Hubby just bought another guitar. That would make it the eighth guitar in the house. It’s a bit hazardous vacuuming his study, what with the guitar stands, hand drums and three didgeridoos toppling over. The solution is to not vacuum. All of which is my way of introducing a song.
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was written by George Harrison and released in 1968 on the The Beatles White Album.
The song (was) as a comment(-ary) on the disharmony within the Beatles following their return from … India early 1968. This lack of camaraderie was reflected in the band’s initial apathy towards the composition, which Harrison countered by inviting his friend … Eric Clapton, to contribute to the recording. Clapton overdubbed a lead guitar part, although he was not formally credited for his contribution.
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Wikipedia. 21 August 2020
It’s not an indicator of age to say I honestly don’t remember the song when it was first released. I was around but listening to a totally different genre of music. The first time I actually heard the song was in the video below. I liked the acoustic version and was captivated by the live action capture and visualization.
Even more memorable was the version used in the animated movie KUBO and the Two Strings. I loved the shamisen adaptation. The Japanese shamisen is a traditional instrument originally played by blind beggars for food or cash. In the movie, the lead character Kubo is a partially blind boy who tells stories and performs magic with his shamisen. It is a splendid movie with fantastic imagery and awesome music. My embedded video features movie highlights but if you’re keen on hearing a shamisen featured version, check out the Yoshido Brothers’ here.
My absolute favorite version is played by Santana, featuring India.Arie and Yo-Yo Ma. No words. Just listen.
I keep hoping that one day Hubby will play like Santana. Of course, that will happen when I can sing like India Arie … which is not to say never but pretty darn close.
Toronto, Canada. August 2020
The Sandy Chronicles 
That is a wonderful collection indeed!!! My favorite is the Santana version as well. And guess what…my husband plays the guitar too! Our five year old who is trying to learn playing his guitar (actually an ukulele) very politely asked a few days back if he could ask Santa for an electric guitar or if we would consider one for his sixth birthday !!!
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Music is a wonderful talent to have. I’m glad that my kids have it – which they inherited from their father or course!
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You’re right the Santana version is brilliant – now on my playlist! Thanks
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It makes my day if I added a new song to your playlist 🙂
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Always liked that song. George Harrison wrote some real classics. In my experience, musicians will never cease to accumulate instruments. Good luck with that, and good decision on the vacuuming!
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Do you play Graham? For some reason Hawaii and ukulele come to mind 🙂
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The ukulele is big here but I don’t play it, or guitar. I used to play marimba and mbira, music from Zimbabwe, but that was several years ago now and I think I’ve forgotten everything I learned. I do still have an mbira though, sitting in a cupboard somewhere.
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I had to look up mbira, I’d never heard of it before. But I see that’s is similar to a kalimba, which we also have sitting in cupboard somewhere. These are unusual instruments to learn Graham. Did you live in Zimbabwe or did you just learn the instruments because you liked it?
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Reminds me of when my muso son was living at home! Guitars amps and chords everywhere.
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Yep, you know my pain. Both Hubby and son are musical but hubby is also a collector. I just did a count, he actually has 10 didges propped up around the house, son has 2 trombones, one upright piano, plus all the chords, amps and cases to accompany all. The real joke is that I am absolutely tone deaf and cannot follow a beat 🙂
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Oh my! That is a musical collection indeed. I can understand your Vacuuming dilemma.
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