THESE ARE THE SONGS OF MY LIFE!

No. 8 - WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS by The Beatles
George was always my favourite. In fact, his "My Sweet Lord" only narrowly misses being included on this list. Like everyone else of my generation, I grew up with this band; my parents were devoted to them. The later works always appealed to me more, probably because they were poetic, lush-sounding and profound when compared to their earlier stuff. When I reflect upon my childhood and the songs which guided me through it all, there are a few Beatles tracks (most of which are from the Blue Album) which are pivotal, and this one has always been tops. It's their magnum opus, as far as I'm concerned. The pathos of the lyrics alluding to the end of the Beatles' love for each other and the tensions within the band, the psychedelic transcendence of the whole sound, and the "eroticism" of the guitar (played by Eric Clapton) when played at high decibels all carry me away to an idyllic late '60s oasis of kaleidescopic colour and vision. Does that make sense? Probably not. But I know what this little song means to me, and George will always have a place in my heart:

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...