While My Guitar Gently Weeps

In what is perhaps the most iconic guitar performance in rock and roll history, Eric Clapton accompanied The Beatles’ George Harrison on the song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” This was one of only two songs for which the song writer enlisted the help of an outside musician to perform, and it paid off in a big way. This classic song from The White Album remains one of the most memorable and influential Beatles tracks in the entire catalogue.

Originally recorded in the spring of 1968, the song is a reflection on the profound spiritual impact The Beatles experienced when visiting India during this time, and of the Eastern philosophy that had an effect on their lives. The lyrics express the sadness of a man who looks around at a world that is full of change, and he wishes that things could be different. This wish is followed by the hope that music will be a constant in this world, and that it will provide comfort and peace.

After writing the song, Harrison asked his friend and fellow guitarist Eric Clapton to join in on the track. Although the other Beatles members had little interest in this song at first, the presence of Clapton’s talent in the recording studio made them take notice and eventually give it their full attention. The result was a beautiful performance that would be the beginning of a long and successful career for the legendary musician.

The first verse of the song is a simple ballad that establishes the rhythm for the rest of the piece. As the second verse begins, the tempo picks up and the drum beat becomes more complex, with Ringo adding his stick tapping pattern on top of the basic four-track recording. Paul plays dual notes on the bass in the ninth through twelfth measures, and then adds a tasty guitar lick for the thirteenth and fourteenth. George takes a short break from his vocals for this portion of the song, and when he resumes, he sounds more cynical in this verse than in the earlier ones.

On the third and fourth verses, the tempo continues to accelerate as the drums become more intricate in their work. The bass also takes a turn for the worse, becoming muddy and thick at times in the mix. Clapton’s guitar work shines through the noise though, and is perhaps his best on any Beatles record.

Unlike other songs on the album, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was not released as a single in America. However, the song was included on the American LP version of the album as the B-side to the classic “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.” The track has also been featured on various compilations and the band’s live albums. In addition, the song has been re-worked by artists such as Metallica and Ravi Shankar, and was even the basis for the Cirque du Soleil musical, Love.