"Tearing Us Apart" is a song recorded by English

blues rock Blues rock is a fusion music genre that combines elements of blues and rock music. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock (electric guitar, electric bass guitar, and drums, sometimes w ...

guitarist and singer

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

on his 1986 album '' August'', produced by

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

. The song was about "the committee", the group of Pattie Boyd's friends whom Clapton blamed for coming between Pattie and him. "Tearing Us Apart" was a duet with Tina Turner and was released as the second single from the album in mid-1987, following "Behind the Mask". The song did not chart on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but was a minor hit in the UK. The song has been included on several setlists of Clapton's live performances in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s; performed by other female vocalists such as

Katie Kissoon Mac and Katie Kissoon are a pop soul duo, consisting of brother and sister Mac Kissoon (born Gerald Farthing, November 11, 1943, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) and Katie Kissoon (born Katherine Farthing, March 11, 1951, Port of Spain). Ea ...

Tessa Niles Tessa Margaret Niles ( ''née'' Webb; born 27 January 1961 in Ilford, Essex) is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of contemporary artists. She began her professional singing career in 1979. Early life and ca ...

, Shaun Murphy, Tracy Ackerman,

Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three li ...

, Sharon White and Michelle John (since 2011). Clapton resurrected the song for his 11-night residency at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

in May/June 2011 and his European/South American tours from February 14 to October 16. Most recently, Clapton has performed the song in concert in 2022. Turner and Clapton performed the track as part of the 1986 Prince's Trust All-Star Rock Concert in London's Wembley Arena to celebrate the first 10 years of the Trust, then with a band including, among others, Phil Collins,

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, Mark Knopfler, Bryan Adams,

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

, and Paul McCartney. The live version was later released on the ''Royal Concert'' charity album in 1987, issued by The Prince's Trust. A second live recording of the track from Tina Turner's 1986/1987 ''Break Every Rule Tour'', with Clapton guesting on guitar and vocals, was later included on her 1988 album ''

Tina Live in Europe ''Tina Live in Europe'' is the first live album by Tina Turner, released on Capitol Records in 1988. Composition The album is compiled of live performances made between 1985 and 1987, the majority of which are from Turner's Break Every Rule Worl ...

''.

Versions and mixes

* 7" Edit - 3:38 * Album Version a.k.a. Full Length Mix (12") - 4:14

Chart performance

References

{{Authority control 1987 singles Tina Turner songs Songs written by Eric Clapton Songs written by Greg Phillinganes Song recordings produced by Phil Collins 1986 songs Warner Records singles