It has been ten years since George Harrison passed away. While
cancer claimed him at the age of 58, he left behind a treasure
trove of songs worthy of our lasting attention whether they
appeared on Beatles records, on his solo albums, or with other
collaborators. A quiet Beatle he was not. So here are my ten
favorite George Harrison songs.
10. Badge
Co-written with Eric Clapton, “Badge” appears on
Cream’s final album Goodbye which was released in 1969.
Harrison contributes a memorable guitar solo. It wasn’t the first
time Harrison and Clapton had collaborated and it would not be the
last.
9. Taxman
Who knew that Harrison would pen the Beatles’ first and most
enduring protest song? This
was Harrison’s response to the 98% super tax imposed on Britain’s
wealthiest citizens by the Labour government of Harold Wilson.
Granted, it was John Lennon who
suggested that Wilson and Conservative Party leader Edward
Heath be named in the song. But the anger and derision in the song
was all
Harrison’s:
In those days we paid 19 shillings and sixpence [96p] out of
every pound, and with supertax and surtax and tax-tax it was
ridiculous — a heavy penalty to pay for making money. That was a
big turn-off for Britain. Anybody who ever made any money moved to
America or somewhere else.
The policy would force fellow Beatle Ringo Starr, the
Rolling Stones as well as British actors like Michael Caine and
Roger Moore to leave the U.K. and become
tax exiles in the United States or other parts of Europe.
Ironically, Harrison would remain a British resident.
The opening song on the Beatles’ 1966 album
Revolver, “Taxman” has long been a favorite of
conservatives and ranked number two on
John J. Miller’s list of the fifty greatest conservative rock
songs. Only “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by the Who kept it from the
top spot. But given President Obama’s soak the rich policies, if
Miller were to update the list perhaps it would hit number
one.
8. Old Brown
Shoe
This Harrison
composition was recorded in 1969 and was a B-side for John Lennon’s
“The Ballad of John & Yoko.” “Old Brown Shoe”
starts with an interesting bass/piano intro, met by muffled vocals
and a great guitar solo. Yet another in a long line of
underappreciated gems Harrison wrote in the shadows of
Lennon-McCartney.
7. Savoy
Truffle
This song appeared on
their 1968 double LP The Beatles (a.k.a. The White
Album) and was inspired by Eric Clapton’s chocolate
cravings. However, the lyrics to “Savoy Truffle” sour both with
Clapton’s stomach and when Harrison turns his attention to Paul
McCartney’s “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” which appeared earlier on The
White Album. I think it’s safe to say that this is the only
song in the history of rock ‘n’ roll that makes reference to
Montelimar.
6. The Inner
Light
This was also a
B-side (the A-side was McCartney’s “Lady Madonna”). Recorded
in 1968 with local musicians in Bombay (now Mumbai) while working
on his first solo album Wonderwall. Lennon and McCartney
would later add backing vocals. “The Inner Light” is a showcase for
Harrison’s love of Indian music and spirituality. The lyrics, “The
farther one travels the less one really knows,” have stuck with
me.
5. Only a Northern
Song
Here is Harrison
at his bitter best. Northern Songs Ltd. was the publisher of the
Beatles’ catalogue. While Lennon and McCartney owned 30 percent of
the holdings, Harrison and Ringo Starr held less than
2 percent between them. This meant that Lennon and McCartney made
more money off of Harrison’s songs than did Harrison. As he put it,
“It doesn’t really matter what chords I play/What words I say or
time of day it is/As it’s only a Northern Song.” Originally
considered for inclusion on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club
Band, it eventually saw the
light of day on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack in
1969. I have long enjoyed its over-the-top psychedelic
arrangements.
4. I’d Have You
Anytime
Although many
great songs came from Harrison’s landmark 1970 triple solo album
All Things Must Pass (i.e. “My Sweet Lord,” “What Is
Life,” “Wah-Wah,” “Isn’t it a Pity” and the title track), my
favorite song is the lead track, “I’d Have You Anytime.” Harrison
co-wrote this song with Bob Dylan. Judging by this early demo, it
might have been intended
as a duet. However, Dylan does not appear on the final recording
although Eric Clapton chimes in on lead guitar.
3. Something
The second track on side one of their 1969 album Abbey
Road, “Something” is the
second most covered song in the Beatles’ catalogue aside from
“Yesterday.” Its most famous cover was recorded by Frank Sinatra who
said, “It’s one of the best love songs I believe to be written in
fifty to a hundred years.” There’s nothing more I can
add.
2. While My Guitar Gently
Weeps
Originally intended
as an acoustic piece, Lennon & McCartney had little interest in
the song until
Harrison brought in Eric Clapton to play lead guitar. “While My Guitar Gently
Weeps” has become a staple of classic rock and The White
Album wouldn’t have been the same without it.
1. Here Comes the
Sun
Harrison
wrote the song
while standing in Eric Clapton’s garden after escaping another
tense business meeting with the other Beatles and executives from
Apple Records. Leading off side two of Abbey Road,
“Here Comes
the Sun” never fails to make me feel good. I am far from alone.
So with that I’ll end this on a positive note.
