Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Engineer: Ken Scott
Two separate versions of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ were worked on during this session: overdubs to the first group attempt, and a remake which eventually became the released version.
The song’s composer George Harrison recorded two separate lead vocal tracks, and with the other Beatles overdubbed maracas, drums and lead guitar. However, after hearing a playback of the progress so far, Harrison decided to scrap the recording and start afresh.
The Beatles recorded 28 takes of a new rhythm track during this session, filling three reels of eight-track tape. These takes were numbered 17-44. Take 25 was eventually decided as the best, and featured Harrison’s guide vocals and acoustic guitar, John Lennon on organ, Paul McCartney on piano, Ringo Starr playing drums, and Eric Clapton on electric guitar. Clapton played on each of the takes, playing live with The Beatles in the studio.
In those days we only had, like, 4-tracks. On that album, the White Album, I think we had an 8-track by then, so some things were overdubbed, or we had our own tracks. I would say the drums would probably all be on one track, bass on another, the acoustic on another, piano on another, Eric on another, and the vocal on another, and then whatever else. But when we laid that track down, I sang it with the acoustic guitar with Paul on piano, and Eric and Ringo that’s how we laid the track down. Later, Paul overdubbed the bass on it.
Guitar Player, November 1987
Harrison had invited Clapton to the session earlier that day, while giving him a lift from Surrey to London. Despite Clapton’s initial wariness about performing on a Beatles song, Harrison insisted that it would be fine.
Clapton used the Gibson Les Paul guitar, known as Lucy, that he had given to Harrison a month previously. Clapton’s presence in the studio reportedly made the other Beatles more attentive and enthusiastic about the song, doubtless to Harrison’s relief.
McCartney played organ on some of the unused takes, and also busked a version of ‘Lady Madonna’ after take 40.
Take 25 received further overdubs and was completed on the following day.
“Clapton used the Gibson Les Paul guitar that Harrison had given him a month previously.”
Isn’t this the Les Paul that Clapton had given Harrison, not the other way around? The one nicknamed “Lucy?”
You forgot about the bass track….
Paul hadn’t overdubbed it yet.
Unlike the article states, I don’t think John is playing electric guitar here – if you listen to Take 27 from the Deluxe Edition box set, you can hear there’s only one guitar, and that’s Clapton. John probably played the organ part during this session, since Paul was on the piano.
You’re correct – John is clearly playing the organ while Paul is on piano. George obviously played the acoustic guitar as well as singing lead vocals.
Giles Martin was wrong when he listed Paul as playing both organ and piano and John playing 6-string bass, so that line-up blunder in the SDE was completely unnecessary.
Ken Scott was also incorrect when he stated that the Fender Bass VI was utilized frequently over the course of the sessions in tandem with Paul’s 4-string bass – in reality, according to this page, it’s a Fender Jazz Bass, with its typical clicky tone (flatwound bass strings and plectrum) being utilized on “Glass Onion”, “Yer Blues” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.