The Great Beatles Songs: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

On to #4 on the great Beatles songs list. This is a classic Harrison tune from The Beatles (more commonly known as The White Album).

The White Album was culled from a huge backlog of songs the Beatles had written in 1968, mostly in India. It would eventually be a double album of mostly finished songs. There are some true classics on The White Album. Blackbird, Back in the USSR, Obladi Oblada, Mother Nature's Son and Helter Skelter are some quality Paul tunes on The White Album. John and Paul also added Birthday. It is not the greatest album for John Lennon. He did have Dear Prudence and Julia. Also Revolution would see its first glimpse of daylight in these sessions. In fact this version on The White Album was the first recorded by the group. Paul and George insisted it be faster if they were to release it as a single. Eventually it would be the B side to Hey Jude. In my opinion John's best song writing days were behind him, at least as far as the Beatles were concerned. He had two or three more in him but his run of 64-67 was over. Paul was coming into his own as the singular voice and driving force of the Beatles. The White album also saw Ringo's first tune, Don't Pass Me By.

But this is the album where George establishes that he has finally arrived. And not only does he contribute the best song on the album with While My Guitar Gently Weeps, he has the savvy to invite Eric Clapton to the recording session to lay the searing guitar solos. The Beatles as a group were splintering in 1968. They spent their time fighting, screaming, quitting and rejoining and hating Yoko Ono. But they did make some great music. And when Clapton stopped by they were all on their best behavior. Paul plays the piano and John fills in on bass. George plays the rhythm.

Also if you pick up the Beatles anthology #3 you hear a great early demo of the song with just George playing on acoustic and singing by himself. That song itself is worth purchasing the third anthology (along with Paul's complete demo for Come and Get It for Badfinger). It is simply a classic. If you have not heard it, grab someone's copy of the White Album. Even marginal Beatles fans buy the album, confused it is not a greatest hits album. But on a mish mash like the White Album, the lone highlight is George Harrison's masterpiece.