Wonderful Tonight
Eric Clapton | Artist Essentials
First released: 1977 (year verified)
Original studio recording
MusicAtlas editorial note: The small guitar replies leave the unhurried vocal room to carry the melody.
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Release evidence and recording details
First released: 1977 (year verified)
Original 1977 recording on Slowhand. Year precision is retained; the album association is not an assertion of an exact first-release day.
Recording: Original studio recording
Credit: Eric Clapton
Role in this collection: Primary artist
Original album: Slowhand
Slowhand - original album recordings on licensed distributor
The original nine-track program is dated 1977 and its narrative explicitly identifies Cocaine, Lay Down Sally and Wonderful Tonight. The 2012 phonogram and the expanded bonus edition are not the original release year. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
Eric Clapton - official original album chronology
Original album sections explicitly place 461 Ocean Boulevard in 1974, No Reason to Cry in 1976, Slowhand in 1977, Backless in 1978, Another Ticket in 1981, Rush and Unplugged in 1992. These original entries are separate from remasters, compilations and concert releases; chart and session years are not substituted. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
In the yearly lists
These are listening-list appearances, separate from the first-release date.
The retained 1978 solo hit is the original studio performance on the explicitly dated 1977 Slowhand album. Later live performances remain separate.
Slowhand - original album recordings on licensed distributor
The original nine-track program is dated 1977 and its narrative explicitly identifies Cocaine, Lay Down Sally and Wonderful Tonight. The 2012 phonogram and the expanded bonus edition are not the original release year. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
Eric Clapton - official original album chronology
Original album sections explicitly place 461 Ocean Boulevard in 1974, No Reason to Cry in 1976, Slowhand in 1977, Backless in 1978, Another Ticket in 1981, Rush and Unplugged in 1992. These original entries are separate from remasters, compilations and concert releases; chart and session years are not substituted. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
About Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton emerged through British rhythm and blues groups including the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, then developed a more expansive guitar role in Cream. His 1970 solo debut and Derek and the Dominos belonged to distinct recording projects. The solo albums that followed gave increasing weight to singing, ensemble interplay and compact songs, alongside electric blues. Unplugged offered an acoustic performance setting in 1992, while From the Cradle returned to blues repertoire in 1994. Collaborations and former bands remain separate parts of his career.
Artist background sources
Eric Clapton - official career biography
Stable career history: work with the Yardbirds, John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Cream and Derek and the Dominos; the 1970 solo debut; the vocal-led 1974 direction; 1992 Unplugged and Tears in Heaven; the 1994 From the Cradle blues album. Later album dates and unspecific superlatives in this biography are not used as recording-release evidence. | Retrieved 2026-10-18
Eric Clapton - original 1970 album and separate mixes
Label history explicitly dates the solo debut to August 1970 and supplies the original Tom Dowd mix program, including After Midnight, Blues Power and Let It Rain. Separate Eric Clapton and Delaney Bramlett mixes, session outtakes and the She Rides alternate are identified by their later issue histories; those versions are not dated as original 1970 releases. | Retrieved 2026-10-18
Unplugged - original 1992 performance and later alternates
Label explicitly states that the original live album was released in 1992 and identifies its acoustic Layla performance, alongside distinct live Tears in Heaven, Running on Faith and Old Love. It separates the original album from 2013 outtakes and rehearsals, including early My Fathers Eyes performances. Only year precision is used; the stated broadcast day is not adopted as an earliest global day. | Retrieved 2026-10-18
Eric Clapton - original Reprise studio albums and programs
Label gives original years and complete original programs for Money and Cigarettes 1983, Behind the Sun 1985, Journeyman 1989, From the Cradle 1994 and Pilgrim 1998. It separates later live tracks, outtakes and a new Pilgrim remix from the original studio programs. The box publication year is not assigned to original recordings. | Retrieved 2026-10-18
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-18. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
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