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George Harrison had already written most of the music on the India trip from February to April 1968, but only went on searching for the right words after returning.
Inspired by the theories of the “I Ching”, he pulled a book out of the shelf in his parents’ house, opened a page and wrote a text to the first words that came to his eye. It was “Gently Weeps” – and probably came from the poem “Rain on the Roof” by Coates Kinney, in which the line is located: “And the Melancholy Darkness/ Gently Weeps in Rainy Tears”.
Embarrassing phase
Although the band Harrison songs had already used six albums, Harrison still believed that Lennon and McCartney was not really taken seriously. Lennon later noticed that “there was an embarrassing phase in which George’s songs were simply not so good. But nobody wanted to Mosern, so we worked on them.”
The first recording of “While My Guitar Genly Weeps” dates from July 25, 1968. A second version with the whole band (Lennon played the organ) was recorded on August 16 and on September 3 and 5. This time you can hear gadgets with the band speed, maracas and a re-played guitar solo, which, however, never creates the “Weeping Sound” that Harrison had presented.
Producer George Martin had just started a four -week vacation when the band tried another version on September 5 – this time with Lennon on the lead guitar and a leaning rhythm that Ringo contributed. But this attempt was not a favor either. “They just didn’t make an effort,” said Harrison later. “I drove home that evening and thought:” It is just howling “because I knew that the song was damn good.”
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The next day, Harrison Eric Clapton took Surrey to London – and had an idea of how he could encourage his colleagues to get greater commitment: he asked Clapton if he did not want to come to the studio and take over the guitar part. Clapton only refused. But Harrison didn’t let up: “Look, it is my song after all. I want you to play on it.” (Months earlier, Clapton, Harrison, McCartney and rigid with Jackie Lomax were in the studio to record his version of Harrison’s “Sour Milk Sea”.)
Eric Clapton brought peace to the studio
With the trendy guest in the studio, the Beatles suddenly got into the hooves – McCartney’s harmonies particularly sound exceptionally inspired. “It was an interesting experience,” said Harrison, “how nice people dealt with with each other when you brought a guest with them. They just didn’t want to show how bitchy they could sometimes be.”
Clapton’s filigree and lyrical solo was the perfect ferment: the recording was completed the same night. “It’s wonderful,” Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone 2002. “Only a guitarist could write this song. I love him.”
Clapton became one of Harrison’s closest friends – and at the same time his greatest competitor. When Harrison briefly left the band during the “Let IT Be” sessions, Lennon growled: “If he is not back until Tuesday, we’ll take Clapton.”