It could be just that people who are really familiar with the song recognize it acoustically, and some verbally (less familiar), and some from the title (newbies, or those living under a rock for 22 years). Of course, this is a Clapton concert, not a controlled experiment, so the individual differences in memory and connection with the song could be unrelated. Possibly, they are unfamiliar with the song, and only recognize it as Layla when he sings the song title. Everyone gets it now, and is settling back to hear the master at work. This is not the same acoustic pattern however, as the lyric from the original, electric guitar based version of the song is almost shout-singing in its intensity.įinally, a small portion of the audience that was struggling to recognize the song despite all the excitement of the audience hear the word, "Layla" and someone lets out a whoop. They know the song, and it's going to be great! These folks are connecting with their verbal memory of the song, based on the recognition of a much repeated lyric. Then, the lyric kicks in, again with a lazier, bluesy tempo, "what will you do when you get lonely?" Another large chunk of the audience connects, and cheers. The acoustic version proceeds, the piano kicks in, and Clapton goes on to riff a bit on the acoustic guitar, playing a set of notes you might hear later in the song, but at this point for me at least, the song is unmistakably Layla. This is the group that would do well on the game show Name that Tune, because they are recognizing and remembering based on an acoustic pattern that includes not the absolute notes (or pitch), but the relationship between a short set of notes played on guitar. Not a small number of people, but not the majority of the listeners. These folks sound to me like a smaller portion of the audience. Immediately some portion of the audience recognizes it, and begins to cheer. (apologies for my bad air guitar there) the acoustic version starts with a lazy back half of that riff on the acoustic guitar. If you can imagine the electric guitar version, da na na na na, nana na, na na na na na. He tries to fool them at bit by starting the acoustic version with the second piece of the opening riffs. ![]() Clapton dares the audience to pick it out ("Let's see if you can spot this one"). The acoustic version was recorded in 1992, and the original had been around for at least 22 years. There would be SOME newbies, but by and large people in the audience would be familiar with the song. First, let's assume that anyone going to a Clapton concert has heard the song Layla. Listening to the crowd react to the live acoustic version, tells you a bit about individual differences in how people listen to and remember songs. ![]() I love the song Layla, and while I don't believe that "Clapton is god" as a graffiti artist once wrote on the wall in a London Underground station, he is a great guitar player, and one of my all time favorites.
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