hurts Me Too”
“Early in the Morning”
“Five Long Years”
“Crossroads”
“Malted Milk Blues”
“Motherless Child”
“How Long Blues”
“Reconsider Baby”
“Sinner’s Prayer”
“Every Day I Have the Blues”
“Crosscut Saw”
“Someday After a While”
“Have You Ever Loved a Woman”
“I’m Tore Down”
“Groaning the Blues”
“T’Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness”
“Driftin” (Bonus Track)
And here’s the soundtrack’s track list:
“Blues All Day Long”
“Standing ‘Round Crying”
“Forty-Four”
“It Hurts Me Too”
“Early in the Morning”
“Five Long Years”
“Crossroads”
“Malted Milk”
“Motherless Child”
“How Long”
“Reconsider Baby”
“Sinners Prayer”
“Every Day I Have the Blues”
“Someday After a While (You’ll Be Sorry)”
“Have You Ever Loved a Woman”
“I’m Tore Down”
“Groaning Blues”
“County Jail Blues”*
* = exclusive to two-LP vinyl version.
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