Yes, we’re finally featuring The Beatles in our music culture [and subsequent “cover song”] series – They are honestly one of the best music bands in the history of musical sounds, so let’s take a closer look at their iconic song, written by George Harrison, While My Guitar Gently Weeps…
It’s very relevant to China, as inspiration for the song itself came to Harrison when reading the ‘I Ching’ 易经 (yì jīng). We’ll let him explain the process:
“I wrote While My Guitar Gently Weeps at my mother’s house in Warrington. I was thinking about the Chinese ‘I Ching,’ ‘The Book of Changes”. The Eastern concept is that whatever happens is all meant to be, and that there’s no such thing as coincidence – every little item that’s going down has a purpose.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps was a simple study based on that theory. I decided to write a song based on the first thing I saw upon opening any book – as it would be relative to that moment, at that time. I picked up a book at random, opened it, saw “gently weeps,” then laid the book down again and started the song.”
Fascinating stuff. As with most hit singles, the song has been covered numerous times on many different instruments. Listen to the original and three excellent cover versions below… and choose your favorite at the end!
Original Song 原唱:
Cover Song 翻唱:
Cover Song 翻唱:
Cover Song 翻唱:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Lyrics 歌词
I look at you all see the love there that’s sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps.
I don’t know why nobody told you
How to unfold your love
I don’t know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you.
I look at the world and I notice it’s turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps.
I don’t know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don’t know how you were inverted
No one alerted you.