George's masterpiece was born as an acoustic track intended for inclusion on the White Album. It underwent several changes until Harrison decides to involve his friend Eric Clapton as the lead guitarist. The rest is history…
Inspired by reading the I Ching, Harrison himself said that «the Eastern concept that everything is relative to everything else, as opposed to the Western view that things are merely coincidental». While visiting his parents, with this idea of relativism, he starts writing a song based on the first words he sees in a randomly opened book. Fate chooses “Gently Weeps”. From there, George develops lyrics that largely echo the content and tone of Within You Without You, once again highlighting the separation between the enlightened and the unenlightened (cf. «Are you one of them» and «I don't know how you were diverted»).
Originally conceived as an acoustic track for inclusion on the White Album (the version on Anthology 3 is beautiful), the song undergoes numerous changes during subsequent recordings. The other three members of the group show little interest in it. In the end, Harrison decides to involve his friend Eric Clapton as the lead guitarist on the track. This brings some relief to the band during a tense moment. It's an example of how sometimes the Beatles give their best when in the presence of “guests”. While My Guitar Gently Weeps represents Harrison's biggest success as a composer up to this point. It serves as a stepping stone to his magical moment with the Beatles, a year later with Abbey Road.
In this video, we have tried to include scenes from each phase of recording our cover, without any playback.
Special thanks to Andrea Ercoli for piano.
Recorded and mixed by Massimo Gerini.
Video by Brizio Romagnoli.
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 need sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know why
Nobody told you
How to unfold you 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
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
I look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps
While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a song by The Beatles written by George Harrison from 1968 double album The Beatles also known as the White Album released on 22nd November.
One of Harrison's best compositions. It was initially intended as an acoustic song (you can hear the beautiful demo version inside Anthology 3). Many changes were made during the studio sessions, until Harrison decided to involve his friend Eric Clapton on lead guitar, also enhancing the creativity of the rest of the band.
In this song Paul McCartney played a 1966 left-handed Fender Jazz Bass. One of the three bass guitars that Fender gave to the Beatles in 1968 along with another 1966 Jazz Bass and a 1961 Fender VI (the only six-string bass by Fender). Those 3 basses were often used during the White Album, Abbey Road and Get Back sessions, and they were also played by John and George, when Paul was on piano.
