10 Best Classic Rock Ballads

Regardless of what band you know him from, it's safe to say that Eric Clapton has firmly etched his name into the story of rock. While this track may not be as classic as some of the others on this list, Slowhand's pained story of loss is one of the most emotional songs in the entire rock canon.

Though the song is beautiful, its origins are much more somber. After visiting his ex-wife during a break from touring, Clapton was given the worst news a parent could hear when he learned that his son Connor had passed away after falling out of a window of a New York apartment building. Losing a child may prompt parents to fall apart, but Clapton found refuge in his old six-stringed companion.

"Tears In Heaven" is a stunning track for Clapton, as he lays out his grief and pain bare with just an acoustic guitar. The lyrics are soul-shredding as Clapton contemplates how it will play out if he finally meets his son in the afterlife. Even if he sees his son one day, the inner guilt he sings about makes him feel almost unworthy of having that kind of joy again. Slowhand may have written some biting hard rock in his prime, but this slowburn is something you better have the tissues ready for.