# Prince's guitar -- while my guitar gently weeps **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144 "2020-01-29T02:03:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/1 "2020-01-29T02:03:58Z")
Here’s a tribute to George Harrison when he was posthumously inducted in Rock and Roll hall of fame in 2004: [Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and others -- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y) Apparently, nobody saw Prince’s guitar come down when he threw it up in the air at the end of the performance. (If you’re among the few who haven’t seen it, treat yourself by clicking above.) This article from the NY Times (Paywall warning) seems to indicate that no one knows what “really” happened: [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/arts/music/prince-guitar-rock-hall-of-fame.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/arts/music/prince-guitar-rock-hall-of-fame.html) So does anyone know? (Or rather, can someone provide the answer?) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/2 "2020-01-29T02:10:52Z")
Prince did that bit all the time. He had a guy on the floor who would catch it. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/3 "2020-01-29T02:40:09Z")
Oprah has it. > **[One of the greatest mysteries surrounding Prince has been solved](https://www.avclub.com/one-of-the-greatest-mysteries-surrounding-prince-has-be-1823830777)** > > When the public was informed of Prince’s untimely death, people immediately took to sharing videos of their favorite live performances to showcase what a singular talent the man was. One of the most shared videos was Prince’s 2004 appearance at the... ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/4 "2020-01-29T03:12:16Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > Oprah has it. > > [One of the greatest mysteries surrounding Prince has been solved](https://www.avclub.com/one-of-the-greatest-mysteries-surrounding-prince-has-be-1823830777) Hey, cool. Thanks. (A guy at work will appreciate the answer). Also, confirms **Acsenray’s** statement. (I toyed with putting this in GQ – perhaps I could have. Seems that there is an actual answer.) ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/5 "2020-01-29T13:09:04Z")
The solo, the behind the scenes story and the disappearing guitar just make that whole performance so uniquely Prince. > **[Tom Petty and Others Tell the Story Behind Prince’s “While My Guitar Gently...](https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/tom-petty-and-others-tell-the-story-behind-princes-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps-solo)** > > “Everybody wonders where that guitar went, and I gotta tell you, I was on the stage, and I wonder where it went, too.” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/6 "2020-01-29T13:13:51Z")
> [@Cell\_Guy](#): > > Oprah has it. And it was hanging at the Met Museum in New York last Summer. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/7 "2020-01-29T14:57:26Z")
That performance is SO. FUCKING. GOOD. Gives me chills every time I see it. Anyone who has not seen it - even if you are not a Prince or George Harrison fan - should watch it immediately. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/8 "2020-01-29T15:10:36Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > That performance is SO. FUCKING. GOOD. Gives me chills every time I see it. Anyone who has not seen it - even if you are not a Prince or George Harrison fan - should watch it immediately. Seconded. Prince’s performance that night is legendary. Youtube will keep it alive for a long while to come. It’s made all the better on video, where you can see Dhani Harrison’s face while playing rhythm acoustic behind Prince – George’s son was in ecstacy that night. ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/9 "2020-01-29T15:27:38Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Seconded. Prince’s performance that night is legendary. Youtube will keep it alive for a long while to come. > > It’s made all the better on video, where you can see Dhani Harrison’s face while playing rhythm acoustic behind Prince – George’s son was in ecstacy that night. Harrison and Tom Petty both looked like they couldn’t believe what was happening especially after Prince didn’t really have a chance to practice the solo with the group before they went on stage. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/10 "2020-01-29T15:54:37Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > Harrison and Tom Petty both looked like they couldn’t believe what was happening especially after Prince didn’t really have a chance to practice the solo with the group before they went on stage. Prince was one where you could totally trust him to wing it and sound amazing 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/11 "2020-01-29T16:07:39Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Prince was one where you could totally trust him to wing it and sound amazing 😃 The story I heard (but I’m having a hard time finding) is that Prince was pissed that somebody stole his solo(s) during practice so he just left. Petty called him up and tried to get him to come back in to practice the solo and promised dude wouldn’t steal it again. Prince just told him to give the first solo to the other guy and just make sure he stays away from the final solo. Then he hung up the phone and no one spoke to him again before they showed up on stage and Prince did _that_. To me the looks on everyone’s faces are mixture of shock and amazement. I truly don’t think they saw that coming. Add that back story to the performance and top it off with a disappearing guitar that somehow wound up with Oprah and is now enshrined in some museum…there are no words… ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/12 "2020-01-29T16:09:21Z")
I love this performance at the Superbowl where he plays in the rain: [Prince Performs “Purple Rain” During Downpour | Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show | NFL - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN3gsSf-Ys) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/13 "2020-01-29T16:28:33Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > The story I heard (but I’m having a hard time finding) is that Prince was pissed that somebody stole his solo(s) during practice so he just left. Petty called him up and tried to get him to come back in to practice the solo and promised dude wouldn’t steal it again. Prince just told him to give the first solo to the other guy and just make sure he stays away from the final solo. Then he hung up the phone and no one spoke to him again before they showed up on stage and Prince did _that_. To me the looks on everyone’s faces are mixture of shock and amazement. I truly don’t think they saw that coming. H[ere’s an account of that exact rehearsal](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/arts/music/prince-guitar-rock-hall-of-fame.html) and the follow-up on stage the evening of the 2004 inductions. Going by this version of the story, Prince did stay around and complete that first rehearsal when Jeff Lynne’s touring guitarist Marc Mann played his solos. Later on during the night of the ceremony, as related by Joel Gallen (producer and director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony): > [@](#): > > … I go up to Jeff [Lynne] and Tom [Petty], and I sort of huddle up with these guys, and I’m like: “This cannot be happening. I don’t even know if we’re going to get another rehearsal with him. [Prince]. But [Mann] cannot be playing the solos throughout the song.” > > So I talk to Prince about it, I sort of pull him aside and had a private conversation with him, and [Prince] was like: “Look, let [Mann] do what he does, and I’ll just step in at the end. For the _end_ solo, forget the middle solo.” And [Prince] goes, “Don’t worry about it.” And then he leaves. > > They never rehearsed it, really. Never really showed us what he was going to do, and he left, basically telling me, the producer of the show, not to worry. And the rest is history. It became one of the most satisfying musical moments in my history of watching and producing live music. _(I added two paragraph breaks … it looked messy in the ‘Reply to Thread’ window.)_ ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/14 "2020-01-29T16:36:44Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > H[ere’s an account of that exact rehearsal](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/arts/music/prince-guitar-rock-hall-of-fame.html) and the follow-up on stage the evening of the 2004 inductions. Going by this version of the story, Prince did stay around and complete that first rehearsal when Jeff Lynne’s touring guitarist Marc Mann played his solos. > > Later on during the night of the ceremony, as related by Joel Gallen (producer and director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony): > > _(I added two paragraph breaks … it looked messy in the ‘Reply to Thread’ window.)_ Seriously, who does that shit?!? ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/15 "2020-01-29T16:39:50Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I love this performance at the Superbowl where he plays in the rain: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN3gsSf-Ys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN3gsSf-Ys) “Can you make it rain harder?” Once again, who does that shit?!? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/16 "2020-01-29T17:08:31Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > Seriously, who does that shit?!? Marc Mann had played those parts of “While My Guitar” – and dozens of other Harrison compositions – during 2002’s Concert for George alongside Lynne and Petty. I wasn’t in the room … but I’d like to think it was more a case of miscommunication than it was of Mann aiming to show up Prince. _Further speculation from me_: from Prince’s point of view, he was stepping into that first rehearsal with a bunch of guys who were in The Traveling Wilburys’ orbit. Though the producer Joel Gallen had specifically asked Prince to play the solos – and though Olivia Harrison told Tom Petty that Prince was coming on board for the solos – Petty & Lynne’s musicians may have simply fallen into old habits during a loose early rehearsal. Prince might have been privately miffed that Mann kept taking the solos … but he might have felt like an outsider and thus might not have wanted to come in and dictate to the other guys. Later on, it was Joel Gallen who got things sorted out with Prince, as opposed to Petty or Lynne. Though Petty’s drummer Steve Ferrone did help break the ice with Prince the night of the ceremony (see my link a few posts up). EDIT: **BeagleJesus** , I think you will enjoy [this read as well](https://observer.com/2017/04/prince-guitar-solo-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps-performance/). I like the idea that Dhani Harrison (and not the rest of the band) might have been tipped off at what Prince was getting ready to do. ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/17 "2020-01-29T18:17:03Z")
Thanks for that! Good read. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/18 "2020-01-29T19:03:41Z")
I’ve always thought this video should serve as a lesson for guitarists on how to look cool while playing a solo, with Prince as the gold standard and Marc Mann as the cautionary tale. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/19 "2020-01-29T20:13:57Z")
very good and I had not heard of this. But where did the guitar go when he threw it in the air. I didn’t see anyone standing near him ETA. I see now he threw it forward ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144/20 "2020-01-29T20:33:15Z")
I love that clip, by the way. It’s one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll things I’ve seen. I’ve been wondering, though, what the hell Jeff Lynne is doing with his guitar. It looks like he’s pretending to play it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princes-guitar-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/847144.md?page=2)