Why is Eric Clapton not credited as guitarist on the Beatles White Album?


 Because in year’s past, it was highly common for people to play on another person’s or band’s album without attribution.


Back in the Sixties/Seventies, artists and bands would often collaborate on music without attribution. Sometimes it was because the artists’ were from different labels (and permission wouldn’t be given); sometimes it was because the guest collaborator didn’t want attribution; sometimes it was an unexpected treat to have that guest in the studio for that day and it wasn’t included on the track recording information. Regardless of the reason, it was, dare we say it, “normal” for artist and bands to collaborate with each other on their works and usually without accredidation.


For “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” George Harrison wrote the song and, with his close friend Eric Clapton, often would work and fine tune the piece. While originally The Beatles laid down their parts for the song, it was obviously not working and the recording showed the disharmony in the band. While in the studio for some overdubbing (sweetening the track), Harrison asked Clapton to take on the solo, and Clapton reluctantly did it for his friend (Clapton’s reluctance came from the band’s staunch refusal to use outside musicians). Instead of being upset with Clapton’s part, the other Beatles stepped their game up and quit their bitching, delivering what would become an iconic piece in Beatles history and a seminal bookmark in Harrison’s songwriting catalog.


Such unaccredited collabs were a staple, probably up until this century’s music. Now, because of the way contracts are written, it has to be cleared through labels and, unless there is a benefit for both sides of the equation, then it doesn’t happen. Often there has to be a “promotional aspect” for both artists and/or bands to get the collaboration through. You’ll often see these collabs between “labelmates” as such acts hype different tracks. The days of unaccredited performances might be over, however... continue reading 


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The lady circled in red was Lucy Higgs Nichols.

Govardhan Asrani (1 January 1941 – 20 October 2025), known professionally as Asrani, was an Indian actor and director.

Lena Baker was a Black woman who worked as a maid.

What was the first scandal in the history of cinema?

True Story Of Josephine Myrtle Corbin, The Lady Born With Four Legs & Two Private Parts (Photos)

The world of vintage

Why didn't Hitler fly out of Berlin and escape to another country before the Russians arrived?

What happened to the SS soldiers after World War II?

Did the German army use the same uniforms for the whole of World War II?

What was it like for German soldiers returning home after World War 2?