It seems to be common knowledge these days that Clapton did the guitar solo on the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. But when the White Album was initially released, was it known at the time? Was Clapton credited on the album? If not, when did it start to become widely known? When I listen to the song it is not obvious to me that it’s not George playing, and I remember being somewhat surprised when I first heard about it.
I’ve never heard that claim, and it certainly does sound like Harrison’s guitar style.
Chefguy - it’s Clapton.
I was a little kid, so don’t recall personally. I want to say that any halfway-geeky music fan could’ve found out, but it wasn’t advertised, per se.
Read the Wiki entry: Clapton discusses recording it, and in the section call “release and reception” they quote a write up by Jann Wenner in Rolling Stone “betting” that Clapton was the guitarist, no doubt based on inside info…
I was a freshman in high school when it was released. I was a guitar player and a Beatles fanatic. I’m not sure if I was a Rolling Stone reader yet, but I read whatever music news I could get my hands on. I am pretty sure that the Clapton solo was common knowledge among my friends fairly soon after the album was released.
As an aside, I’ve heard that one reason (besides the obvious one) George asked Eric to play on the song is that it would force the other Beatles to take the recording session seriously. I guess at that point George didn’t think his compositions were getting much respect.
Whatever the reason(s), it worked out great.
♪♫ I don’t know why nobody told you ♬
Except for the lyrics. They kinda clank. “I look at my floor and see it needs sweeping” - okay George. I really respect him and his songwriting - *Something *is so, so amazing, his Yesterday - but that line in *Guitar *just doesn’t work. Nor does the whole “perverted, diverted, alerted” bit. Too cute by half.
Clapton was not credited on the original release of the album. The Beatles did not credit outside musicians; the only two who received them were Billy Preston and (arguably) Tony Sheridan.
It was certainly known by insiders, but at the time no one made any mention of it. The NY Times review certainly doesn’t mention him.
off topic, but I gotta learn: How do you type those musical notes?
I just googled “musical note characters” and copied-and-pasted.
I distinctly remember reading an interview with Eric Clapton in Guitar World magazine in 1997 or so where he says “people know I played guitar on that song, but what they don’t know is that I played rhythm, and the lead guitar was all George”. Nobody believes me, and I’m not sure I believe it myself anymore. If he did say that, it was probably a joke. I have no clue how to look up 20+ year old Guitar World articles to confirm it myself, either.
I, too heard that for years. I never believed it. I am now mostly convinced, you smart folks know better than me. Carry on.
Interesting thread.
Hmm, no clue. I have never heard that. I really don’t hear George in the lead playing, but I am open to learning otherwise.
From the Beatles Bible:* While My Guitar Gently Weeps was completed on 6 September. Eric Clapton, playing a Les Paul guitar, performed his guitar solo, which went uncredited on the album. During the mixing stage the solo was varispeeded to give it more of a ‘Beatles sound’.*
I remember reading, God knows where, that after the release of the White Album and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, well-meaning fans kept coming up to George and complimenting him on his improved guitar playing. 
Right. It sounds very much like Clapton. But guitar styles can be imitated. So it was one of those counterintuitive “surprising facts” I used to share until people argued with me enough that I started to doubt it myself.
There were enough Eric Clapton articles in guitar magazines in the 90s (it might not have been Guitar World, as I bought quite a few other titles off the racks, but that’s the one I had a subscription to in high school) that I imagine I’d have a real hard time finding the particular interview I’m remembering, even if I had access to a searchable database of back issues.
It’s interesting, in that Wikipedia article just after the Wenner quote, it mentions another reviewer calling the solo “lifeless”, and yet another misattributing the song to Paul. So it doesn’t sound like the reviewers of the day had much of a clue.
Yeah, pretty sure he played Lucy on that one - a refinished Les Paul that is red with an obvious line where the topwoods changes so the red lacquer was absorbed differently:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(guitar)
Pretty sure he named it after Lucille Ball, but obviously it would be tied to BB King’s legendary Lucille, and Albert King’s Flying V, also named Lucy:
DrCube - I hear you about articles. Again, I am open to hearing Clapton said it, but even then, I am inclined to assume that what George is quoted as saying is true. Clapton is also known for saying XYZ guitarist is “the best” out there - but he has said it about freakin’ everybody, so it is more of a general compliment vs. an assertion.
Agreed.
Alan Civil was credited on Revolver for playing the horn solo on “For No One”.