Wonderful Tonight

"Wonderful Tonight" is a ballad written by Eric Clapton. It was included on Clapton's 1977 album Slowhand. Clapton wrote the song about Pattie Boyd.[1] The female vocal harmonies on the song are provided by Marcella Detroit (then Marcy Levy) and Yvonne Elliman.

"Wonderful Tonight"
Single by Eric Clapton
from the album Slowhand
B-side	"Peaches and Diesel"
Released	November 1977
Recorded	May 1977
Genre	Soft rock
Length	3:43
Label	RSO
Songwriter(s)	Eric Clapton
Producer(s)	Glyn Johns
Eric Clapton singles chronology
"Lay Down Sally" (1977) "Wonderful Tonight" (1977) "Promises" (1978)

Background

On 7 September 1976, Clapton wrote "Wonderful Tonight" for Boyd while waiting for her to get ready to attend Paul and Linda McCartney's annual Buddy Holly party. The song is mentioned in her autobiographical book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me.

Reception

Billboard Magazine described "Wonderful Tonight" as "perhaps Clapton's prettiest and mellowest love ballad in some time."[2] Billboard particularly praised Clapton's guitar playing during the interludes.[2]

Personnel

• Eric Clapton – lead vocals, guitar
• Jamie Oldaker – drums, percussion
• Carl Radle – bass guitar
• Dick Sims – Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ
• George Terry – guitar
• Yvonne Elliman – harmony and backing vocals
• Marcy Levy – harmony and backing vocals

Performance

In 1988, Clapton appeared in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert as a guest guitarist for Dire Straits. The group became his backing musicians for a surprise performance of "Wonderful Tonight" during their set.

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1978–2009) Peak position bgcolor="#efefef" Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] 5 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[4] 6 Canada (CHUM)[5] 16 Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[6] 15 France (IFOP)[7] 3 bgcolor="#efefef" Ireland (IRMA)[8] 13 Japanese International Singles (Oricon)[9] 1 bgcolor="#efefef" Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 3 bgcolor="#efefef" Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 2 bgcolor="#efefef" New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 26 bgcolor="#efefef" UK Singles (OCC)[13] 81(Studio)/30(Live) US Billboard Hot 100[14] 16 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[15] 39

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Position Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[16] 144 Chart (1988) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 39 Netherlands (Dutch Singles 100)[18] 9

Certifications

Sales certifications for Wonderful Tonight

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[19]	Gold	45,000
Japan (RIAJ)[20]	Gold	50,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[21]	Gold	400,000
United States (RIAA)[22]	Gold	500,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

Damage version

"Wonderful Tonight"
Single by Damage
from the album Forever
B-side	"I'm Ready"
Released	28 April 1997
Genre	R&B
Length	4:01
Label	Big Life Records
Songwriter(s)	Eric Clapton
Producer(s)	Steve Mac
Damage singles chronology
"Love Guaranteed" (1997) "Wonderful Tonight" (1997) "Love Lady" (1997)

"Wonderful Tonight" was covered by British R&B/pop group Damage in 1997, and was released as the fifth single from the band's debut studio album, Forever. The single peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's most successful single to date, also peaking high in several other territories, which was a first for the band. The song is prominently performed by Richards, with little vocal input from any other members of the band. The music video features the band performing the song in a recording studio with cut scenes of a girl preparing to go on a night out. The B-side, "I'm Ready", launched the career of Craig David, being the first song he had ever written to be released by himself or another artist.

Track listing

• CD1

1. "Wonderful Tonight" – 4:01
2. "I'm Ready" (Bromfield/Richards/Simpson/Jones/Harriott/Craig David, produced by Mark Lewis)
3. "Wonderful Tonight" (Ethnic Boyz Mix)

• CD2

1. "Wonderful Tonight" (Acoustic Mix)
2. "Just My Imagination" (Whitfield/Strong, produced by Howard Francis)
3. "Love II Love" (Acoustic Mix)

• Cassette

1. "Wonderful Tonight" – 4:01
2. "I'm Ready"

Chart performance

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[23]	39
Ireland (IRMA)[24]	15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25]	26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26]	34
Scotland (OCC)[27]	12
UK Singles (OCC)[28]	3

David Kersh version

"Wonderful Tonight"
Single by David Kersh
from the album If I Never Stop Loving You
Released	14 March 1998
Genre	Country
Label	Curb
Songwriter(s)	Eric Clapton
Producer(s)	Pat McMakin
David Kersh singles chronology
"If I Never Stop Loving You" (1997) "Wonderful Tonight" (1998) "Something to Think About" (1998)

"Wonderful Tonight" was covered by country singer David Kersh in 1998. His version went to #29 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Chart performance

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[29]	45
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[30]	29

Butch Baker version

• The song was covered by country music singer Butch Baker, whose rendition reached #66 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1989.

References

1. Chris Smith (2006). Greenwood Press (ed.). The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Rock History: From arenas to the underground, 1974–1980. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-313-33611-9. "the hard-rock pioneer and guitar god also become a soft-rock star in the mid-1970s. He celebrated his sobriety with (... ) the Top 5 hit "Lay Down Sally" and hit No. 16 with the ballad "Wonderful Tonight," both off his 1977 Slowhand album"
2. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 6 May 1978. p. 96. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
3. "Ultratop.be – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
4. "Radio2 Top 30 Artiest: Eric Clapton". VRT (in Dutch). Top30-2.radio2.be. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
5. "1050 CHUM – CHUM Charts". Archived from the original on 22 February 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). CHUM. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
6. "Top Singles – Volume 29, No. 18, July 29, 1978". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
7. Gustave, Heidé. Le Singles Argent de la SNEP (1978) (in French) (43 ed.). Paris: Decovert. 'Wonderful Tonight' spent 17 weeks on the national french singles chart and peaked at number three. It was requested to be certified silver. The certification was awarded on the last week, 'Wonderful Tonight' charted in France.
8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wonderful Tonight". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
9. Oricon International Singles. "Eric Clapton" – Wonderful Tonight.
10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
12. "Charts.nz – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
14. "Slowhand – Eric Clapton – Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
15. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 50.
16. "Top Singles – Volume 30, No. 14, December 30, 1978". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
17. "Jaaroverzichten 1988". Ultratop Charts. ultratop.be – Stefan Hung – Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
18. "Jaaroverzichten 1988". MegaCharts.nl. dutchcharts.nl – Stefan Hung – Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
19. "Danish single certifications – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 16 August 2020. Scroll through the page-list below until year 2020 to obtain certification.
20. "Japanese single certifications – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
21. "British single certifications – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 August 2020. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Wonderful Tonight in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
22. "American single certifications – Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 August 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
23. "Australian-charts.com – Damage – Wonderful Tonight". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Damage". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Damage – Wonderful Tonight" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
26. "Charts.nz – Damage – Wonderful Tonight". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
27. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
29. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7891." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 24 August 1998. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
30. "David Kersh Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 September 2013.

External links

• Allmusic review
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics