| e Harrison is often referred to as the "quiet Beatle" | | | | at the time and inspired by the ideas in the book he |
| and sometimes sadly even as the "forgotten Beatle" | | | | decided to write a song based on the first words he |
| and that's due to the fact that he was in the same | | | | read when opening a random book at a random spot. |
| band as the greatest songwriting team in popular | | | | The first words he read were "gently weeps." |
| music history. Lennon/McCartney were good enough | | | | "It's All Too Much" - This song was originally featured |
| to overshadow almost anyone but that being the case | | | | on the Yellow Submarine album and is one of the |
| Harrison wrote many great songs with The Beatles | | | | more overlooked Harrison songs. It's also one of my |
| and that's what this article is set to highlight. | | | | favorites. It has a very unique sound to the recording |
| He was the youngest Beatle which explains his "late | | | | which makes it sound like the whole band is in a box |
| blooming" as a songwriter in comparison to his band | | | | except for these thunderous hand claps and the |
| mates John Lennon and Paul McCartney. When the | | | | vocals. It was actually recorded in May of 1967 before |
| Beatles recording session happened in January of 1970 | | | | Sgt Pepper was released and was set to be included |
| Harrison was only 26 years old. | | | | on Magical Mystery Tour but was instead pushed |
| Harrison's best known Beatles compositions are | | | | back and ended up on the Yellow Submarine |
| probably his pair of tracks from the Beatles final album | | | | soundtrack album which included mostly George Martin |
| Abbey Road; "Here Comes the Sun" & | | | | instrumentals and songs such as the title track which |
| "Something." And while these songs are certainly great | | | | had already been released. |
| and no doubt belong in the list of Harrison's best 10 | | | | "Within You Without You" - This was George's sole |
| Beatles songs I want to get past these tracks and | | | | contribution to Sgt Pepper. Harrison recorded this song |
| other well known Harrison compositions like "While My | | | | with Indian musicians without any input from the other |
| Guitar Gently Weeps" from the White Album and | | | | Beatles. I've often seen this song slagged off by |
| "Taxman" from Revolver to get some of his more | | | | people but to me it's an essential and wonderful part |
| overlooked Beatles gems. | | | | of the Sgt Pepper album. It's a trip within the trip that is |
| My picks for George Harrison's 10 Best Beatles Songs | | | | Sgt Pepper. Almost all of the instruments in the song |
| with notes on each: | | | | were played by classically trained Indian musicians. |
| "Something" - Frank Sinatra said "Something" was his | | | | "Long Long Long" - The perfect song to follow up |
| favorite Lennon/McCartney composition and the | | | | "Helter Skelter" on the White Album. A beautifully |
| greatest love song ever written. It's the second most | | | | understated song which Harrison says is about God. |
| covered Beatles song of all time after "Yesterday." It's | | | | "Blue Jay Way" - Harrison's sole contribution to the |
| been covered by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elvis | | | | Beatles most over the top psychedelic album Magical |
| Presley, and James Brown. It made Rolling Stone | | | | Mystery Tour was also Harrison's most purposely |
| magazine's list of the top 500 songs of all time in 2004. | | | | psychedelic song. While the song is not perfect it does |
| "Here Comes The Sun" - One of the first songs to | | | | have a lot of strange production effects which endear |
| feature the Moog synthesizer which Harrison played | | | | it to me. |
| on the recording. The song was written in Eric | | | | "If I Needed Someone" - This was the only Harrison |
| Clapton's garden. Clapton and Harrison were good | | | | written song that the Beatles played regularly during |
| friends. | | | | their touring days. This is of course mostly because |
| "Taxman" - The opening track on the Revolver album | | | | the band stopped touring before Harrison wrote most |
| features some short blistering guitar solos by Paul | | | | of his better songs. This was one of two Harrison |
| McCartney. | | | | songs to be included on the Rubber Soul album. The |
| "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - Although George | | | | other being "Think For Yourself" which is also a good |
| Harrison was the Beatles lead guitarist he again gives | | | | song but I prefer this one. The song was heavily |
| the lead guitar duties to someone else on one of his | | | | influenced by the style of The Byrds. |
| best songs. A great example of Harrison's lack of ego. | | | | "I Want To Tell You" - This was one of three Harrison |
| On this track Harrison's good friend Eric Clapton came | | | | songs included on the Revolver album. Interestingly he |
| in to play the lead guitar part. This song also made | | | | went from having 3 songs on Revolver to only 1 on |
| Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 list of the 500 greatest | | | | each of the next two Beatles albums; Sgt Pepper and |
| songs of all time. The lyrics of the song have a very | | | | Magical Mystery Tour. |
| interesting origination. Harrison was reading the I Ching | | | | |