George Harrison wrote and released a few songs that indirectly alluded to his time with The Beatles. For example, “Run Of The Mill” expresses subtle disappointment about the behavior of Paul McCartney. And “Wah-Wah” came from Yoko Ono’s screeching singing during the Let It Be sessions.
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Meanwhile, these four songs from Harrison’s estimable body of work make direct reference to either the Fab Four or their catalog. Let’s see what George had to say about his former band when left to his own musical devices.
“Living In The Material World” from ‘Living In The Material World’ (1973)
By 1973, the personal relationships among the four members of The Beatles had healed a bit, even as their legal wranglings continued. Perhaps that’s why Harrison felt like it was OK to name-drop his former bandmates on the title track of his second post-Fab Four solo album. “Living In The Material World” sums up some of the struggles Harrison had reconciling his spiritual yearnings with down-to-earth matters. Since The Beatles were such a part of his life, why not call them out toward the end of the song? “Met them all here in the material world,” Harrison sings. “John and Paul in the material world”. And he didn’t forget his drummer: “Though we started out quite poor / We got Richie on a tour.”
“This Guitar (Can’t Keep From Crying)” from ‘Extra Texture (Read All About it)’ (1975)
George Harrison underwent a 1974 tour during which the ragged condition of his vocals drew the attention of snarky critics. When Harrison read these nasty notices, he had a hard time making sense of them. From his viewpoint, the audience at the shows seemed pleased with what they’d seen and heard. “This Guitar (Can’t Keep From Crying)” was his response. Harrison has some fun with wordplay aimed at the press that had hounded him. “Can even climb Rolling Stone walls,” he sings with a wink. As for the title, even the most casual of Beatles fans should be able to recognize that it’s a direct callback to “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, one of Harrison’s most monumental songs with the Fab Four.
“All Those Years Ago” from ‘Somewhere In England’ (1981)
Harrison originally wrote this song for Ringo Starr to record. Ringo didn’t think it fit him, as he was concerned that the key was a little too high for his vocals. Harrison then took the song back and adjusted the lyrics after the death of John Lennon in 1980. The “you” that he references in the song is Lennon, as Harrison recounts his various accomplishments. Give credit to Harrison for slyly referencing some of the ups and downs in his relationship with Lennon when he sings, “Living with good and bad / I always looked up to you.” Harrison also makes allusions to the public perception of Lennon (“You were the one that they said was so weird”). To make the tribute really hit home, he enlisted Starr on drums and Paul McCartney on backing vocals.
“When We Was Fab” from ‘Cloud Nine’ (1987)
His so-called “comeback” album, Cloud Nine found Harrison fully engaged on a record in a way that he hadn’t truly been since the early 70s. It felt like the perfect time for him to look back at his Beatles days with a little bit of clear-eyed sentiment. “When We Was Fab” achieved that. Thanks to the cleverness of producer Jeff Lynne, it expertly references different Beatles’ musical signposts. The icy piano notes recall “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, while the enveloping sitars of songs like “Within You Without You” also make an appearance. Harrison throws in allusions to Bob Dylan and old blues songs. He suggests that the press focused on the wrong things when it came to The Beatles: “The microscopes have magnified the tears.” But mostly, the song concentrates on warm vibes and fond memories.
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