George Harrison was quite a talented songwriter, even if he didn’t pen the majority of The Beatles’ work. However, throughout his time with the Fab Four, fans had the privilege of seeing him evolve and improve as a songwriter. His talents cumulated with a collection of solo works that are still revered today. Let’s take a look at just four Harrison songs that we’re particularly fond of. Unless you’re a diehard George Harrison fan, there’s a chance you might not know about these four excellent solo songs!
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1. “I’d Have You Anytime”
This song is technically a solo work by Harrison, though it was co-written by Bob Dylan. And boy, what an excellent partnership that was! This is a gorgeous track. And unsurprisingly, Harrison was nervous about recording it with Bob Dylan in the latter’s own home studio. The result was a stunning opener to All Things Must Pass.
2. “Isn’t It A Pity”
Some would say this track isn’t exactly a “hidden gem”. It might be worthy of that label to fans of The Beatles who are not as familiar with Harrison’s solo work. However, this song has been covered by a few iconic musicians through the years, so it’s a bit difficult to label it as underrated. Nina Simone, Peter Frampton, and Eric Clapton are just a few icons who have performed their own renditions of this George Harrison classic.
3. “Simply Shady”
Most solo songs by George Harrison shared common themes, from spirituality to love to the nature of humanity. “Simply Shady”, though, is unique. Rather than following the traditional themes Harrison loved to explore, “Simply Shady” was a dark sort of confession. This vulnerable track was written during a particularly rough time in his life where he was dealing with addiction and spiritual emptiness in addition to the collapse of his marriage.
4. “All Those Years Ago”
Harrison was one member of the Fab Four who was happy to be “set free” from the constraints of The Beatles upon their breakup. If anything, Harrison was at his best as a solo artist who had successfully stepped out of the shadow of the two main songwriters of the Fab Four. That being said, he wasn’t opposed to having a few of his former Beatles contribute to his solo work. This song, in particular, was a collaborative tribute to the late John Lennon. It was released just six months after Lennon passed away, and we’d say it’s one of the best Lennon tribute songs to date.
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