George Harrison’s “Lucy” Gibson Les Paul has an Accident and Gently Weeps - The Beatles Get Back

George Harrison’s “Lucy” Gibson Les Paul has an Accident and Gently Weeps. The Beatles Get Back trailer rooftop review documentary reaction movie clip live peter jackson scene Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds lyrics John Lennon Paul McCartney George Harrison Ringo Starr. That was for the algorithm.
This clip is from the moment when "Lucy", George Harrison's prized Gibson Les Paul nearly "died" while recording the Let it Be album in 1969.
At the invitation of George Harrison, Eric Clapton played the cherry red Les Paul on the 1968 Beatles song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The guitar also can be seen in the Beatles' Let It Be movie and in the 1968 promo film for "Revolution". Eric Clapton played the guitar at his comeback Rainbow Concert in 1973.
The guitar was originally a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, refinished by Gibson in 1967 in “cherry red”. It has a lightweight mahogany body, unusually slim '50s neck (thanks to the refinishing in 1967) and PAF humbuckers. The offset seam on the maple top along with screw holes for the previously removed Bigsby vibrato and “Custom” truss rod cover are among the details.
#thebeatles #thebeatlesgetback #lucyintheskywithdiamonds #georgeharrisonlucy #lucylespaul #ericclaptonlucy

[@SecretsofRock]

I messed up the year. It should say 1969. Thanks for watching!

[@JonahNelson7]

Unacceptable

[@smelvin6917]

Please do Kurt cobains fiesta red or sonic blue mustang next please I’m begging you

[@hen3vz]

The guitar tried to commit suicide after multiple run-throughs of maxwell's silver hammer

[@SquidkidMega]

Poor Lucy….I can hear her gently weeping

[@thundergroot22]

My jaw literally dropped when I saw that

[@brentnoury7626]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to feel pain during this scene.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

It looks far worse in SLOW-MOTION. 🤕

[@brentnoury7626]

@@TheWorldTeacher A guitaaaarrr fffeeeellll oveeeerrr Paauulll a guitaaaahhh feeellll ovvvaaahhhh.

[@willdwyer6782]

The potheads be like, "there goes the rolling tray."

[@brentnoury7626]

@@willdwyer6782 weed was really the 5th Beatle.

[@willdwyer6782]

@@brentnoury7626 Got to Get You Into My Life wasn't about a woman. It was about weed.

[@ecschwalbe]

So the story goes, the guitar, originally owned by John Sebastian of "The Loving Spoonful" ended up in Rick Derringer's hands while he was playing in "The McCoy's" during the time of their hit "Hang on Sloopy". Originally a goldtop with a Bigsby, Derringer's dad said it looked "beat up", so Rick drove 3 hours from his home in Ft. Recovery, OH to Kalamazoo, MI and arranged to have it refinished in the clear red finish that the SG's had at the time. Once he got it back, he said it never played the same way and wouldn't stay in tune, so during a trip to Manhattan, he traded in the guitar at Dan Armstrong's guitar shop where it was later purchased by Eric Clapton. Clapton played this guitar on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", then gave it to Harrison. Harrison named it "Lucy" after the redhead comedian Lucille Ball. Curiously, both Lucille Ball and the Les Paul started life as blondes. The Les Paul was stolen out from under Harrison's bed during a burglary to his Beverly Hills home in 1973.

[@frankboyd.]

Rick Derringer played in Johnny Winter band. The guitar duels they had on stage were incredible.

[@willdwyer6782]

John blew out his amp and needed a replacement. He traded the guitar for one of Rick Derringer's amps while they were on tour together. Rick's dad thought the guitar looked like crap because it was beat up and scratched and talked Rick into having it refinished at the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Rick never liked the sound of it after it was refinished, and accused the Gibson factory of doing more to it than just refinishing it. He sold it to a guitar shop in New York City where Eric Clapton soon got a hold of it. The rest is history. Clapton gave it to George Harrison as a gift and then borrowed it one month later to record the guitar solo for While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

[@bobross4449]

Andy Summer’s of the police I think had it as well

[@christanhartley434]

After watching the get back film I realized that George used this guitar a lot on the last few albums.

[@lapelcelery42]

When I watched this for the first time I actually jumped out of my chair to catch it.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

Did you invent a TIME MACHINE? ;-)

[@xyzcomp08]

That guitar has had some life. It was stolen in LA and then sold to Guitar Center who sold it to a guy in Mexico. It took a lot of work to save the guitar AGAIN! Norman, of Norman's Rare Guitars helped to do a deal that saved it. The police hold at Guitar Center was implemented after this incident.

[@harvey1954]

Other states too like Delaware and New Hampsire.

[@willdwyer6782]

How about the hands it went through before George ended up with it? John Sebastian, Rick Derringer, and Eric Clapton owned it. It's the lead guitar heard in Hang On Sloopy and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I would imagine it's an heirloom that belongs to Dhani Harrison now.

[@xyzcomp08]

@@willdwyer6782 I love the stories as much as the instruments themselves

[@harvey1954]

@@willdwyer6782 That's my point. Sebastian never owned the guitar Derringer had refined. It was purchased way after Hang On Sloopy was recorded so it's not on it. Steve Boone had a Gold Top Les Paul that he traded for a white Fender P-bass in a pawn shop. I think Derringer might have gotten it from there. Boone says Sebastian never had any Les Paul outside of the 'burst you see him playing with on Ready Steady Go or the Summer In the City pix sleeve.

[@willdwyer6782]

@@harvey1954 fucking rock stars never remember anything the way it really went down because they're always stoned. Who the fuck knows what really happened? 🤣

[@jr13227]

Mal Evan’s life flashed before his eyes

[@SoyaIvansOficial]

Also when he got shot

[@TheWorldTeacher]

*Evans'

[@SoyaIvansOficial]

@@cerealconleche3207 you never heard when someone it’s gonna die see his life in his eyes ?

[@willdwyer6782]

That guitar was previously owned by John Sebastian and Rick Derringer. The Lovin' Spoonful and The McCoys were touring together when John blew out an amp and traded the guitar for one of Rick's amps. Rick is responsible for the red finish. It used to be blonde, which is why George Harrison named it Lucy after Lucille Ball. She was a blonde who dyed her hair red.

[@stephendavis5530]

Apart from the fact that this was January 1969, not 1970, great video.

[@SecretsofRock]

True, I messed that one up

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

00:10…I literally let out a gasp…felt like I was about to see a car wreck

[@craigdamage]

no shit. That is a seriously traumatic situation for a Gibson. Their necks and head stocks can crack by the slightest fall or impact. Fenders? You can throw those out a second story window and they are just fine.

[@markusantonio4866]

Burn ‘em like Hendrix.🔥

[@joshuastokes3973]

and on the odd chance something does break, anyone with a screwdriver can fix it

[@craigdamage]

@@joshuastokes3973 "odd chance" is false as Gibsons are notorious for breaking and cracking. This has been noted ad nauseam since the 50s and is basically known as a tired cliche' today it is so common. "anyone with a screwdriver can fix it" is clueless and inane. There are multiple videos here on KZbin detailing how to repair a cracked Gibson headstock.

[@joshuastokes3973]

@@craigdamage I meant fenders

[@craigdamage]

@@joshuastokes3973 HA!!!!! Yeah. Duh! My bad. I'm sorry but I belong to so many forums elsewhere that Gibson owners are in denial of their instrument's design flaws and will argue vehemently and I stupidly assumed you were one. SORRY! (I do love Gibson though)

[@willswalkingwest7267]

This was freaking great.

[@SecretsofRock]

Glad you liked it.

[@Apo458]

Pff, it's just a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop from 1957, one of the few Goldtops with humbuckers from that era... Nothing to worry about

[@rogerbranton1752]

Always keep a big aluminum pan next to your Gibson to prevent annoying headstock breakages!

[@supernintendo182]

I could feel my insides corrode watching this scene.

[@theo9952]

Well, the neck could crack or even break. But the guitar would not ''die'' and could be restored. Death by murder of a guitar, is what Jimi Herdrix committed in the Monderey pop festival and Pete Townsend in Woodstock. Those poor axes definitely died.

[@Vincentlpp08]

"guitar fell down!" ''guitar fell down"

[@SymphanyinSorrow]

He almost dropped it during Let it Be too lol.

[@volvoplz9209]

In the sky with diamonds

[@stevehughes1510]

Whew that was close with a collective sigh.

[@joe6096]

At the time none of the Beatles probably put much thought into the value of their instruments - or should I say, what the value of their instruments would be one day. To them they were the tools they used to do their jobs. They never imagined 50 some odd years later their instruments would become pretty much the holy grails of collectible instruments. You think a 300 year old Stratavarius is worth millions, wait till Paul's Hoffner is 300 years old.

[@willwilson3377]

That’s pretty much how I responded lol

[@stephenpinder9567]

That made my insides go wobbly

[@willdwyer6782]

That guitar has its own Wikipedia page. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(guitar)

[@callofjeep2862]

I really want to see Mike McCready guitar video but no one really talks about him but he’s so awesome 👏 please he’s done so much with pearl jam and Temple of the dog

[@tangyorange6509]

Maybe I’m just too used to my guitar being beat up, but I feel more for the cable

[@kiethblack3870]

I thought this scene was reassuringly FUNNY while I was watching 'Get Back'. It proves (not that it's needed) how the fab four a mere mortals (& their gear) are just like the rest of us. Prone to pain, happiness and gravity. Yes I am a guitarist & own many guitars. People who worry about this should never watch any 60s or 70s footage of Pete Townsend then..

[@nicholasthornley9708]

No wonder George walked out.

[@rawkinj6609]

Looks more like Lucy fainted and was saved by the round tray thing !

[@harvey1954]

This guitar also once belonged to Rick Derringer and Dan Armstrong, but it was never John Sebastian's.

[@julkitan3017]

The Beatles were definitely not keen on using safe guitar stands ^^ check their pictures whatever era it is, guitars all over the floor on leaning against chairs :) Fender deliberately sent them piles of instruments and amps every year, they could have included guitar/rack stands, would have been a hit!

[@breathspray]

No such thing as a guitar stand or guitar tuners in 1969

[@julkitan3017]

Yeah! You're right... I checked about it, they appeared during the early 70's. I did not know! About tuners though, there are some pics backstage of the beatles using pitch pipe to tune their guitars when they were on tour ( a small harmonica with 6 notes to tune every string) which is another form of tuner device.

[@kiethblack3870]

Hardly anyone used a 'stand' back then and there were few for sale anyway.

[@thatmarchingarrow]

Just a correction, this was 1969, not 1970

[@SecretsofRock]

You are correct

[@GIBKEL]

That one caught me right in the gut!

[@SecretsofRock]

Same

[@paynepittman4321]

that gave me hardcore anxiety

[@SecretsofRock]

Same

[@billmiller2051]

57 goldtop re sprayed in red by Gibson factory.

[@jr13227]

By Rick derringer if I’m not mistaken?

[@hilariousname6826]

Lucy Les Paul died from a fall to the floor approved by Brian Epstein in 1970. She was replaced by Lucy Les Billy, a look-alike who sounded and played exactly the same. This goes deep. #justiceforlucylespaul

[@dqwn]

Bro i was watching with my parents and I literally screamed NO

[@BlackForestKaiser]

Nobody asked

[@dqwn]

@@BlackForestKaiser kinda rude but okay

[@BlackForestKaiser]

@@dqwn I am an asshole I know I'm sorry

[@willdwyer6782]

Looks like the headstock hit the rolling tray on the way down and spilled all the weed too. Bummer.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I believe there are rules on YT to prevent showing such content.

[@justincase8533]

That was scary to watch! Surprised YT hasn't blocked for the Saulius pic after the video.

[@jacksonvega7751]

That beautiful bass XI of George’s oosssh

[@willdwyer6782]

What are you talking about? That's a Gibson Les Paul falling over. I've never heard of a bass XI. Are you talking about the Fender Bass VI in George's lap? John and George shared it. John used it for The Long and Winding Road.

[@willdwyer6782]

Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac had one just like it.

[@kiethblack3870]

I also noticed John & George playing that 6-string Fender bass in 'Get Back. They needed a 'right handed; bass because they couldn't use Paul's, ha ha.

[@paynepittman4321]

You should do the history of this guitar next

[@SecretsofRock]

Great idea!

[@paynepittman4321]

@@SecretsofRock or you could do blackie I don’t really know if there is any interesting history with it tho

[@erniefernandez1927]

Saludos a Miguel Ochoa y La Fachada de Piedra (The Stone Facade)✌

[@TweedSuit]

The film canister saved it from a heavier fall - the headstock is the achilles heel for Les Pauls. And why did John say "Your guitar fell over Paul"...

[@SecretsofRock]

I could've sworn he said "a" guitar fell over, it's not totally clear in the video

[@davehawk07]

Even the guitar hated that song and wanted to leave...

[@SecretsofRock]

That comment wins!

[@kiethblack3870]

Ha ha!

[@voore4392]

The fall wasn’t that bad, I’m more shocked that the hammer is there and wondering if it still exists

[@thevoid99]

WASN'T THAT BAD? ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME!

[@24meandyounothing]

3 big time players dumped this guitar before Harry..dont think he had to or wanted to pay for lots of guitars. I have a translucent red 3pc top LP because of him.

[@ray.shoesmith]

Am I the only one amazed that the headstock didn't break?

[@SecretsofRock]

I was surprised too.

[@singthechanges82]

Would have been funny if somebody had screamed "Damn it, Ringo!" after it fell.

[@SecretsofRock]

That made me laugh, thanks!

[@SoyaIvansOficial]

Before they were Built for better than nowadays they said they weren’t rich at that time and that one it’s a gift from Eric and repainted by George and they had a lot more him cause he loves more guitar than Lennon.

[@mikefromusa6902]

This bothered me so much when I watched it

[@SecretsofRock]

Me too

[@tylerthompson1842]

I bet it didn't even suffer a scratch.

[@rodnyg7952]

...well, that's what happens when you leave your guitar laying on the edge of a platform on a bunch of slippery pillows next to the drum kit. Not a genius move by whoever put it there

[@Revelian1982]

Biden.

[@TheRacePig]

I've probably dropped or knocked over my guitars like that hundreds of times at this point. The nicks and scrapes give them character.

[@bluarcher5941]

perhaps...but I wager that it wasn't a '57 Les Paul. Even by the 70s, these Pauls were worth a bit of money for the ordinary mortal. I commented before about the cavalier attitude they had with instruments, what with leaning them against amps, no guitar stands in sight, no use of tuners other than tuning by ear with a keyboard before actual laying down studio tracks...somewhat amazing that things ended up sounding as good as they did, actually.

[@devhiinnanthakumar4637]

If the guitar that legend eric clapton gave to legend george harrison broke, the world would go into a great depression

[@elirosen1391]

OMG! What was that thing its head crashed into?

[@xyzcomp08]

Fortunately, that's a film can and it was light enough to slow it down.

[@callumcoates-keddy9107]

That was nothing guitars can take more than that.

[@sindreb.9085]

Not Gibsons. Their necks break at the headstock if they fall down head first. Fenders, however, take a lot of beating.

[@MezzMcGillicuddy1]

1969... And that's was horrifying! lol

[@mariramirez8085]

OMG mi Georgi 💋🇲🇽 de seguro se enojó 😳🥺

[@owlperchedsilo3745]

i saw this on netflix or Disney tv last night with my daughter and as soon as i saw that Les Paul falling...i jumped and almost headed for the t.v. to stop it from hitting the ground lol! i own several Les Paul's, so you can understand my weirdness. my daughter understands but was laughing at me anyways.

[@ricky4001cs]

I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

[@SecretsofRock]

100% applicable and true

[@klojke]

1969*

[@erniericardo8140]

In 2014 the History Channel featured Brad Meltzer's Lost History and tells the story about Lucy, I watched on You Tube. And Story goes that John Sebastian of the Loving Spoonful had the guitar and traded it to Rick Derringer of the McCoys for an amp. Then Derringer took the guitar to the Gibson factory to get the then gold finished guitar painted red, but Derringer noticed that the sound of the guitar was not the same and sold it at music store in New York, a few days later Eric Clapton purchased the guitar but hardly ever used or played it and later gave it to George Harrison, Harrison named it Lucy after Lucille Ball (its featured on the music video of The Beatles Revolution) In 1972 the guitar was stolen from Harrison's home in Beverly Hills and the thief sold the guitar at Whalin"s Sound City where musician Miguel Ochoa (Mexican/American Rock group The Stone Facade) bought it and took it down to Guadalajara Mexico.Miguel's friends contacted him from L.A. telling him that the guitar belonged to Beatle George Harrison, Harrison got in contact with Miguel and sent Mal Evans down to Guadalajara to get Lucy back.a trade was made with Miguel for anothet Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Precision Bass.

[@roy7046]

I thought john wasn't there when they recorded that song

[@jr13227]

They were just rehearsing. Still in the stage of being written at the time.

[@neilpemberton5523]

Yet another reason to hate the abomination Maxwell's Silver Hammer.

[@henryaranda52]

This is 1969

[@SecretsofRock]

You are correct

[@sebperal9672]

Allí tienen moqueta, no pasa nada

[@tikvision]

See how little they care? Thats the face of a guy who can buy an island

[@SecretsofRock]

It's true, quite often those famous guitars are more important to the fans than to the players.

[@pumkinbreath]

That’s a 59

[@billmiller2051]

Actually I think it's a 57 goldtop factory refinished in red.

[@luciferseven1426]

1969*, not 1970

[@SecretsofRock]

You are correct

[@jfziemba]

I think Maxwell made it want to off itself.

[@George-gj9me]

Obviously a guitar doesn't die when it breaks, you repair it.

[@gringopig]

Cringe!!!!! This made me so on edge when I saw it. It survived thank God.

[@johnmilhuisen2607]

John has almost invariably got a smart alec comment to make.

[@garychambers5850]

George could easily buy another les paul.

[@SecretsofRock]

True

[@Whatever22ification]

Guitar Stands....

[@dogpd3]

Crazy they didn’t use them

[@JusticeForWilmien]

Didn't exist yet

[@carlosvelasquez9007]

That looked like a suicide to me

[@SatinPorn2007]

0:11 Lucy goes out of tune

[@chrispraz5198]

The worst part is, it happened during the atrocity that is Maxwell's silver hammer.

[@deadlotCamper]

so no need for guitar stands? these guys never had them, neither did hendrix, neither did the stones, nobody did. even though they were right there in the stores. guitars were always leaning precariously on some unstable edge of something, waiting to fall. and they were keenly aware of how valuable and fragile these things were. and rare. in 3 years 1958,1959,1960, a grand total of 1500 les pauls produced. at $2500 or so, werent cheap but stable price as they are today.. yeah so let it fall to the ground and crack the headstock. not so genius after all.

[@koban4egg]

It doesn't look like proper Gibson for me. Real Gibson had to break headstock immediately.

[@swansonjoe7121]

Honestly, the guitar is just a tool. People who value their tools too much are just collectors, not musicians

[@k.t.5405]

NOBODY likes that fkn' song!!! Not even inanimate objects!!!! That sht shoulda been a "Wings" release.

[@erepsekahs]

My God, that awful man. PLEASE don't do this sort of thing again.

[@american_psycho1147]

Not even the guitar wanted to have to sit through Maxwell's Silver Hammer

[@SecretsofRock]

Ha!

[@JonahNelson7]

1969*

[@SecretsofRock]

You are correct

[@JonahNelson7]

@@SecretsofRock yes