While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Prince, 2004, from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2004 Induction Ceremony. Solo by Prince.
The Rock Hall tribute where he waits three minutes and steals the show.
At the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison, Prince played a Telecaster-style guitar and waited while Marc Mann handled the mid-song break in Clapton's style. Then, in the final section, he launched a long improvised solo that ranged from singing, sustained bends to rapid legato runs and blues phrasing, pushing well beyond the length of the original. He finished by flinging the guitar into the air, and nobody on film is seen catching it. Listen for the moment Prince steps forward; the energy on stage changes instantly, and the solo becomes the centre of the performance.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Prince is ranked #106 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Prince and the song was released in 2004. It appears on 4 lists, placing as high as #12 (uDiscover Music).
The story of While My Guitar Gently Weeps
George Harrison wrote 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' in 1968 after returning from India. Inspired by the I Ching's idea that nothing is random, he opened a book at random, saw the words 'gently weeps', and built the song from there. The Beatles recorded it for the White Album at EMI's London studios in the summer and autumn of 1968, with Eric Clapton overdubbing the uncredited lead guitar on Harrison's Les Paul on September 6.
In 2004, Harrison was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. For the tribute, ceremony producer Joel Gallen assembled a band of Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, guitarist Marc Mann, drummer Steve Ferrone and Harrison's son Dhani to play the song. Gallen invited Prince, who was also being honored at the 2004 ceremony, to take the guitar solo.
Rehearsals were thin. In the run-throughs, guitarist Marc Mann handled the Clapton-style break in the middle of the song, playing it close to the 1968 original, and Prince assured Gallen that he would take care of the ending without needing to work it out in advance. According to Gallen, the group never properly rehearsed the full performance with him, so what happened on the night was largely improvised in front of the audience and the cameras.
Guitar Player has linked the ferocity of the solo to Prince having been left off Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 100 greatest guitarists. Whatever the motive, the performance turned a respectful memorial tribute into one of the most-discussed moments in Hall of Fame history. Footage of the ceremony later became a widely shared online clip, and it introduced many viewers who knew Prince mainly as a singer and producer to the depth of his guitar playing.
The solo
Prince played an H.S. Anderson Mad Cat, a Telecaster-style guitar, according to Guitar Player. While Marc Mann handled the mid-song break in Clapton's style, Prince saved himself for the final section, where he launched a long improvised solo that ranged from singing, sustained bends to rapid legato runs and blues phrasing, pushing well beyond the length of Clapton's original. He closed by flinging the guitar into the air. It never visibly came back down: drummer Steve Ferrone said he watched it go up and was astonished it did not reappear, and no one on film is seen catching it. Tom Petty said Prince simply burned it up.
Legacy
The performance is now widely considered one of the great live guitar solos and it reshaped how many people viewed Prince as a guitarist. Tom Petty spoke of the electricity in the room, Dhani Harrison was visibly delighted, and Joel Gallen called it one of his most satisfying musical moments. Commentators have read spite, aggression and grief into it, and it is often tied to Rolling Stone's 2003 snub; the magazine later placed Prince at No. 14 on its expanded 2024 list of the greatest guitarists. The song itself also ranks No. 7 on Rolling Stone's greatest guitar songs.
Top 10 facts about While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Harrison took the phrase 'gently weeps' from a book he opened at random, inspired by the I Ching's view that coincidences carry meaning.
WikipediaEric Clapton played the original lead on Harrison's Les Paul 'Lucy' and was not credited on the 1968 album.
WikipediaThe 2004 tribute band included Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Marc Mann, Dhani Harrison and Steve Ferrone.
WikipediaProducer Joel Gallen said the group never really rehearsed the performance with Prince.
Guitar PlayerPrince played an H.S. Anderson Mad Cat, a Telecaster-style guitar.
Guitar PlayerPrince tossed the guitar skyward at the end and it never visibly came down; drummer Steve Ferrone said he was astonished.
Guitar PlayerPrince had been left off Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 100 greatest guitarists, which many see as motivation for the solo.
Guitar PlayerRolling Stone's expanded 2024 guitarist list placed Prince at No. 14.
Guitar PlayerClapton's original solo was ranked No. 42 in Guitar World's 2008 list of the greatest guitar solos.
WikipediaAt the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, Clapton played the song on a Gibson Byrdland, a choice he later regretted.
Wikipedia
Live versions
- The Concert for Bangladesh (Madison Square Garden) (1971) Harrison and Clapton traded lead guitar at the landmark benefit show.
- Live in Japan (Tokyo Dome) (1992) Harrison and Clapton's 1991 Japan tour version, edited from two Tokyo Dome nights.
- Concert for George (Royal Albert Hall) (2002) Clapton with McCartney, Starr, Dhani Harrison and Jeff Lynne in Harrison's memory.
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, George Harrison tribute (2004) Prince's show-stealing outro solo with Petty, Lynne, Winwood and Dhani Harrison.
Notable covers
- Jeff Healey (1990) Recorded for Hell to Pay with George Harrison on acoustic guitar and backing vocals.
- Todd Rundgren (2003) Contributed to the Harrison tribute album Songs from the Material World.
- Peter Frampton (2003) Personal tribute included on his album Now.
- Santana with India.Arie and Yo-Yo Ma (2010) From Guitar Heaven; charted on Billboard's Adult Contemporary list.
- Regina Spektor (2016) Recorded for the animated film Kubo and the Two Strings.
In our lists
- The Greatest Solo of Every Year — #61
- The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990 — #23
- The 25 Greatest Funk and Soul Guitar Solos — #19
- The 25 Greatest Pop Guitar Solos — #25
- The 2000s — #4
- Greatest Live Solos — #4
- Guest Solos — #3
- SGs & Telecasters — #13
- Hidden Gems — #24
- The Best Prince Guitar Solos — #2
Sources
- uDiscover Music: The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: 108 Amazing Moments — #12
- Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #15
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #55
- Pickup Music: The 10 Best Guitar Solos of All Time: A Guide for Guitar Lovers
- Wikipedia: While My Guitar Gently Weeps
- Guitar Player: The story behind Prince's While My Guitar Gently Weeps solo
- Guitar Player: Prince's solo designed to settle a score with Rolling Stone
What guitar was used on the While My Guitar Gently Weeps solo?
A hohner telecaster copy, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does While My Guitar Gently Weeps rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#106 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 4 of them.
Who played guitar with Prince on While My Guitar Gently Weeps?
Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison and Marc Mann were on guitar, with Steve Winwood on keys and Steve Ferrone on drums.
When did Prince play While My Guitar Gently Weeps?
At the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, during George Harrison's posthumous solo induction.
What guitar did Prince use for the solo?
An H.S. Anderson Mad Cat, a Telecaster-style guitar.
What happened to Prince's guitar at the end?
He threw it into the air and it never visibly came down on camera; no one was seen catching it.
Who wrote While My Guitar Gently Weeps?
George Harrison wrote it in 1968; Eric Clapton played lead on the Beatles' recording.