As great as the songs that George penned in the Beatles are, it is one of his b-sides from the All Things Must Pass sessions that struck a note with me. “I Live for You” was unearthed when Capitol records reissued All Things Must Pass as a double CD earlier this year. The track features a slide guitar that cries as simply as Harrison”s voice coos “Yes, its true/I live for you.” Immediately after this somewhat simple lyrical couplet, Harrison”s guitar slides through a series of country-fried licks. “I Live For You” takes what Harrison perfected on All Things Must Pass (simple, candid honest pop-songs) and infuses his mastery of the instrument as an expressionist piece. It”s the most moving piece of music he”s recorded.
- Paul Wong
- AP Photo
Luke Smith, Daily Music Editor
As a child my parents constantly played Indian pop and traditional music on long driving trips. After coming to college I wasn”t around it as much until I noticed the warm, familiar sound of the sitar and tabla in “Within You Without You” on Sgt. Pepper”s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Harrison reintroduced me to Indian music and a part of my childhood.
Kiran Divvela, Daily Arts Writer
“A Hard Day”s Night,” 1964. After the second chorus, Ringo rumbles out a staccato fill, John Lennon throws his head back and howls joyously and Harrison plucks out a melifluous trilling solo on his new Rickenbacker 360 12-string guitar. In these 13 seconds, Harrison almost singlehandedly invents “jangle” rock “n” roll. We”ll hear this ringing, reverb-rich sound again, of course, not only in the haunting syncopated echoes of the opening riff to “Ticket To Ride,” but later, too, in the Byrds”s cascading arrangements, Tom Petty”s pithy harmonies, R.E.M.”s early hybrid of new wave-folk rock and even as recently as the memorable lead-in to “Airbag,” on Radiohead”s OK Computer. Harrison”s sound takes the groan and anarchic grimace out of lead guitar, turns it into something quieter, even lilting.
Nicholas Harp, Daily Arts Writer
If I had to choose a favorite Harrison song during his stint with the Beatles it would have to be “Think For Yourself” off of Rubber Soul. The band began maturing at this point in their career and George expressed it perfectly in the song. While most people raved about “Nowhere Man” and “Norwegian Wood,” Harrison”s catchy “Think For Yourself” was for me the hidden jewel of the album.
Growing up I was obsessed with the children”s fantasy film “Time Bandits.” George Harrison was the executive producer and anyone who can convince a studio to make a movie about time traveling British midgets is a legend in my book. On top of that he provided the blissful song “Dream Away” for the closing credits. I remember fast-forwarding to the end just to listen to it when I was little.
Jeff Dickerson TV/New Media Editor
He was called the quiet Beatle, but when he wasn”t fusing Indian sitars with Western music in “Norwegian Wood,” he was continually expanding his horizons and making people laugh. Many people may not know, but it was his studio that produced “Monty Python and the Life of Brian. He was a talent on par with John, Paul and Ringo solo or with the Fab Four.
Ryan Blay, Daily Arts Writer
“Something,” off of Abbey Road. This song was George”s baby and you can hear it in every carefully crafted note and nuance. The change in the bridge catches the casual listener napping, because after being sweetly lulled and wooed, Harrison suddenly comes on strong he comes off as a sap with backbone. But then he slides off the bridge going casually back into the relaxed comfort of the verses” languid love and one of the best solos of his career.
“Savoy Truffle,” off the The Beatles (The White Album). “Lyrics? We don”t need no stinking lyrics!” Yes, the words to this song are basically either Harrison reading a candy box top or bitching about stuff, but the keyboard intro is pretty sexy. George will have the bitter chocolate cordial, thank you.