The Best Episodes of MTV Unplugged Season 3

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.3/10(419 votes)

   #1 - Eric Clapton

   S3:E13/11/1992

   Taped at the Bray Studios in Windsor, England in January of 1992, Clapton is accompanied by Nathan East (bass), Andy Fairweather-Low (guitar), Ray Cooper (percussion), Steve Ferrone (drums), Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles on backing vocals. Song selections include ""Tears In Heaven"" (from the motion picture release ""Rush""), ""Running On Faith,"" ""Before You Accuse Me,"" a song by early musical inspiration Bo Diddley, and a new version of ""Layla."" Clapton also performs some new never-before-recorded material, including ""Lonely Stranger,"" a song which he wrote in Los Angeles in 1991 during the recording of the soundtrack for ""Rush"" and after the death of his son Conor, and ""The Circus Left Town,"" which is about the last night Clapton spent with Conor at the circus. ""MTV Unplugged"" with Eric Clapton introduces a new element into the series where artists will talk about the songs they perform. Throughout the special, MTV airs liner note style interview clips in

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2. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #2 - R&B Unplugged: Boyz II Men/Shanice/Joe Public

   S3:E24/29/1992

   ""MTV Unplugged"" presents the series' first ever R&B edition featuring Boyz II Men, Shanice and Joe Public. Teenage R&B sensation Shanice got her first record contract with A&M Records at the age of 11. As an eight-year-old child singer, she sang in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial with Ella Fitzgerald. Shanice performs ""I Love Your Smile."" Philadelphia R&B band Boyz II Men formed in 1988 at Philadelphia's High School Of Creative and Performing Arts. Band members Wayna ""Squirt"" Morris, Shawn ""Slim"" Stockman,"" Mike McCary and Nate ""Alexvanderpool"" Morris are proteges of Bell Biv DeVoe's Michael Bivens, who is the band's manager. Boyz II Men were honored with a Grammy this year for best R&B performance by a duo or group for their debut album, CooleyHighHarmony. Boyz II Men perform ""Motown Philly,"" ""Uuuh, Aaah,"" and ""Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday."" Buffalo, New York natives Joe Public are currently riding high on the success of their first release, the self-titled Joe Public. Band me

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3. 

   6.4/10(50 votes)

   #3 - Pearl Jam

   S3:E35/13/1992

   One of the hottest new bands to emerge out of music hot bed Seattle at the time of this taping, Pearl Jam was currently riding high on the success of their debut album Ten, which spawned the smash hit single "Alive." Taped at midnight at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in March of 1992, Pearl Jam band members Mike McCready (guitar), Stone Gossard (guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), Eddie Vedder (vocals) and Dave Krusen (drums) perform "Alive," "State of Love and Trust," "Black," "Jeremy," "Even Flow," and "Porch."

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4. 

   9.0/10(290 votes)

   #4 - Mariah Carey

   S3:E45/20/1992

   Singer/songwriter Mariah Carey, known for her phenomenal vocal range, burst onto the music scene in 1990 with her debut album Mariah Carey, and went on to win two Grammy awards in 1991 for best new artist and best female pop vocal performance. Carey performs ""Vision Of Love,"" ""Someday,"" ""Emotions,"" ""Make It Happen,"" ""If It's Over,"" and the Jackson 5 song ""I'll Be There."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""To accompany Mariah's incredibly powerful vocals, she recruited the Saturday Night Live horn section, the late David Cole (of C & C Music Factory) on keyboards as well as a full gospel choir. It was a night that helped us mature-spreading successfully into more and more vocal genres without sacrificing the intimacy that is the cornerstone of the program.""

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5. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #5 - Paul Simon

   S3:E56/3/1992

   MTV presented the planetary premiere of ""MTV Unplugged"" with Paul Simon. This marked the first time since the series' debut in 1990 that an episode of ""MTV Unplugged"" aired globally within a 24 hour time frame. The special presentation of ""MTV Unplugged"" with Paul Simon was taped at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York City in March of 1992. Backed up by the band members from his recently completed ""Born At The Right Time Tour,"" Simon performs classics and new material spanning his over two decade career. Song selections performed include ""Homeward Bound,"" ""Boy In The Bubble,"" ""Late In The Evening,"" ""Something So Right,"" ""Bridge Over Troubled Water,"" ""Mrs. Robinson,"" ""Still Crazy After All These Years,"" ""Graceland,"" ""Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard,"" and ""Born At The Right Time."" Band member credits go to Michael Brecker (saxophone), Chris Botti (trumpet), Steve Gadd (drums), Cyro Baptista (percussions), Mingo Araujo (percussions), John Selolwane (guitar), Ray Phiri (guitar), Ar

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6. 

   8.0/10(17 votes)

   #6 - Queensrￃﾃￂ﾿che

   S3:E67/22/1992

   ""MTV Unplugged"" taped an acoustic performance with Seattle power rockers Queenryche in Los Angeles in April of 1992. Queensryche band members Geoff Tate (vocals/keyboards), Chris DeGarmo (guitar/backing vocals), Michael Wilson (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass/backing vocals) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) perform a medley of hits, including ""I Will Remember,"" ""The Killing Words,"" ""Della Brown,"" ""Scarborough Fair,"" and ""The Lady Wore Black."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""In a moment of strange synchronicity, Queensryche became the second Seattle-area band in three shows to cover 'Rockin' in the Free World.' Stranger still, Neil Young himself bypassed the song when he eventually recorded his own Unplugged. The most lasting memory of this taping is of the ease with which the band worked. Their relationship with both their vocal fans and the entire staff at MTV was both sincere and professional, even after technical problems forced them to run through four takes of 'Silent Lucidity

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7. 

   7.2/10(20 votes)

   #7 - John Mellencamp

   S3:E78/12/1992

   ""MTV Unplugged"" presents a one-hour episode with beloved American rocker John Mellencamp. The program, which was taped in Los Angeles in April of 1992, features a medley of Mellencamp hits, past and present, including ""Love And Happiness,"" ""Paper In Fire,"" ""Check It Out,"" ""Rain On The Scarecrow,"" ""Jackie Brown,"" ""Small Town,"" ""Minutes To Memories,"" ""Big Daddy,"" and ""Pink Houses,"" as well as the Bob Dylan song ""All Along The Watch Tower."" Mellencamp, who was just wrapping up a worldwide concert tour at the time of the taping, was accompanied by touring band members Mike Wanchic (guitar), Kenny Aronoff (drums), Toby Myers (bass), David Grissom (guitar), John Cascella (accordion), Lisa Germano (fiddle) and Pat Peterson and Jenny Douglas-McRae (background vocals). An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""The night before the Mellencamp Unplugged, John decided to carve 'F..K fascism' into his guitar. Because we've stated over and over that the purpose of the show is to showcase the songs a

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8. 

   6.4/10(9 votes)

   #8 - Annie Lennox

   S3:E89/21/1992

   ""MTV Unplugged"" presents an episode with the soulful chanteuse Annie Lennox. The program which was taped at the Montreux Jazz Festival features hit songs from both past and present including ""Here Comes The Rain Again,"" ""Why,"" ""You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart,"" and ""Walking On Broken Glass."" Lennox is accompanied by Steve Lipson (guitar), Peter-John Vetesse (keyboards), John Giblin (bass), and Neil Conti (drums). An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""Annie sounded beautiful. Everything else was a disaster. We had decided to tape this show at the opening of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The venue was a casino and the drinks were flowing freely. To make matters worse, the Swiss crowd had paid to see a concert, not a television show. What they wanted--besides for the show to proceed without the breaks needed for taping-- was the producer's head on a stick."" Set List: It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) (Written by Lennox and Dave Stewart) Little Bird/Walking on Broken Glass C

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9. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #9 - Eurythmics

   S3:E99/10/1992

   Eurythmics the British synth pop contemporaries performed their Unplugged at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland. It was filmed July 5th 1992. Recorded 7/5/1992 at Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux Switzerland. Set List: 01. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) 02. Here comes The rain 03. Personal Jesus 04. Irresponsible Hate Anthem 05. Reflecting God 06. Love Is a Stranger 07. Revolution In The Summertime

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10. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Bruce Springsteen

    S3:E1011/11/1992

    Bruce Springsteen made a rare television appearance when he performed on MTV in November of 1992 in his first-ever televised concert performance. The Springsteen performance, which was taped in Los Angeles in September of 1992 while he was there for his World Tour, features ninety electrifying minutes of no-holds-barred rock n' roll with Springsteen and his touring band members. Springsteen and his band perform material spanning the early days through the latest hit albums Lucky Town and Human Touch. Song selections include ""Better Days,"" ""Human Touch,"" Light Of Day,"" ""Glory Days,"" and ""Thunder Road."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book... ""By the time we got the phone call, everything had been set. The taping was going to take place in Los Angeles. We were doing Bruce Springsteen Unplugged. It was a dream come true. And then the call came. His new band hadn't rehearsed enough in the acoustic format, so the show would have to be electric. We had never thought it could be possible to

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