With Saturday being George Harrison's birthday, it'd be silly to try and say much about George Harrison when the music is as good a tribute as you can get.
When Harrison said it, he didn't mince words. "Don't Bother Me" on "With the Beatles" was somewhat innocent, though it also conveyed emotion very directly. It was a pattern that would continue.
"I Need You," from "Help!" was still sweet and innocent, but also endearing. "You don't realize how much I need you."
"Rubber Soul" was the turning point. On "Think For Yourself" and "If I Needed Someone," he began to turn away from sweetness. A even sharper turn came with "Taxman" from
"Revolver." A strong political statement from a Beatle.
"Within You Without You" was psychedelic philosophy with some superb instrumentation. Both the lyrics and music of "Blue Jay Way" conveyed a very vivid picture.
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was nothing short of brilliant, both lyrically and musically. The acoustic demo which first surfaced on bootlegs and was later on "Anthology 3" still is one of the most beautiful songs released by the Beatles.
"Only a Northern Song" and "It's All Too Much" from "Yellow Submarine" were the best songs from that movie. "It's All Too Much" had a wall of sound that Phil Spector probably envied.
It was on "Abbey Road" that he really made his mark with "Something." Its lyrical simplicity allowed the listener to easily focus in on its emotional message. Even Lennon and McCartney had to take notice when Frank Sinatra said he loved it even if he couldn't remember Harrison wrote it.
In "Not Guilty," which didn't get released until the "Anthology," Harrison said what he felt about the Beatles. But all his songs did that. It's why they still say so much.
Happy birthday, George.
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