The infamous closing section to Clapton's magnum opus: Layla. (This version is played in C#)
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~BACKSTORY~
Layla, written by Eric Clapton and drummer Jim Gordon, was released by Derek and the Dominos in the fall of 1970, but it struggled to gain immediate widespread acclaim upon release. Two versions came out: a radio edit in 1972 without the piano outro and an acoustic MTV Unplugged solo performance by Clapton in 1992, propelling the track to chart success in its later years.
The song was dedicated to George Harrison's then-wife, Pattie Boyd whom Clapton fell hopelessly in love with. It was initially written in the form of a ballad, with the lyrics describing his unrequited love for Boyd- closely referencing "The Story of Layla and Majnun" by 12th- century Persian poet, Nizami Ganjavi- a book that moved Clapton profoundly. This would be short-lived, and the song quickly became a "rocker" when, according to Clapton, Duane Allman joined later in production and composed the song's iconic riff. The piano part has been controversially credited to Rita Coolidge, Gordon's girlfriend at the time, and this claim has since been much disputed.