by Robert Wilkinson
Today, February 25, Sir George Harrison, "the Quiet Beatle," would have been 81. He died way too young 23 years ago. To this day he remains one of the most beloved musicians and extraordinary Spiritual men ever to grace this Earth.
Sir George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001), was truly a remarkable man for all seasons, as he personally opened the door to the exploration of Eastern Spirituality by millions of western young people AND wrote some of the most beautiful pop songs in history. Besides these not insignificant achievements, he also introduced Ravi Shankar to the Western world, introduced the sitar to pop music (though the Raga form had been introduced earlier by the Kinks in "See My Friends,"), and produced two of the funniest movies ever made, both by Monty Python.
Anyway, this year we have some very good material for our show, and to quote Sir John, "I'd like to turn you on...." So let's get on with this year's musical celebration of one of the most spiritual musicians to ever pluck a string on this Earth, Mister Hari Georgeson, aka Nelson Wilbury!
We’ll open with one of the great shows from his solo career! Eric Clapton and George teamed up in Japan in 1991 on a couple of George's hits from his Beatles years. Here's George's composition from the Rubber Soul album, "If I Needed Someone," and from the Revolver album, the ascerbic "Taxman." From the same concert, the title track from the album of the same name, "Cloud Nine” (For a treat, here are the Beatles in Germany in 1966 doing "If I Needed Someone." Speaking of which…..
Heeeeere’s the Beatles!!
Beatlemania at its best with George and Paul hitting the high harmonies in a Dec 1963 Beatles tv performance. It's definitely not lip synched! Here's a great 9 minute video of the Beatles performing "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Money," and "Twist and Shout."
Here’s another treat! It’s the very first song in the very first performance by the Beatles on their first tour of the US. It’s Beatlemania at its most frenetic! I include it here because George is the lead singer overdriving the mic diaphragm on the immortal Chuck Berry rock and roll anthem, “Roll Over Beethoven.” And here’s another live performance from back in the day of “Roll Over Beethoven”
This is 30 minutes of classic Beatlemania from their landmark 1964 tour of Oz! The Beatles Play Melbourne
Taped for Shindig in London in October 1964, the Beatles live and colorized performing "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey," "I'm A Loser," and "Boys.">
And in April, 1965, they won the NME Poll and performed "I Feel Fine," "She's A Woman," "Baby's In Black(pool)," "Ticket to Ride," and "Long Tall Sally."
Resetting the time stamp, we’ll now go to some studio versions of George’s songs when he was a Beatle, and live performances when I can find them. First, when they were still the Quarrymen, he wrote this period piece with Sir Paul called "In Spite of All the Danger, the instrumental surf guitar piece "Cry For A Shadow," and what seems to be his first attempt at writing and singing lead, "You Know What To Do."
While he didn't have any compositions on their first album, he sang lead on "Do You Want to Know A Secret?" He also sang lead on the A Hard Day's Night Lennon-McCartney tune, "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You"
George’s first composition for a Beatle album was his track on With The Beatles, “Don’t Bother Me”
From Beatles for Sale, another one featuring George on lead vocals, “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby”
Here’s great audio performance of the Beatles in Paris, with George again on lead vocals cranking out Carl Perkins’ “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby”
In 1985 in Passaic, George and Carl Perkins crank a great live performance of “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby”
From the movie Help, George’s beautiful track “I Need You.” From the same album, "You Like Me Too Much."
From Rubber Soul, George’s “Think For Yourself” and "If I Needed Someone.”
The first song on side 1 of Revolver was George’s sarcastic look at taxes! For your enjoyment, the original studio version of “Taxman”
Even though I gave you this up front, it’s such a great tune let’s do it again! Live in Tokyo, a great performance by George and Eric Clapton of “Taxman”
From the same revolutionary album, two more of George’s compositions! Here’s the original sitar driven “Love You To” and “I Want To Tell You”
Live at the Royal Albert Hall in 1992 with Eric, here’s “I Want To Tell You”
Here’s a great Beatles performance from Circus Krone in Germany around the time they cut Revolver. While none of the songs performed were written or sung by George, it’s still a great 18 minute show with the Beatles at their best, and having fun on stage doing “Rock and Roll Music,” “Baby’s In Black,” “I Feel Fine,” “Yesterday,” “Nowhere Man,” and “I’m Down.”
On Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,, George continued his love affair with the sitar, and created the magnificently psychedelic spiritual offering “Within You Without You.” We’ll continue this gear fab psychedelic experience with this fascinating 7+ minute cover done by the Magical Beatle Orchestra led by my old friend David Amram! “Within You Without You”
Here's the third sitar influenced tune George wrote, released on the "B" side of "Lady Madonna," titled ”The Inner Light."
George's major offering to Yellow Submarine is one of my favorite songs of all time. This tune is considered to be the peak of psychedelic music, “floating down the stream of time from life to life with me, Makes no difference where you are or where you’d like to be…” For your psychedelic experience without the substance, "It's All Too Much." Here’s an unedited alternate longer take and the video is excellent. Gear Fab to the max! "It's All Too Much." From the same album, a partial track mix of the very trippy sardonic statement about his music publisher, "It's Only A Northern Song."
From the Magical Mystery Tour era, George's song about his honeymoon cottage on "Blue Jay Way" in the Hollywood hills.
He had quite a few contributions to The White Album besides "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." including "Long, Long, Long” and the satirical "Piggies and "Savoy Truffle."
Here's a song that was supposed to be on the White Album, but was left off due to internal friction. It was George's answer to John and Paul about their trip to Rishikesh and the Maharishi. Enjoy the jazzy rock of "Not Guilty" – take 102 And from his 1979 solo album, "Not Guilty."
Also rejected as unsuitable for The White Album, George's pitch for meditation titled "Sour Milk Sea" and the unfinished "Circles." Here's a great "lost tune" written by George titled "Dehradun"
From Let It Be, his plea for unselfishness in "I Me Mine" and "For You Blue."
The "B" side to "The Ballad of John and Yoko," George is uptempo with "Old Brown Shoe."
He co-wrote and played on this Cream hit, "Badge."
In 1968, he released his first solo album. He said he wanted to introduce Indian music to the world in a different way. So here's the very raga based psychedelic, Eric Clapton and reversed guitars in a work which bridges the Beatles with what was to come. Wonderwall Music.
And now it's on to some live post-Beatle performances!
After the Beatles, he released him triple album masterpiece! Here’s the entire 1 hour 45 minute album All Things Must Pass
While that was streaking up the charts, his social conscience prompted him to create the first major charity concert in history, The Concert for Bangladesh. From 1971 in Madison Square Garden, featuring Sir George, Sir Ringo, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and a whole lot of other great Beings, here's George and friends performing the album title song of this pioneering effort, "Bangladesh." Bone chilling to this day, given what the concert was all about. It’s a blight on governments that this global problem never ended and continues to this day, whether in Biafra, South Sudan, Central America, southeastern Europe, or Asia. Billions for bombs while people starve is unacceptable at this stage of humanity’s advanced knowledge.
If you don’t know about this show, here’s a great 5 minute overview of the concert as related by George and others. "The Concert for Bangladesh”
From The Concert for Bangladesh, I found quite a few major performances! First, the performance of George's monster hit from the Beatles' White Album, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." We now move into three videos of tunes from All Things Must Pass, "My Sweet Lord" and the pensive "Beware of Darkness.” (Sorry for the freeze frames on these.) We’ll finish this with another obnoxious freeze frame video from that show of the magnificent "Awaiting On You All."
Also from that historic concert, audios of two more that George wrote for the Abbey Road album, "Here Comes the Sun” and "Something.”
From the rehearsal session for the concert, a performance by Nelson “Spike” Wilbury and his brother Lucky “Boo” Wilbury of Boo's hit "If Not For You."
We'll close this set from The Concert for Bangladesh with one last tune from All Things Must Pass, "Wah Wah.” (This is the first of 25 different clips, about half of them from the concert, some from ATMP, and others from George’s albums).
While last year I had a video clip of the first hour and 8 of the Concert for Bangladesh, but this year it’s disappeared. So instead, for your enjoyment, here’s the audio of the entire 92 minute album! "The Concert for Bangladesh"
The 2 hour movie is on sale somewhere, but I can’t find a direct link. So here’s a 2 hour and 54 audio clip recorded by someone in the audience! The Concert for Bangladesh
After the Concert for Bangladesh, he released this album which went to #1, as did it's first tune! For your enjoyment, Living In the Material World.
From a faraway time and place, a great hour television interview with Dick Cavett on November 23, 1971! George Harrison 1971 Interview with Dick Cavett
This is a very well done 16 minute clip of Dick Cavett interviewing John and Yoko on one show and George on the one above. The editor intercut the two, giving us a fascinating look at the dialog of the time about “the Beatles’ tension.” John’s wit and George’s dry humor are on full display. Very entertaining. The Best of John Lennon and George Harrison on The Dick Cavett Show.
Back to the music! In November 1976 he did a fantastic appearance on SNL as the musical guest. Paul Simon was the host, and they did am acoustic duet of "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound."
As part of that show, he debuted this playful and very "Beatley" video (directed by Eric Idle of Monty Python!) of his Top 20 hit from Thirty Three & 1/3 "Crackerbox Palace." Here’s the other video he did with Eric which parodies his copyright issues, which is basically that every song in some way “borrows” something from other songs. This song borrows riffs from other well-known tunes but doesn’t violate copyrights. Here’s the brilliant satire "This Song”
We finish the 70s with a live performance on German television in February 1977 with George looking sharp performing "This Song."
Moving forward to the 80s and early 90s, from the second annual Prince's Trust concert in June 1987, here's Sir George, Sir Ringo, Sir Elton, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and others performing George's hit from the Beatles' Abbey Road album, "Here Comes The Sun."
We continue with George and some friends live in London in 1992 performing as Hari and the Hijack Band, doing his hit composition also from the Beatles' Abbey Road album, the beautiful "Something."
Here’s the entire 90 minute concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1992! George Harrison and Eric Clapton Live at the Royal Albert Hall
I found it again! Here’s a great version of George and an all-star band celebrating Dylan’s 30th anniversary at Bobfest in Oct 1992! It’s a live electric soundcheck performance of "If Not For You."
The following are set to stills, except for the original music videos for various hits.
We begin this section with another great tune from All Things Must Pass, the original studio version of "What Is Life"
We now move down the time stream to a truly beautiful spiritual song, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)"
Here's George's tribute to Sir John after his assassination, the wistful "All Those Years Ago." On a related note, here's the original music video of George's statement looking back on the Beatles, "When We Was Fab."
Moving into some 80s interviews, here’s the entire 1981 Good Morning America TV show interview with David Hartman in 2 parts! David Hartman interview with George Harrison on GMA – pt 1 and David Hartman interview with George Harrison on GMA – pt 2
Another television interview from 1987! George Harrison on W. 57th St.
Here's one of my favorites from later in his career! Enjoy the original music video of George Harrison doing his last #1 hit, the irresistably danceable "Got My Mind Set On You." (I found a real treat! Here's the original 1962 version of "Got My Mind Set On You" by James Ray. Testify! (Just hit the play arrow and start dancing to the Choir!!) Here’s the other music video by Sir George, not nearly as entertaining as the haunted room! "Got My Mind Set On You."
Though the video is lousy, the sound is fantastic! In December 1991 in Japan, George joined Eric in a great live show. While I gave you a few clips at the beginning, these are the entire show! Here's the first hour and 12 of George Harrison and Eric Clapton Live at Osaka Castle Hall in 1991 Pt. 1 and here's the second hour of George Harrison and Eric Clapton Live at Osaka Castle Hall in 1991 Pt. 2
From that show, a live version of the Cream hit they co-wrote, "Badge."
Here’s one last live performance! From 1997, here's George on tv doing a live solo performance of the title track of his first post-Beatles triple album, "All Things Must Pass"
Between 1987-1991 George (Nelson “Spike” Wilbury) got together with friends Bob Dylan (Lucky “Boo” Wilbury), Tom Petty (Charlie T. “Muddy” Wilbury), Jeff Lynne (Otis “Clayton” Wilbury), and Roy Orbison (Lefty Wilbury) to create The Traveling Wilburys, generally considered the ultimate supergroup in the history of pop music. They had been friends in various combinations, and what resulted was some incredibly good music!
Here's their first hit that drove the first album to triple platinum and a Grammy! George wrote it, and someone smart decided not to make a "B" side of another song, since it was good enough to be released on its own. For your enjoyment, the original music video by the Traveling Wilburys of their hit, "Handle With Care."
Roy died in late 1988, which is why they put his guitar on an empty rocking chair in another hit from the album. Here’s the original music video of “End of the Line”
A rare treat! This is absolutely live video bootleg footage of a gig at the Palomino in North Hollywood in February 1987! George and Bob Dylan joined Taj Mahal, Jesse Ed Davis, John Fogerty, and a few other greats in a fabulous show! Part 1 is 15 minutes long, and part 2 is 14 minutes. Great footage!
George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Taj Majal and other stars live at the Palomino Pt. 1
George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Taj Majal and other stars live at the Palomino Pt. 2
Here’s the entire gig shot by another camera from another angle. The video is poor, but it is historic footage that was never supposed to exist at all! George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Taj Majal and other stars live at the Palomino - 1987
When he was hanging with Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne in the Wilbury years, Tom did his solo album Full Moon Fever. George plays guitar and does backup vocals on the iconic ”I Won’t Back Down”
Here’s a great interview with Jeff Lynne with footage of George and Jeff jamming on banjos! Jeff Lynne on George Harrison
On a related note, here's a great piece from Open Culture titled George Harrison Explains Why Everyone Should Play the Ukulele, With Words and Music with video clips of George playing ukelele. “Everyone I know who is into the ukulele is ‘crackers,’” writes George, “you can’t play it and not laugh!” Very entertaining!
We'll close today with a couple of tunes from his last album, released posthumously. First, the upbeat "Any Road" and the closer of the album, a profoundly spiritual message given to us by a dead man, "Brainwashed." Here's a gear fab 4 minute short backstory on making that amazing album. "Brainwashed."
In years past I had the entire 2+ hour concert video celebrating George’s life and music by some of the greatest of the greatest on the first anniversary of his death! While that clip is gone, I found this one with quite a few from the 2002 show, so enjoy The 2002 Concert for George.
Last year I had a great video interview with George, Ravi, and George Martin about the making of “Within You Without You,” but this year it’s nowhere to be found.
We also have this link to an exquisite performance by “the Beatles’ Magical Orchestra” conducted by my friend, the Maestro David Amram. Very good tribute below the lyrics!
Within You Without You
We were talking about the space between us all
And the people who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth, then it's far too late, when they pass away
We were talking about the love we all could share
When we find it, to try our best to hold it there with our love
With our love, we could save the world, if they only knew
Try to realise it's all within yourself
No one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small
And life flows on within you and without you
We were talking about the love that's gone so cold
And the people who gain the world and lose their soul
They don't know, they can't see, are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself then you may find
Peace of mind is waiting there
And the time will come when you see we're all one
And life flows on within you and without you
Written by George Harrison
Song © Sony/ATV Tunes LLC
The Beatles’ Magical Orchestra Conducted by David Amram – “Within You Without You”
And even though these two weren't written by George, it's awesome anyway!
The Beatles’ Magical Orchestra Conducted by David Amram – “Strawberry Fields Forever”
For the encore, here's something from a while back which has two great interviews I just republished earlier! In 1997 George Harrison and Ravi Shankar made a surprise visit to the VH1 studio. We are told they wound up hanging out for over an hour, talking and shooting the breeze in an informal hang while the cameras rolled, and then George started taking requests for music from the crew and others in the VH1 studio, blowing everybody's minds!
This was George Harrison’s last public performance. In it he speaks of everything in his life, from the Beatles to Bangladesh to the Traveling Wilburys. These clips are not very long, but they are rich and offer a lot to think about! He starts playing in part 4. It's an utterly great interview where he goes into his spiritual philosophy AND performs several songs!
George Harrison - The Last Performance (41 minutes)
Here’s the interview in parts.
George Harrison’s Last Interview - Part 1
George Harrison’s Last Interview - Part 2
George Harrison’s Last Interview - Part 3
George Harrison’s Last Interview - Part 4
While you’ll have a good time with those links, if you want a lighter look at life and other things, here’s an interview that was broadcast 5 March 1988 on the Aspel & Company TV show. This is a funny interview with George and then Ringo, with the video of "When We Were Fab" before Ringo comes out, wisecracking from his first line. Of course, John and the Beatles came up as a topic. Some of this is hilarious. For your enjoyment, George Harrison & Ringo Starr 1988 Very Funny interview on Aspel & Co.
I found this anecdote which seems to sum up George Harrison:
“I came home one day from school after being chased by kids singing “Yellow Submarine”, and I didn't understand why. It just seemed surreal: why are they singing that song to me?
I came home and I freaked out on my dad: 'Why didn't you tell me you were in The Beatles?' And he said, 'Oh, sorry. Probably should have told you that.'”- Dhani Harrison
Aum Namah Shivaya! Aum Namah Bodhisattva! RIP Brother George. You made the world a more joyful, playful place, and your genuine humor and devotion to all that is good left a mark on all of us that will live across the lifetimes.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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