Feature Song : While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Original Recording Artist : The Beatles
written by : George Harrison
Year Of Original Release : 1968
chart : Non-Hit for The Beatles
album : The Bealtes (aka The White Album)


Accolades :
The song was ranked #135 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
The song was also ranked #7 on "Rolling Stone"'s list of the 100 greatest guitar songs of all time.


about the song / songfacts :
Eric Clapton played lead guitar on this song. He and George Harrison were good friends, but
George had to convince him to come to the studio because Clapton was worried the other Beatles wouldn't want him there. Clapton's presence eased the mood in the studio at a tense time for The Beatles. They were at each other's throats during recording of The White Album, but they all relaxed when Clapton showed up.
Harrison often had to fight to get his songs on the albums. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were not interested in this at first, but came around when Harrison brought Clapton to the studio.
According to A Hard Day's Write by Steve Turner, Harrison was reading I Ching, the Chinese book of changes, and decided to write a song about the first words he saw, which were "Gently Weeps."
This was originally recorded as an acoustic ballad with just Harrison on acoustic guitar and Paul McCartney on organ. This version can be found on some bootlegs and on The Beatles Anthology 3.
This was the first song Ringo played on after leaving the band in frustration a few weeks earlier. He returned to find flowers on his drums to welcome him back.
The guitar Clapton used on this was a Les Paul. Later in his career, he switched to a Fender
Stratocaster.
Even though this was not a hit, it is one of the most enduring Beatles songs. It remains popular
on Classic Rock radio.
Clapton became good friends with Lennon, and played with him on some of his solo work. When Harrison threatened to leave The Beatles in 1969, Lennon was ready to replace him with Clapton.

read more : HERE


Alternative versions :
On 14 July 1992, Harrison and Clapton performed a live version in Japan. This live version also
has background vocals.
An acoustic version can be found on the 1996 album Anthology 3, and again on the 2006 soundtrack to the Cirque du Soleil show "Love". This demo version features only Harrison; it includes an additional final verse not included on the Beatles' final version, and the Love album includes a string accompaniment (arranged by George Martin).
Peter Frampton also notably covered this song, adding an extended guitar solo.


Cover Hierarchy (truncated list) :
The Beatles, The Beatles (White Album) (1968) **ORIGINAL RECORDING ARTIST**
George Harrison, The Concert for Bangladesh (1971)
The Jeff Healey Band, Hell To Pay (1990)
Rick Wakeman, Tribute, a collection of Beatle covers (1997)
Toto, Through The Looking Glass (2002) / 25th Anniversary: Live in Amsterdam (2003)
Phish, Live Phish Volume 08 [1999, released 2002] / Live Phish Volume 13 [1994, released 2002]
Peter Frampton, Now (2003)
Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton, Concert For George (2003)
Todd Rundgren, Songs From The Material World: A Tribute To George (2003)
Martin Luther McCoy, Across The Universe Soundtrack (2007)

see HERE and HERE for more ...


lyrics :
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know why nobody told you how to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you

I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps

Well...

I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted you

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all...
Still my guitar gently weeps

Oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, ooh


Audio Clips :
The Beatles, The Beatles (White Album) (1968) **ORIGINAL RECORDING ARTIST**


The Beatles (acoustic version), Anthology 3 (1996) / [Cirque du Soleil show] Love Soundtrack (2006)


Peter Frampton, Now (2003)


Martin Luther McCoy, Across The Universe Soundtrack (2007)


others :
George Harrison, The Concert for Bangladesh (1971)
The Jeff Healey Band, Hell To Pay (1990)
Rick Wakeman, Tribute, a collection of Beatle covers (1997)
Toto, Through The Looking Glass (2002) / 25th Anniversary: Live in Amsterdam (2003)
Phish, Live Phish Volume 08 [recorded 1999, released 2002] / Live Phish Volume 13 [recorded 1994, released 2002]
Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton, Concert For George (2003)
Todd Rundgren, Songs From The Material World: A Tribute To George (2003)



YouTube :
The Beatles (acoustic "Love" version)


George Harrison - The Concert for Bangladesh 1971


"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Montage


On 29 November 2002 Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Dhani Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Eric Clapton performed "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Concert for George in memory of Harrison, who died a year earlier after a long battle with cancer. This version featured Eric Clapton playing his original solo and also a second.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNBEiyGwGRc [Embedding disabled by request]


In 2004, George Harrison was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was played in tribute by fellow inductee Prince, along with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Dhani Harrison


Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney perform George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Queen Golden Jubilee. 3 June 2002 Phil Collins on the drums Ray Cooper on the percussion


George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John and Jeff Lyne @ Second Annual Prince's Trust Award show


Jeff Healey Band (1990)


Steve Lukather [of Toto] (2003)


Peter Frampton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (09/05/2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZXzZghllh4 [Embedding disabled by request]