Bob Dylan and George Harrison famously played together as members of The Traveling Wilburys, one of rock’s all-time supergroups. But their close friendship stretched out long before that, dating back to the 60s.
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In fact, Harrison once wrote a song of encouragement for Dylan. “Behind That Locked Door”, released in 1970 on All Things Must Pass, found Harrison gently urging Dylan to once again let his talent shine upon the wider world.
“Door” Prize
Bob Dylan drastically altered his career path in the second half of the 60s. Following a motorcycle accident in 1966, he largely stepped back from the public eye, shunning most promotional appearances and all live performances.
Many folks thought he’d resurface at the Woodstock festival in 1969, especially because he lived in that area at the time. Instead, he chose for his comeback performance the Isle of Wight Festival in England, an event that took place later in the same month as Woodstock.
George Harrison, who first met Dylan with the rest of The Beatles five years earlier, visited Dylan prior to that massive show. The two had a blast playing music together, doing Everly Brothers songs as if they’d always been musical partners. But Harrison also witnessed Dylan’s unease at stepping back out into the spotlight.
“Behind That Locked Door” came out of that experience. Harrison, perhaps the biggest Dylan fan there was, wanted him to overcome his reluctance and once again show the world what he could do. But Harrison managed to write the song in such a way that it makes sense to anyone who might be feeling concerned about what might happen if they expose their heart to others after being hurt before.
Examining the Lyrics of “Behind That Locked Door”
To strengthen the connection, Harrison recorded “Behind That Locked Door” in a country style similar to what Dylan had done on Nashville Skyline. Harrison even used Pete Drake, the pedal steel guitar player who had also starred on the Dylan record. The laid-back music proves the ideal setting for Harrison’s gentle exhortations.
“Why are you still crying?” Harrison asks to start the song. “Your pain is now through.” The sentiment is very much in keeping with other Harrison songs like “All Things Must Pass” that urge letting go of the past. “The love you are blessed with, the world’s waiting for,” he insists, referencing Dylan’s immense talent.
“It’s time we start smiling,” Harrison explains. “What else should we do?” His philosophy is that life is too short to waste on sorrow. “With only this short time/Gonna be here with you.”
Interestingly enough, Harrison uses the final moments of a song to look forward to a time when he himself might fall into the same funk as Dylan was feeling. “And if ever my love goes,” he sings. “If I’m rich or I’m poor/Please, let out my heart, please, please/From behind that locked door.”
Dylan once again stepped away from live performance after that festival. And the next time he played live? When he joined Harrison for The Concert For Bangladesh. These two men perpetuated one of music history’s most notable examples of mutual appreciation and support between legends. “Behind That Locked Door” is a wonderful byproduct of that relationship.
Photo by Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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