MUS 116 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Lay Lady Lay, Kenwood Dennard
“Dear Prudence” (5/21/18)
● History of the song
○ One of those written by John in Rishikesh, India, in March - April 1968
○ Written about / for Prudence Farrow
○ Demo recorded in May 1968 at George’s house (acoustic)
○ Recorded 28 - 30 August 1968
○ First day: vocals, John and George on guitar, Paul on drums
○ 2nd day: Paul on bass, vocal overdubs by John
■ Handclaps, cowbells, tambourine by Paul and George
○ 3rd day: piano and flugelhorn by Paul
● Some notable covers (a few of 65)
○ Kenny Rankin - 1969
○ Ramsey Lewis - 1969
○ Gabor Szabo - 1969
○ The Grateful Dead (often in concert) (by 1979)
○ Siouxsie & The Banshees (1983)
○ Jaco Pastorius (1991, from 1985), with Hiram Bullock and Kenwood Dennard
○ Jeff Lorber (1998)
○ Brad Mehldau (2002)
○ Alanis Morissette (2002)
○ Adam Ben Ezra (2017)
○ Many covers by jazz musicians
● Some songs with repetitive bass lines that step down a 4th (or a major third)
○ Henry Purcell, “dido’s Lament” (1691)
○ Ray Charles, “Hit the Road, Jack” (1961)
○ The Animals, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (1965)
○ Beatles, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (1968) *
○ Beatles, “Dear Prudence” (1968)
○ Bob Dylan, “Lay Lady Lay” (1969)
○ Led Zeppelin, “Dazed and Confused” (1969)
○ Led Zeppelin, “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” (1969)
○ Chicago, “25 or 6 to 4” (1970) - fast
○ Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
○ Richard Hell and the Voidoids, “Blank Generation” (1977)
○ Green Day, “Brain Stew” (1996)
○ The White Stripes, “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” (2002)
● Barbara Strozzi (1619 - 1677)
○ “Lagrime mie” (My tears)
○ Venice, 1659
Document Summary
One of those written by john in rishikesh, india, in march - april 1968. Demo recorded in may 1968 at george"s house (acoustic) First day: vocals, john and george on guitar, paul on drums. 2nd day: paul on bass, vocal overdubs by john. Handclaps, cowbells, tambourine by paul and george. 3rd day: piano and flugelhorn by paul. Some notable covers (a few of 65) The grateful dead (often in concert) (by 1979) Jaco pastorius (1991, from 1985), with hiram bullock and kenwood dennard. Some songs with repetitive bass lines that step down a 4th (or a major third) Ray charles, hit the road, jack (1961) The animals, don"t let me be misunderstood (1965) Beatles, while my guitar gently weeps (1968) * Led zeppelin, babe i"m gonna leave you (1969) Chicago, 25 or 6 to 4 (1970) - fast. Richard hell and the voidoids, blank generation (1977) The white stripes, dead leaves and the dirty ground (2002)
