IN THE GROOVE (MARCH 7, 2023)

The Sicilian Storyteller,

Hi, everyone, and welcome to my first post at In The Groove! This site is dedicated to all the great songs we’ve come to love, anything from Ella Fitzgerald to Led Zeppelin. Maybe you’ll come across an old favorite you haven’t heard in a long time or find a new tune that really turns you on. My hope is that whatever videos I play here, someone will say “Yes! I love that song!” 

Anyone who knows me also knows I love The Beatles so it seemed only appropriate that I open this site with a Beatles song. Now, for those of you who don’t like The Beatles (a concept I cannot wrap my head around), don’t panic – this site is not devoted to them but I believe you’re going to like what I’ve chosen today.

As Mr. Bump said in his first post, we’re going to try to keep our blurbs short and sweet. I can do sweet but I’m a storyteller so short doesn’t come easy. I will try my best. Please bear with me because sometimes there are some songs/artists that are too great to skim over – like this one.

“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was written by George Harrison after his return from India where The Beatles had been studying Transcendental Meditation. The song appears on the 1968 double album The Beatles, also known as the White Album.

George Harrison said “The Eastern concept is that whatever happens is what is meant to be; every little item that’s going down has a purpose. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was a simple study based on that theory. I picked up a book at random, opened it and saw “gently weeps”. I laid the book down and started writing the song.”

“A simple study”, he said. Ha!

New Yorker columnist Mark Hertsgaard said “While My Guitar Gently Weeps was the single most impressive song on the White Album”. 

Rolling Stone ranked George’s composition 136th on its list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, seventh on the “100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time”, and at number 10 on its list of “The Beatles’ 100 Greatest Songs”. At long last George was getting his due!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my post and a tribute to George Harrison. Now you’re really going to get your money’s worth here at In The Groove– not one but two versions of this incredible song. The first video features today’s song from the White Album and the second video is from “Concert for George”. (Look for a very young Dhani Harrison among the concert musicians; he is without a doubt his father’s son!)

Now let’s get this show on the road! 

On November 29, 2002, one year after George’s passing, Olivia Harrison and Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute to celebrate the life and music of George. Held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the momentous “Concert for George” featured George’s songs and the music he loved performed by artists including Eric Clapton, Joe Brown, Dhani Harrison, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi & Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr and more.

Now for the question of the day:

If you were to pick the perfect band or perhaps a tribute concert for YOURSELF, which famous artists would be in the band and what song(s) would they play? OK, have at it! Let’s see what you got!

Thanks for tuning in; I hope you had as good a time as I did.

We have a brand new and totally different segment lined up next. I can’t wait to see what DA’s got planned for us!

Join me In The Groove next Tuesday. Have a great week!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Published by The Sicilian Storyteller

Married with 2 adult sons and 4 grandchildren, my greatest pastime (other than being with my family) is writing and building my website. I'm a contributing author to the #1 Amazon bestseller "Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women and have been published on MasticadoresUSA, Spillwords and The Writers Club. My parents were born in Sicily and instilled in me a great love of family, friends, food and music. I am a singer and also play the piano and organ. One of the most exhilarating experiences of my life was seeing The Beatles – the greatest group to ever grace this planet. 🎶

28 Comments

  1. I love to watch the Goncert for George, from time to time.

    I must admit, I used to work with a prestigious bank. Small, exclusive. You needed to be a millionaire before they’d even let you have an account. So they put an emphasis on quality. It was like a five-star hotel – you got the very best of everything but you paid through the nose.

    Anyway, this bank assembled a group of really switched on IT people. Real big hitters. So much so it was a privilege to work with them. It was the proudest moment of my career to realise, when I left, that the feeling had been mutual.

    This doesn’t answer your question but this is exactly the CfG. Every one of those guys a superstar in their own right, giving their time out of respect for their buddy. George would’ve been moved. I’m sure he must’ve had many proud moments during his life but there’s nothing really to compare with knowing you have the respect of people that you, yourself, respect.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. If there were a “love” button for your comment, I would have used it! What a lovely thing to say about the relationship you had with the people you worked with. It was brilliant, Pete!

      Concert for George is on my DVR; I like knowing it’s there and I watch it from time to time. The last tune performed by Joe Brown, I’ll See You In My Dreams, brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it; it’s sung with such emotion and love for his mate, George.

      George Harrison was very much loved and respected by his peers; he was a special person and I wasn’t going to let this chance to write about him and The Beatles slip through my fingers. So glad you enjoyed it!

      Liked by 2 people

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            1. You know about as much as I do! I hear Dhani every once in a while on The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM but that’s about the extent of it. I haven’t looked into his work except I know he does a mean cover of George’s “Old Brown Shoe” as well as “Savoy Truffle”.

              Liked by 1 person

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  6. I think Mister Bump UK nailed it. There’s something special and gratifying knowing such respect and love is reciprocated.

    I love your first choice of songs. Brilliant choice.

    For me, I’d probably want a mix of Rat Pack, Queen, and Kansas. I just added and deleted a bunch more. Who can pick favorites? There are too many.

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Love this tribute N.! One of my favorite songs and artists.
    Your question is easy. By far, the band with my favorite artists to play my tribute actually existed, The Traveling Wilburys. Well, especially if it’s the end of the line for me!
    So sad we’ve lost so many of them!

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Funny thing, Nancy. I played this video on my phone while waiting in the dentist’s reception. I thought I had the volume down low enough so as to not bother anyone else, but everyone looked up and smiled. Pretty much says it all, I think.

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. I watched The Beatles twice – I say ‘watched’ because I could hardly hear them for the screaming! Nice to see Joe Brown getting a mention. I was a great fan of Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, also his very talented daughter Sam Brown who I heard singing with Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra,

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I know what you mean, Keith! I had the thrill of seeing The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965. It was noisy as hell but I was a kid on top of the world and didn’t care.
      Joe Brown’s tune at the end of the tribute concert is so touching, it just breaks my heart. Amazing how music moves us like nothing else.
      Thanks for your great comments, Keith! 🎶

      Like

      Reply

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