Book review: Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me by Pattie Boyd
By Janeen "darklighter"
Probably the greatest muse in rock music was Pattie Boyd, wife of both Beatle George Harrison and Eric Clapton, two very famous and respected musicians. Oh how Pattie was envied for being the inspiration of some of the greatest love songs like Something, Layla and Wonderful Tonite. My God! Everyone knows those songs. But since life is what it is and sometimes fairy tales don't come true there was not the romantic happy ending that should have been. In Wonderful Tonight Pattie recalls her unorthodox childhood in Kenya, her early foray into modeling, meeting and marrying George and having Eric Clapton falling in love with her too and carrying a torch for her for a long time till she left George for him. Pattie met George on the set of A Hard Day's Night and were together shortly after in what at first was an idyllic life. They both were heavily into meditation and yes there were drugs around. But it seemed when the Beatles real guru Brian Epstein died that the whole dynamics of the Beatles and their lives really changed. While Pattie and George still seemed to love one another George did start cheating on her and when Eric Clapton came on the scene and professed his love than the next stage of Pattie’s life began. At first the move was written in the stars but soon afterwards Eric’s drinking combined with his numerous on the road affairs and ultimately having a child with someone else while Pattie wasn’t able to conceive broke the marriage up. My feeling with the book is that Pattie regretted leaving George who was still supportive to Pattie and he was truly her great love. But otherwise Pattie has no regrets and with her photography career has finally come onto her own full circle.
Eric Clapton has written a candid and absorbing book about his life so far and has not left anything out it seems. Sometimes it’s so truthful it hurts. Raised by his grandparents Eric at first was led to believe they were his mom and dad and his mother his sister. Otherwise Eric’s childhood, growing up in a small English town was typically being a mischief maker and at one point getting Tyrone Power’s autograph (I’m really jealous here!) because a famous actress lived in the same area. He also developed an interest in music and his grandparents bought him his first guitar. Not exactly a virtuoso at first Eric struggles with learning how to play but he avidly pursued it and when old enough went to the big city to hone his craft. He joined the Yardbirds for a bit then went on to John Mayall’s band the Bluesbreakers. Eric also developed a fondness for drugs which is a recurring struggle for the most part of the book. By the time him and Pattie Boyd got together there were attempts to get himself straight, in his own words “My relationship with Pattie was not the incredibly romantic affair it has been portrayed as being.” Eric called Pattie Nell was Eric’s way of separating her from the fact that she was George Harrison’s ex and a new identity for her. As much as he first loved Pattie Eric’s demon addictions got in the way. And also the fact that one of his extra conquests became pregnant with his child who was ultimately Connor. Although there were good times at first the extra marital affairs took it’s toll on Patty and the thought of him having a child with another when she was unable to have was the last straw of the camel’s back and the relationship fizzled. A whole chapter is devoted to Connor’s brief life and the tragedy that befell the young child. It was also the catalyst to Eric turning his life around and becoming sober. He ultimately started his own rehab center, found spirituality and happiness as a husband and father. Clapton’s autobiography is honest and very well written and he’s written things that I found shocking. I can’t believe he was still able to cope and put out such great music and musicianship while in his struggles but he did and that’s why he is to be admired. One of the best autobiographies I ever read is Clapton.