It must have been tough at times for George Harrison. To be in a band with the likes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon—that’s like being an All-Star athlete but sitting behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe and Shaq.
Videos by American Songwriter
But despite that situation, Harrison was able to write more songs that fans might remember for the Beatles. Many of the tracks he wrote became some of the group’s biggest hits. These are five songs you likely didn’t know Harrison wrote for the Beatles.
[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know George Harrison Wrote for Other Artists]
1. “In Spite of All the Danger,” The Quarrymen
Written by Paul McCartney, George Harrison
Before the Beatles were the Beatles, they were the Quarrymen. That band consisted of McCartney, Lennon and Harrison, along with piano player John Lowe and drummer Colin Hanton (no Ringo Starr). This song was the first the group recorded. It was written by McCartney and Harrison, who penned the lyrics and guitar solo, respectively. It was released in the summer of 1958 and in the song, Paul sings,
In spite of all the danger
In spite of all that may be
I’ll do anything for you, anything you want me to
If you’ll be true to me
In spite of all the heartache that you may cause me
I’ll do anything for you, anything you want me to
If you’ll be true to me
2. “Here Comes the Sun,” the Beatles
Written by George Harrison
Released on the Beatles’ 1969 LP, Abbey Road, this song was written solely by Harrison. He penned the tune at Eric Clapton’s house while playing hooky from the Beatles, not wanting to go to a meeting with Apple Records. In some ways, this was the first breakout song for Harrison as a principal writer for the band, though that role was played by him only in spurts.
“‘Here Comes the Sun’ was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: ‘Sign this’ and ‘sign that,'”Harrison wrote in his memoir I, Me, Mine of the songwriting process for the tune. “Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton’s house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars and wrote ‘Here Comes the Sun.'”
On the song, he sings to open the lovely, lilting track,
Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s alright
Little darlin’, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darlin’, it feels like years since it’s been here
3. “Taxman,” the Beatles
Written by George Harrison
Released on the band’s 1966 album, Revolver, this song was written by Harrison, with a little help from Lennon on the lyrics even though it is credited to Harrison alone. As the title suggests, the song is one of protest against the U.K. government, which took an exorbitant portion of the Beatles earnings. This was Harrison’s first big nod as a songwriter for the band, as the track opened the LP, making a big statement with its sharp electric guitar sounds. Sings Harrison,
One, two, three, four
One, two (one, two, three, four)
Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman
Yeah, I’m the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
‘Cause I’m the taxman
Yeah, I’m the taxman
4. “I Me Mine,” the Beatles
Written by George Harrison
This is perhaps Harrison’s most famous song he wrote for the Fab Four. Released on the 1970 album, Let It Be, “I Me Mine” is about consumerism and selfishness. It was also written a time of great tumult for the band, which was on the brink of breaking up—or, losing the sense of the group for the sense of the individual. Fans can watch the 2021 documentary, The Beatles: Let It Be, and see when Harrison brought the song to the group (as Lennon waltzed around with wife Yoko Ono). In the finished version, Harrison sings,
All through the day
I me mine, I me mine, I me mine
All through the night
I me mine, I me mine, I me mine
Now they’re frightened of leaving it
Everyone’s reading it
Comin’ on strong all the time
All through the day
I me mine
I me me mine, I me me mine
I me me mine, I me me mine
5. “You Like Me Too Much,” the Beatles
Written by George Harrison
Released on the group’s 1965 album, Help!, this song is an acoustic and piano-driven offering from the band, more rudimentary blues-rock than the group’s later offerings. It’s a rather simple love song, closer to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” than The White Album. On the ditty, Harrison sings,
Though you’ve gone away this morning
You’ll be back again tonight
Telling me there’ll be no next time
If I just don’t treat you right
You’ll never leave me and you know it’s true
‘Cause you like me too much and I like you
You’ve tried before to leave me
But you haven’t got the nerve
To walk out and make me lonely
Which is all that I deserve
You’ll never leave me and you know it’s true
‘Cause you like me too much and I like you
I really do
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
