“Beware of Darkness” might not have been one of the big hits off George Harrison’s smash triple album All Things Must Pass. But it provided a prime example of the substantive, searching work that Harrison proved he could do once departing The Beatles and getting a chance to spread his solo wings.
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What was the song about? And how did Harrison assemble a cast of the best musicians in the world to put that track and that album together? Let’s take a look back at how “Beware of Darkness” came together.
Quiet No More
Harrison blew the notion of him being the “quiet” Beatle to smithereens when All Things Must Pass arrived in 1970. No one would have bet when The Beatles broke up that he would be the guy to win the first round of the solo sweepstakes over John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Looking back at it now, however, it kind of makes perfect sense.
After all, Harrison had delivered arguably the two finest songs on the Beatles’ final studio album Abbey Road with “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun,” so he was clearly reaching a creative peak. On top of that, he had a backlog of material building up, considering he was usually only permitted one or two tracks per Fab Four record. Some of the finest tracks on All Things Must Pass were songs that he had wanted to record with his former group.
More than anything else, Harrison simply had a lot to say on deep topics like spirituality, relationships, and even death. He was a seeker, and his songs tended to reflect his questing nature. “Beware of Darkness,” in particular, came from Harrison’s interest in the Hare Krishna movement. The line, Beware of Maya, is directly inspired by the teachings of that faith.
The Best Sidemen in the Biz
Another thing that All Things Must Pass proved was just how respected and beloved Harrison was among his fellow musicians. Reading the credits of that album is like going through a who’s who of the top players at the time. With producer Phil Spector at the helm, the album hit like his Wall of Sound approach from the early ‘60s on steroids.
“Beware of Darkness” gives you a taste of that excellence. In addition to Harrison, his good buddy Eric Clapton played electric guitar, and Dave Mason, who played in Traffic and went on to an outstanding solo career of his own, was on acoustic. Another future hitmaker, Gary Wright, played organ. Harrison also enlisted his old buddy Ringo Starr to provide his inimitable drumming touch on the slow ones in this track.
One other interesting note in terms of the credits here: Bobby Whitlock played piano and Carl Radle bass. Clapton was clearly listening closely to what they were doing, because he would enlist both players to join him in the band Derek and the Dominos, an outfit whose lone album included the monumental hit “Layla.”
The Meaning of “Beware of Darkness”
Harrison is sending a message on “Beware of Darkness” to his listeners, asking them to be vigilant about focusing on the important things in life and steering clear of what’s nonessential. Who should you avoid? Falling swingers, greedy leaders, and soft shoe shufflers, Harrison’s code names for those who would distract you from your path to enlightenment.
If not, you end up with hopelessness and darkness. In the bridge, Harrison’s voice rises into its upper register to emphasize just how important it is to stay on the right path. It can hit you, it can hurt you, he warns of these nefarious states. Make you sore and what is more / That is not what you are here for.
A strong current of empathy also runs through the song, as Harrison spares a thought for each unconscious sufferer. “Beware of Darkness” is deep stuff, indeed, played with soul and sung with heart. It captures George Harrison in the middle of his lifelong quest, bringing his listeners with him for the heady ride.
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Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns
