George Harrison was an incredible guitarist, both in and out of The Beatles. However, his most lauded work comes from tracks he recorded with the Fab Four. I think some of his non-Beatles guitar licks deserve some love. Let’s look at a few essential George Harrison guitar tracks from outside of The Beatles, shall we?
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1. “The Light That Has Lighted The World”
This song deserves way more love compared to Harrison’s other big hits. Though, a lot of his solo work doesn’t get as much attention as it should.
“The Light That Has Lighted The World” is a standout on Harrison’s 1973 solo record Living In The Material World. It’s a slower, sadder sort of song with a composition that is very uniquely Harrison’s handiwork. The guitar solo kicks off just shy of two minutes in, and it’s a formulaic yet exotic moment in the song that just seems to work well. I’d say that few guitar tracks from George Harrison really embody his style quite like this one.
2. “My Sweet Lord”
On the subject of Harrison’s solo work not getting enough love, “My Sweet Lord” is probably his most well-known (and well-loved) solo tracks. It’s an essential song from All Things Must Pass and a great example of what Harrison was capable of, straight out of the ashes of The Beatles.
That twin-slide moment, that ethereal solo, the technically complex elements… His guitar ability on this track is just gorgeous. He was great at playing the guitar in the vein of mainstream pop and rock, but “My Sweet Lord” shows the formal Beatle at his most brilliant, without the shackles of branding.
3. “Gimme Some Truth”
George Harrison lent his guitar talents to this track from John Lennon’s 1971 solo effort, Imagine. Harrison’s style is heard immediately in “Gimme Some Truth”, as well as other songs like “How Do You Sleep?” and “Oh My Love”. However, “Gimme Some Truth” is particularly impressive, and that solo is almost aggressive in all the right ways. This song is also one of the few times that Lennon and Harrison got together to record music after The Beatles inevitably broke up in 1970.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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