While My Guitar Gentle Weeps
The Beatles Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I look at you all 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
How to unfold your love
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.

Overall Meaning

While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a melancholic song by The Beatles which was composed by George Harrison. This song was first released in the album ‘The Beatles’ also known as the ‘White Album’ in 1968. The song has become one of the band's most popular and enduring works. The song is filled with metaphors tied to Harrison’s guitar playing. He starts the song by looking at his companions and seeing the love that they have yet to express, and he notes his guitar is weeping in response to this. Through each verse, Harrison conveys a sense of frustration at the world's ills, which he sees right in front of him, even as his guitar reflects what he's seeing.


The lyrics have a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface. Harrison was inspired by the I Ching, which is a Chinese classic and divination text. The I Ching talks about the spiritual challenges of life and the search for balance. It is said that Harrison randomly flipped through the pages of the book, landed on the words ‘gently weeps’ and used that as a starting point for the song. The song is a lament about the spiritual poverty of the world and the growing feeling of resignation as we view the chaos around us.


Line by Line Meaning

I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping
Observation of others reveals that they have love inside of them, though it is dormant.


While my guitar gently weeps
The singer is feeling emotional and vulnerable, expressed through the sound of their guitar playing.


I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping
In the physical world, there are things that need attention and care.


Still my guitar gently weeps.
Despite the world's imperfections and the artist's emotional turmoil, the gentle weeping of the guitar continues.


I don't know why nobody told you
The artist is confused that no one has imparted certain knowledge to the subject of the song.


How to unfold your love
The singer is referring to a lack of guidance in expressing and sharing one's inner love and emotions.


I don't know how someone controlled you
The singer is unsure how outside forces have influenced and manipulated the subject of the song.


They bought and sold you.
The subject has been exploited and commodified by others for their own gain.


I look at the world and I notice it's turning
Observation of the world around us reveals that time is constantly moving forward and changing.


With every mistake we must surely be learning
The artist believes that learning comes from making mistakes, and that progress can be made through these lessons.


Still my guitar gently weeps.
Despite the constant evolution of the world and the opportunities for growth and learning, the singer's guitar continues to quietly express their emotions.


I don't know how you were diverted
The artist is unsure how the subject of the song was led astray or distracted from their true path.


You were perverted too
In addition to being diverted, the subject has also been corrupted or twisted from their original form or purpose.


I don't know how you were inverted
The singer is confused by the subject's inversion or reversal of something, which is likely causing them harm in some way.


No one alerted you.
The subject was not warned or informed of the potential dangers or negative consequences of their actions or situation.


Look at you all
The artist is once again observing those around them, potentially with a sense of longing and melancholy.


Still my guitar gently weeps.
Despite their observations of the world and the people in it, the artist's guitar continues to weep softly in the background.




Lyrics Š Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON, JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@sole2443

I look at you all
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
How to unfold your love
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 from the wings
At the play you are staging
While my guitar gently weeps
'Cause I'm sitting here
Doing nothing but aging
Still my guitar gently weeps
Dub the mic on the piano and quite low this
Just keep it in my maracas, you know
You know, those old pianos
Okay, we're on
Mouth



@123eliber

Lyrics:
I look at you all, 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
How to unfold your love
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 from the wings at the play you are staging
While my guitar gently weeps
As I'm sitting here doing nothing but aging
Still my guitar gently weeps



@darthkurland

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (LOVE Version)
Written & Performed by George Harrison
Strings Arranged & Conducted by George Martin
©️2006, 2016 The Cirque/Apple Partnership
In Memoriam:
George Harrison (1943-2001)
&
Sir George Martin (1926-2016)
“Nothing Is Real.”



@beatlemaniac8527

George is probably my favorite songwriter.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
"Here Comes The Sun"
"Something"
"I Me Mine"
"My Sweet Lord"
"All Things Must Pass"
“If I Needed Someone”
“For You Blue”
“I Need You”
“Within You, Without You”
“Love You To”
“Blue Jay Way”
"Give Me Love"
"Taxman"
"When We Was Fab"
"The Inner Light"
"Within You, Without You"
“Old Brown Shoe”
“Isn’t It a Pity”
“For You Blue”
“Long, Long, Long”
“Savoy Truffle”
“Think For Yourself”
“You Like Me To Much”
“All Those Years Ago”
“Isn’t It A Pity”
“Run Off The Mill”
“It Don’t Come Easy”
“What Is Life”
And, The first song he wrote,
"Don't Bother Me"



All comments from YouTube:

@MakeSushi1

Happy New Year

@454aubrey

How To Make Sushi I hope your year is starting out nicely.

@pimprijs8836

ringo had a day free when they maked this song XD

@magnevist715ml

明けましておめでとう。

@The-mt8iy

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@ChiicoRei

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@timsewter5184

One of the most beautiful songs ever written. RIP George

@ami443

I don't like this version, I prefer the original from the double album called "the Beatles" or "white album".

@CjmA2

@@ami443 I love this version! I like the original too.

@ami443

@@CjmA2 which version do you prefer ?

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