The Beatles Bible - Topic: While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/ Simple:Press Version 5.2.6 Nepomuceno on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49788 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49788 While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a good song, though far from being one of my favorites. I really think the final studio recording is too overloaded and that a more delicate arrangement would have suited the song much better. And, somehow, I don't like George's vocals on the track.
As for the song's meaning, my impression is that for George it was more important to put some meaning into his lyrics than for Lennon and McCartney. And I couldn't have explained better than BornInThe80s what I think the lyrics are about:

 

BornInThe80s said:

 
For me the song is ...]]> Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:31:51 +0000 Zig on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49774 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49774 vonbontee said:

...I've always felt the performance was lacking due to the leaden rhythm section. I've never liked what Paul & Ringo were doing, that lurching one-beat-at-a-time rhythm.

This is one of the aspects of the song that I really like - makes it stand out. Since it is such a different sound than most other songs they do, I have to believe George (Harrison and/or Martin) wanted it that way on purpose. I'm not saying that particular rhythm makes the song any better or worse than anything else they do, it's just my opinion.

As for the acoustic version on Anthology, I love that too. ...]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:06:15 +0000 The Walrus on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49772 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49772 vonbontee said:

 

Is the "Anthology" version different? I haven't played it enough to remember.

Yes, totally. It is George and his acoustic guitar alone, with an extra verse ("I look from the wings at the play you are staging, as I'm sitting here doing nothing but ageing").

This is my most played Beatles song lately. Brilliant guitar, bass and piano, like Hey Bulldog. Just a real sense that all musicians involved (except maybe Ringo, he didn't perform to his best on either track) are playing at their absolute peak.

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000 Into the Sky with Diamonds on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49728 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49728 The song is a reflection of Beatle genius.

Consider the Anthology version - the song in its plain, original form. Not bad, but somewhat stark and a bit of a downer without any special message.

Ask yourself: "If I were a producer, what could I do with this song?"

Would you ever come up with that devastatingly simple but effective opening?

Then of course, there's the invitation to Eric Clapton to furnish a solo. As Clapton says in his autobiography, this was a BIG moment in his life, and he gave it his all - and what a success!

Finally, as noted by meanmistermustard, the ...]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:59:03 +0000 vonbontee on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49717 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49717 Great song indeed, but I've always felt the performance was lacking due to the leaden rhythm section. I've never liked what Paul & Ringo were doing, that lurching one-beat-at-a-time rhythm. (Is there another Beatles track in which I find both Paul & Ringo delivering a less-than-satisfactory performance? I highly doubt it!) Maybe George wanted to make the tune more dirgeful, in which case I can't really complain, but I'd still prefer something with a strumming flow like "My Sweet Lord" ended up with. (Also, the organ sounds weird and vaguely out-of-tune, but that doesn't bother me much.) 

Is the "Anthology" version different? I ...]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:56:03 +0000 Zig on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49707 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49707 BornInThe80s said:

So my question is what do you folks think the song is about exactly? Are there any meaning behind the words or just words strung together that end with…'while my guitar gently weeps'? Where does it place in your favorite songs by George and if there was anything you could change about it what would it be?

 

There is a very good article about the song in the "Songs" section of this site. /songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/

This used to be my favorite Beatles song and remains in my top 5.a-hard-days-night-george-10

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:34:10 +0000 Joe on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49700 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49700 It's straying off topic a little, but the lyrics to All My Loving were written before the music. That was the first time Paul had done it, possibly the last. Lennon did it quite frequently though - listen to songs like Good Morning Good Morning and it's obvious he was fitting the meter of the song around words he'd previously written.

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:16:17 +0000 Rat Salad on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49603 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49603 From what I've read, no Beatle fit music to lyrics. George found a pleasing and heavy riff and later invented some lyrics to go with it.  It's not exactly contrived, but the message is in the music, not the lyrics. And that's usually the case.

The lyrics are sparse. I looked here, I looked there. I was disappointed, I saw a floor that needed sweeping, I think we should all think about stuff. These are not stellar insights.  It's not developed into a theme -- it's not describing what it's probably trying to describe, which is some Zen awareness that the floor ...]]> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:10:15 +0000 meanmistermustard on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49602 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49602 There are a lot of things i love about, it is a sublime piece of work be it the acoustic or electric version,; the intro is fab as is when Ringo's drums kick in, eric's guitar work, and the stereo ending with Georges groans (i miss that a lot in the mono). However what blows me away every time i hear it is Paul and George s vocals together. Of all the songs that the beatles never sang live WMGGW would be very high up my list so i could see George and Paul sing it around the same mic. I can picture it in my ...]]> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:10:11 +0000 BornInThe80s on While My Guitar Gently Weeps http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49600 The songs http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/the-songs/while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/#p49600 I searched through the forum and couldn't find a topic on this song so here it is!

 

My favorite 'Beatles' song hands down. Not sure why really. I love the vibe, I love the solo (thanks Clapton), and I love that the lyrics make you think because honestly, what is George talking about….if he's talking about anything at all!

 

I love how simple, yet complicated it is. Everytime it comes on it just takes me to a relaxing place and boy what a title! I was intrigue by the song before I even heard it (although I thought it was Paul for ...]]> Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:04:40 +0000