Paul McCartney And Eric Clapton Performed "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Together

May 14, 2020

The Beatles transformed rock and roll music in the 60s. The Fab Four of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr led legions of devoted followers on a journey into the world of amazing music. Although The Beatles changed music forever, their time together was all too short. As their fame grew, so too did internal struggles and rivalries in the band, which caused them to break up after the release of the 1970 album Let It Be. The story of the break up of The Beatles can closely be followed in Harrison’s 1968 song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney performed the seminal song together in 2002.

Harrison, the lead guitarist for The Beatles, was inspired to write “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” after the group faced a new strain in their relationship from their trip to India for Transcendental Meditation. Part of Harrison’s theme for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was the lack of empathy and untapped potential in the band. These themes became readily apparent when Harrison presented the song to his bandmates only to be met by a very tepid response.

When Lennon, McCartney, and Starr showed little interest in the song, Harrison approached his friend and occasional collaborator Eric Clapton to help him bring “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” to life. While Clapton is now most famous for his solo career, at the time, he was the lead guitarist for the psychedelic rock group Cream.

With Clapton’s help, Harrison turned “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” into a melancholic wonder, with lyrics that move the song’s tempo forward before resolving in an uplifting chorus. Much of Harrison’s inspiration for the lyrics comes from historical writings that later inspired the singer to adopt a mystical, spiritual approach to music. Clapton’s contribution can be heard in the song’s guitar solo and blues-inspired rhythm.

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was featured in the 1968 record The Beatles, which is more commonly known as The White Album. Beatles historians such as Pete Paphides in The Guardian say that the song catapulted Harrison into a position of songwriting prominence. While before Harrison might have been considered a secondary member of the group, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” made him noteworthy as an equal to Lennon and McCartney. The song has also won numerous accolades for both Harrison and Clapton and is considered one of the best ever rock and roll songs, landing in Rolling Stone's top 500 greatest songs of all time.

Harrison tragically died of lung cancer in 2001 at only 58 years old. To commemorate Harrison’s death, his friends and colleagues put together the Concert for George on the first anniversary of his passing in 2002 according to their website. One of the highlights of the evening was the performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” which saw Clapton playing lead guitar, McCartney on piano, Starr on drums, and Harrison’s son Dhani providing backup guitar and vocals. The group’s rendition is an amazing tribute to Harrison and has thus far been watched nearly 16 million times.

All in all, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is one of the best songs in Harrison’s extensive catalog. While the song might have been inspired by the discord harming The Beatles as they were recording The White Album, its amazing composition brought together Harrison’s friends and family for his tribute concert one year after his death.

What do you think of the rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that was performed at the Concert for George? What are your favorite George Harrison and Beatles songs?