A new ‘director’s cut’ of Prince playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps has been released

A newly edited version of Prince’s performance of While My Guitar Gently Weeps has been released, offering more details and close-ups than the previous version that had been circulated online. The performance took place at the 2004 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, and also featured Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood and Dhani Harrison, George Harrison’s son.

The edit arrives thanks to Joel Gallen, the director and producer of the original broadcast from the 2004 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony. Writing underneath the video, Gallen explained: “17 years after this stunning performance by Prince, I finally had the chance to go in and re-edit it slightly – since there were several shots that were bothering me. I got rid of all the dissolves and made them all cuts, and added lots more close-ups of Prince during his solo. I think it’s better now. Let me know what you think. Joel.”

The new edit also adds in a few split-screens, allowing viewers to watch Prince’s hands work while those around him look on in awe.

Notably, there’s one thing that the edit doesn’t give more detail about. At the end of the performance, Prince takes off his guitar and throws it straight up. In an impressive piece of sleight-of-hand from the production, it’s somehow caught before it comes crashing down, but the actual workings of the disappearance are nowhere to be seen.

Playing drums that night was Heartbreakers’ Steve Ferrone, who told Guitar Player: “I didn’t even see who caught it. I just saw it go up, and I was astonished that it didn’t come back down again. Everybody wonders where that guitar went, and I gotta tell you, I was on the stage, and I wonder where it went, too.”

You can see the new video yourself below.