While My Guitar Gently Weeps
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See the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know why nobody told you
I don't know how someone controlled you
They bought and sold you
I look at the world and I notice it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Still my guitar gently weeps
I don't know how you were diverted
You were perverted too
I don't know how you were inverted
No one alerted you
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps
Look at you all
Still my guitar gently weeps.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a song by the British rock band The Beatles. It was written by George Harrison and first appeared on the band's self-titled ninth album, also known as the White Album, in 1968. The song is a reflection on the senseless violence seen in the world and the betrayal in love. The lyrics paint a picture of a love asleep and unexplored, a world that needs sweeping and individuals being controlled and manipulated by various forces.
The song opens with the line “I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping while my guitar gently weeps” which suggests the singer of the song is aware of a love that is unexpressed, and feels some frustration at it being overlooked. Later in the lyrics, Harrison laments that he doesn’t know why nobody told the subject of the song how to unfold their love or how someone controlled and bought them. These lines illustrate Harrison's concern about how love can be held back and suppressed through forces that are unknown and out of our control.
The second verse of the song looks at the world and its perpetual motion, and how mistakes can be made and learned, despite the presence of violence and pain. The last verse sings about how nobody alerted the person in the song that they have been perverted or diverted, suggesting the many harmful forces vying for control of one's will.
Line by Line Meaning
I look at you all
Observing everyone
See the love there that's sleeping
Notice the love within everyone that is not expressed
While my guitar gently weeps
As my guitar creates music that expresses what we all feel
I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
Observing the uncleanliness of the world
Still my guitar gently weeps
Even in the midst of the ugliness of the world, my guitar keeps playing on
I don't know why nobody told you
I'm wondering why no one has given you advice
How to unfold your love
About how to allow yourself to express love
I don't know how someone controlled you
Wondering who is controlling you and why
They bought and sold you
They manipulate people into selling themselves out for personal gain
I look at the world and I notice it's turning
Observing the constant and unstoppable movement of the world
While my guitar gently weeps
Even as everything moves on, my guitar continues to sing on about it
With every mistake we must surely be learning
Every mistake leads to new lessons and growth
Still my guitar gently weeps
My guitar remains a constant presence through all of this
I don't know how you were diverted
I wonder how you were led off course from your true purpose
You were perverted too
Something has corrupted you along the way
I don't know how you were inverted
You have been turned away from your true self
No one alerted you
No one warned you about what was happening
I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
Once again, seeing the potential for love within everyone
While my guitar gently weeps
The instrument I use to show this love and emotion
Look at you all
Once again, observing everyone
Still my guitar gently weeps
And once again, my guitar continues to sing through it all.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: George Harrison
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