BEATLES: The George Harrison song that accurately predicted the future 

Georges son was attending classes at Brown University in Providence Rhode Island. I was on my way to work and stopped to get a coffee at a shop there. As I walked in to get a coffee I noticed George sitting in a booth with another person. I wanted to go over and just thank him for the great music and memories. But I restrained myself and respected his privacy. On my way out our eyes locked George nodded and smiled. It’s a cherished memory that I will always have! George was a beautiful spirit and a fantastic musician.It’s sad that he suffered so much in his last years.Love You Mr.Harrison.

George's contributions to The Beatles are and always will be greatly appreciated by all Beatle Fans.

And yet - one of the most heartfelt "tribute" songs ever written is George's tribute to John, "All Those Years Ago." It makes me cry every single time.

George is my favorite. Love that his song is the most streamed on Spotify

George was my favorite Beatle, he was quiet, after left the Beatles, going out on his own, brought his music into the limelight . He was different. Singing songs from his heart.😊

I think George's accomplishments alone is enough for him to be considered one of the greatest artist of all time.

George produced some superb stuff and recognition of his songs dawned very late for many people. Additionally, his and Ringo's instrumental contributions to a hell of a lot of songs, even from the early days, were an essential part of their success. The sum of their parts was always greater than the separate - that chemistry was magical!

One of my VERY FAVORITE songs he did was the Beatles TAXMAN. His superb singing and guitar playing REALLY came to light.

Having watched several performances of George Harrison with "The Traveling Wilburys" I had the impression that George H was enjoying that time more than as a "Beatle".

I can't believe George didn't have confidence. He wrote some amazing songs, and I think he helped start the Traveling Willburys. Very talented!!

Don't Bother Me is a very fine song! When I heard it back in 1964-65, it stood out! Harrison gave depth to The Beatles!

This is absolutely brilliant !! I always thought the lyrics were caustic, but now i look at them in a new way. George Harrison was by far the most thoughtful of the songwriting Beatles!!

Even though George should've gotten more credit with the other three,I like George talking about Paul later on in the 80's being asked about his then current relationship and feelings towards Paul being off,he clapped back"I don't care what anybody says about Paul and I being at each other.Weve been friends since grade school and no one is gonna tell me we aren't now because him and I will always be friends no matter what anyone says".So outside of the music,they normally got along fabulously enough that he came across really meaning that.They used to hitchhike together in their teens.Paul did always look out for George,in the group should have been more,obviously,but overall,likewise,they were connected forever,like brothers.I loved that he shrugged off the"battle with Paul"idea that everyone was suggesting at the time.Musically,he was not always happy with Paul,but life for George,and all four,really goes way beyond music.Im happy for George being astute enough to understand that.

George wrote some great songs, that were my favorite songs of all time. "Here comes the Sun" "All things must pass" "Wile my guitar Gently Weeps" all of his songs were so wonderful!

I can understand how George must have felt! He was so underrated! I love his songs and videos! From "Here Comes The Sun" to "Something" to "My Sweet Lord" to songs he co-wrote with Ringo! And I also love his songs with Indian influence! George needed to speak up and tell Paul how he felt! George and I were alike in many ways and that's why he was my second favorite! George was the quiet Beatle and so am I! George expressed his feelings in his songs! I surely appreciated that! Long live George in songs!

George was by far my favorite Beatle. In the 60’s when The Beatles came onto the music radar George’s guitar stood out to me. As I got older, George’s songs made more sense to me. I was entering puberty by the time The Beatles broke up, I bought George’s All Things Must Pass, mainly because the song All things must pass helped me deal with my Mother passing in June 1970. When the album and the song came out in December it spoke to me. As Beatle solo careers took off it was George Harrison and John Lennon’s solo careers I followed the most. Paul’s stuff just did not appeal to me. Ringo liked being on the funny side.

When George put out All things must pass it was a real breath of fresh air.!! It showcased a side &talent of George we never saw with the Beatles !!

George was more tender hearted, more spirituality evolved. Many in today's world would say he was weak. I say he was closer to God. 🙏💖🙏

George wasn't as prolific as Paul and John but he created some gems. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "I Need You", and "If I Needed Someone" are among my favorites.

I AM team George - all the way. He wrote probably the greatest three Beatles songs, Here Comes the Sun, Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Brilliant doesn't even begin to say it. I loved him since I was 9 and I love him still.

Magnificent review of George’s song AND personality!

George's sense of humor and way of expressing things is just brilliant - he is no less a musical genius than Ringo, John and Paul ♪ ♫

This is info we've come to know, after the fact. And it is sad in retrospect. We feel for George, and Ringo ,too. I think the ambitious McCartney & Lennon were so dominated by the machine they helped to create, which included the pressures to prolong the group's hit machine, the PR demands, and their attention to friends, lovers, hobbies, touring...etc., we're blinding to say the least. George finally did come into his own, and in that, we can truly take some comfort.

I think McCartney felt responsible for driving the band forward and ensuring the quality of the product they were producing. He was (or felt he was) the most sophisticated composer they had and this led him to value John's musical input and turn a deaf ear to George's songs and choices. The pressure to keep turning out hit songs was immense for them. The success on a scale they never dared to dream. You climbed a cliff face, got really high. Keep climbing or fall off, success can turn so quickly into a fall and a messy outcome. The guys were so graceful they got out at the right time, bruised but intact. George was full of grace, spirituality and insight, he leapt (acted) at the perfect time.

Out of all the Beatles George Harrison was BY FAR my favorite Although he was nicknamed THE QUIET one because of his laid back demeanor there was nothing quiet about the way he sang and played guitar. His slide guitar playing was phenonemal.

Brilliant analysis. I guess George is smiling up there, that you did him justice.

I was 11 years old when the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. My Dad called me in to watch them knowing I loved their music. I always gravitated to George an Ringo's songs even tho all the songs were great. Needless to say I became a Professional Musician and made a living for over 45 years doing so. With all that said I have to say I busted up laughing when you played Northern Song with your rendition of lyrics, soo true. Thanks for your excellent assessment of an obvious (to me) tumultuous Era for the Beatles. Their loss of Epstein was more difficult emotionally than even they could admit. Carry on my Good Man, you Rock!! I always thought " Don't Bother Me" was one of the best songs on that album. Still do, great hook, great harmonies, great beat! RIP George!

Paul and John's egos grew faster and larger than George and Ringo's did. I'm sure that contributed to how George felt excluded or minimalized. In a way, "The Beatles" as a rock and roll phenomenon was probably over for them as a tight unit by the end of '65. It's a shame they never really got their cards on the table. Maybe if they'd had, The Beatles would have had a longer career together. I think your assessment of this song is spot on. Even back when it was released, I thought something was rong, but as a little kid, I couldn't suss out what it was. I think you nailed it.

Always liked this tune, never understood why a lot of people say its one of their worst.

I think this was an almost flawless analysis of their interactions. Great job, loved every minute of it.

This is the best and most predictable insight of how the Beatles worked together that fans have been waiting for. An intelligent description of how each band member viewed themselves and others is a remarkable eye opener, especially in the case of George’s unsurpassed talents being completely ignored was a devastating loss to the Beatles and the musical world, forever.

The best musical analysis I have ever watched. The bar is set very high here. Was George in the wrong band? From the suffering he underwent, undoubtedly yes, nobody 'deserves' such pain and torment. But as a bequest to us, to history, to music itself? Who knows if he would ever have written his greatest works without going through the nightmare of humiliation and deprecation that he endured. From a songwriting perspective, judging from what was mercilessly rejected and ignored, it doesn't look as if George's contribution could be characterised as being the stubborn piece of 'grit in the oyster' that filled the Fab Four's catalogue with most of its dazzlingly precious pearls. But turned the other way round, it definitely looks as if Paul and John were the grit in George's songwriting oyster. He has enough pent-up frustration and bitterness to write an endless succession of songs which are outpourings of resentment, misery and grief. Misery is a powerful muse. His voice and lyrics are mostly laced with tragedy and regret. But let's not forget that his writing, whilst it was most often systematically held back from making its mark on the Beatles' legacy and contributing to their success, his guitar playing was not. He was one of the most influential musicians who ever lived. Great songwriting and distinctive vocals, as crucial as they were to making the Beatles the Beatles, were still only part of the recipe: if George Martin's contribution was crucial as arranger and producer, as 'the fifth Beatle' that did so much to make the Beatles sound the way they did, then George's guitar was no less important to a sound where the uniqueness of the tunes, singing and lyrics just can't be separated from the signature inventiveness of the production and instrumentation. The trials and tribulations of George are an 'agony and ecstasy' story and perhaps we need to temper our delight at his incomparably uplifting gifts to us with more than a bit of guilt about how we are the beneficiaries of great suffering. Thanks George, as far as we are all concerned, it was definitely worth it and you deserved much better.

Another Harrison composition..."Long, Long, Long", from 'The Beatles', (also known as 'The White Album"), is another hidden Harrison gem. I'm not usually a fan of Beatles covers, from other bands...but there is one of this track, that is absolutely gorgeous. A father and daughter harmony duet, that is fantastic. It is listed on RU-vid as, "Long, long, long" A tribute to George Harrison, with the name Stanley Samuelson as the poster. Give it a listen...you won't be disappointed.

Really great deep dive into this number most overlook. George is a gas. I was a Beatle Nut and my father always brought home each record as they were released. Thanks!

@James Hargreaves Guitar - I loved this essay. I'm not sure I agree with all of your observations but I love your take on the relationship between Harrison and McCartney. Thanks for an awesome and thought provoking watch! I particularly loved your closing statement of not taking sides. I feel the same way! I don't think you need to dislike the others just because one is your favourite! Thank you, sir!

An extremely compelling analysis all the way around. I've always thought there was more to that song than it initially seems, and you did an excellent job of connecting the dots. Well done, sir!

Very interesting analysis. While the vast majority of the song is likely directed to John and Paul, I believe some of it may be directed towards George Martin who also neglected Harrison throughout the Beatle years. I recall reading an interview where Martin specifically mentioned that he didn't like Northern Song. I also recall reading that Martin apologized to Harrison (long after the breakup) for neglecting and under-rating his talent.

This and Its All Too Much are by far the best songs George wrote whilst in The Beatles. Re OANS, its been widely accepted that George wrote this after finding out that his songs were published through Northern Songs by default, and that as an owner of Northern Songs to the tune of 0.5%, he was pretty much employed as a staff writer, while Lennon/McCartney and Dick James were getting rich from his songs. It was one of the things that led him to push Harrisongs, and begin writing much more than he had been. As a songwriter, a lot of people think that L/Mc were the two who pushed The Beatles into new territories, and that an album like Sgt Pepper was groundbreaking, but I'd make a case that it was George who pushed further than the others; Within You Without You broke completely new territory that had never been heard before. Who else had *ever* written a pop song specifically for Indian instruments, and then had it orchestrated with a classical arrangement? Those three worlds had never met so effectively until George put them together. John and Paul were the better songwriters, but George did things his own way.

George was always my favourite Beatle for all these reasons but mainly for his songs.

This is terrific. I love James' insights into all this. They make absolute sense. Thanks for sharing.

An outstanding summary! I was 16 when I first heard OaNS. Didn't quite "get it", just thought it went along with the album's concept. You've made perfectly good sense of it. Americans loved George because he was so humble. We also knew he was a very talented songwriter through his earlier efforts. Loved George and Ringo too. What's great about your summary is that you took us "full circle" and it can't get better than that. Thanks a whole lot! BTW, George came down here to Southern Illinois to visit his sister in Benton 50 years ago. His first solo LP was magnificent and awe inspiring. I'll always miss him. I only could wish someone would make a movie about him - thanks to you, there's a great story to be told about him. He deserved far more praise than he ever received. Thanks again.

The rarest of gems is the rock group where all the players get along.

At first I was a die hard Lennon fan on his use of lyrics and word play and makes you think about yourself and society. Then I enjoyed Paul’s songs as it was very much about love and the person you love. Then I started listening really listened to George’s song and now I’m a super fan of his.

I think this is something that from very beginning, was inevitable. George was an amazingly talented musician and song writer. I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must have been to have his creativity restrained in such a manner.

Great analysis. I’m a huge fan of George’s songs and this is no exception. For some reason people tend to only recognize George’s Abbey Road tracks but I think all of his stuff was great. He brought his own flavour into the Beatles idiom with a mildly sardonic wit that perfectly complimented Paul’s sweetness and John’s rebelliousness.

"The main thing is this: You have always been boss. Now I've been, sort of, secondary boss." This is the exact quote in 'Get Back' from Paul to John, not the other way around. John would never have said that to Paul.

In the Get Back documentary you never see any friendly chat between George and Paul and yet George makes the brilliant contribution to the song Get Back by suggesting it should slow down and build up again which absolutely lifts the song. Plus, how much more mature is George's song All things must pass compared to the twee tin pan alley of the thematically similar acceptance of change Let it be.

I think that musically, "Only A Northern Song" belongs along side "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields". It's a great psychadelic song!

The exact same thing happened with the Rolling Stones, where the band began to revolve around Mick Jagger and Keith Richards due to their song writing and production talents, with the other members (Jones, Watts, and Wyman) relegated to a supporting role. Bill Wyman writes about this in his book, "Stone Alone" where he said Jagger and Richard looked upon Bill's efforts at song writing as little more than a "hobby", not to be encouraged or taken seriously. Brian Jones feared he would be ridiculed if he presented a song to the group that he had written. Wyman thought that Keith Richards actively undermined Brian Jones' self confidence. Mick Taylor quit the group after five years when his contributions to some of their songs were not acknowledged, when he was promised they would be. Many rock groups had internal conflict when it became apparent that the big money was in song writing royalties. Credence Clearwater Revival is perhaps the worst example!

I think Don't Bother Me is more than an OK song. It is a pretty catchy song with downbeat lyrics instead of the happy ones that Lennon and McCartney were writing. It is enough of a good song to encourage George by saying what else do you have George in the way of songs. The songs he contributed of Help, Rubber Soul and Revolver are worthy to be on Beatles albums. Although George did receive some help with Taxman I think it is his first song that rose to the level of the best of what Lennon & McCartney produced. Then in the last part of The Beatles recording career he really blossom. He produced two of the best songs on Abbey Road. I often joke that All Things Must Past was George's I'll show them album. lol :)

Excellent video, well thought out and perceptive. Thank you!

I loved Don't Bother Me the first time I heard it in 1964. Still love it. The instrumental track is quite thrilling.

What a great analysis! There really is much more to this song than I realised. Only A Northern Song would have been a perfect fit for Sgt Pepper as many of the songs deal with loneliness and this song is about loneliness within The Beatles.

WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL:: sensitive, intelligent, informative, personal, hugely human and relatible...maybe the best Beatle review I've EVER heard. Brings together the essence of their souls and mine, I ME MINE !!!, .... just like their music did......bravo sir.... take a bow.

wow, this really hits home. My first listen of northern song was summertime ~1971. I liked the song and played the record over and over. I noticed it was different and something odd or dark in it, but never knew what to say about it. I guess it was just over my head. Now, 50+ yrs later, i see your video and it totally makes sense. Thank you!

you my friend from across the pond are so interesting, i loved your discussion about Noel Gallagher and the suggestion of AI writing the title song, Council skies...your use of playing the chords. and referencing the actual previous releases was mind-blowing. up until that point i only knew Noel as a member of you know who....so to that end you turned me on to his solo work...which in turn made me go buy tickets for my daughter and myself to see him in Atlanta in 2023...but this is so well presented, its lucid, quite logical and allowed me who by the way am ( 62) to see something about the Beatles i kinda had heard but never really understood thank you SO MUCH!!..you rock my friend!!!

Very intelligently spoken. Well done mate! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

"All the way through he has both Lennon (on glockenspiel) and McCartney (on trumpet) creating an ungodly racket on top os his song from start to finish"

Well done, James. This "deep-dive" was insightful and brilliant.

Well done and very insightful. Thank you!

Great insights well presented. Your analysis is thought provoking, to say the least. Well done for throwing much appreciated new light into a seemingly unloved corner of the Beatles' catalogue.

When George sings that the "harmony is a little dark and out of key", Paul stays on the tonic with the bass and George goes to other chord, actually making it sound out of key.

A brilliant synopsis of Harrison's song! Its so George to get his frustrations out in this way. I always loved the ironic lyrics and dissonant sounds that are every bit a beatlesque sound! I like it even more now that you gave me a new appreciation for who it was directed at. I think I always thought it was railing against EMI. But now that I realize just how brutal the Lennon-McCartney team was on him, I see it like you do!

What an excellent breakdown of this song. Well done!

I normally don't like videos with a lot of build up to the actual topic of the video, but this was really well done. Extremely interesting take on Only a Northern Song. Have never thought of it that way before. Happy to be a new subscriber!

I liked this song immediately. I liked the strangeness of Only a Northern Song. I only recently discovered that the song was a criticism of his band mates and the publishing company. I also heard that George Martin didn’t like the song, and that may have what ultimately nixed it from Sgt. Pepper. By 1966 George was writing one great song after another. Also on Yellow Submarine is It’s all Too Much, which is arguably one of the best underrated Beatles songs, and one that sadly got lost in the shuffle.

BRILLIANT ESSAY!! Well done, indeed!! Your level of insight is truly remarkable. Frankly, I've always admired George as the Beatle who wrote the band's TWO BEST SONGS: "Here Comes the Sun," and "Something." :)

Great documentary. One of the best I’ve seen in a while.

Fantastic video. You’ve done a great job!

Yes, he was a legend. And held the intellect to lampoon them - but it went right over their heads.

Very interesting take on this subject. You really made me take note. Great video!!!

George in the end showed he was just as great singer an song writer as a Beatle / solo artist. My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes The Sun and Something and many songs. These songs were major hits for the Beatles!

Northern song was one of my favorites on the album. A real ear pleaser.

I know this is bad news for Beatles fans, but I think you nailed it. George and Paul were friends as kids, but George grew to dislike Paul. Paul's personality was like a fingernail on a blackboard to George. You can clearly see this in his many snide, mocking comments about Paul in TV interviews of the 70s and 80s.

Whew, this video was a real eye opener, I never realized it all like this. I read in May Pang's book that George slapped John because he was so frustrated. Maybe that's why George turned to spiritual things more intensely, to better deal with his frustration. Thanks for your effort!

Wow. I was a teen in the Beatles initial heyday, and though I liked this song, and was always kinda fascinated with George, I never even gave these lyrics much thought, other than knowing it was generally about songwriting. This deep dive into the song's lyrics and music is eye-opening, and it absolutely rings true. It also is a definitive example of George's eloquence as a songwriter. There's no denying the genius of the others, and I guess it's true that someone had to take charge of the group in Brian's absence lest they just wander off in a loose and messy collection of 4 different musical personalities. But imagine how even more prolific the Beatles would have been, if that's even possible, if Lennon and McCartney had included him a bit more in the creative process.

Eye opening and brilliantly presented. I am new to your channel and now a fan.

George is my favorite BEATLE. I never looked at the lyrics this way but, it makes sense. Damn!

Good, thoughtful analysis! I really appreciate your take on this!!

Don't Bother Me was one of my favorite songs on that album. I didn't realize George wrote it but it was great. I was disappointed that Paul didn't sing it on his Got Back tour. Now I know why.

I think you are spot on. Very well delivered and thought out monolog. While I love a lot of the Beatles music, my favorite songs of that band has ALWAYS been Harrison songs. I was alive for ALL of it and my feelings about this has not changed.

Seeing similar tensions in the rehearsal room in multiple bands years ago came flashing back watching this. It was rather whimsical how this popped into my feed and I clicked on it. I'm not sure how I feel right now.

I think that's an excellent analysis James. Thank you for that!

This was an excellent outline. Yes, George did graduate as a great writer. He dominates Abbey Road with the two best songs.

From watching him on video clips I always enjoyed George’s sense of humor. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and taste. For me, some of my favorite Beatles songs were written by George, even from the early days; but also ones that I like the least were we written by him as well. I find it a little bit amazing how L/Mc could think that “while my guitar gently weeps” was anything other than a great song back when they were doing it. Oh well. I guess you had to be there. I Love George, and I miss him.

Like many people, when I first took up listening to the Beatles I gravitated toward John's music and others listen to Paul. But once I started really listening to the Beatles I found myself becoming a George fan. I found he was genuinely honest in everything he wrote. He meant it! He wasn't trying to impress anyone or even cared if his songs were popular. As a person he was quiet, not because he was shy, but because he only spoke when he felt he had something important to say. I was recently watching an old talk show known as "The Dick Cavett Show" and George was on, and he was asked by the host why he was so quiet and he stated exactly that! Now one might ask what was he doing on a talk show being George was not a public person and the reason was simple, he was promoting the album, "Concert for Bangledesh". George continued being like this his entire life.

Insightful, thoughtful, and interesting! Thank you!

Hi James. I'd seen this video before I wrote, only 3 months ago, how much I liked it. Today I watched it again, and this time I thought, nah, I didn't give James enough credit, because now I think it was even better than what I first wrote. This is your best summary for me, and I'd already watched a lot of your vids. x Linda.

Most interesting! I never thought of this song like this; probably because I was so young when it was released (I must have been 14). I was thinking he (George) was just playing with words, and that he didn't want anyone to take the song too serious! Just playing around, cause he could! To me - it was Always obvious that Paul was different in how he wanted to produce music. I guess that's ok, but it wasn't how the rest of the band travelled. To me - they (each) were more about adding their Own specializations to the music. Paul wanted things His way! I'm Not a fan of Paul! I honestly think that George got it right! I. think he discovered that he was Really very talented! He always conveyed his thoughts and emotions. Great video!

Great analysis. I've always thought this song was profoundly philosophical; a commentary on non materialism . You've changed my mind. I've always enjoyed the puzzles thrown up by apparently simple/trivial songs (Badge by Cream is another) Thanks

Really insightful analysis. Brilliantly done. Thanks a lot.

What a great analysis of a fantastic song! I watched it twice and found it entertaining and informative. Plus I can play it on my guitar now after watching you do it, thanks! You could maybe do a sequel now about the other publishing companies that came to be, Harrisongs and Startling music, and how it took some years for those companies to become successful. I'm subscribing now!

I’ve always loved George his songs were some of my favorites when he was with the Beatles

All things must pass is the greatest Beatle album ;) I love the fact he overcame the dysfuntion and domination with great aplomb. He understood how great the music writing talent was , that he was up against, and the maturity of an equally great talent not to have squandered his chances by falling out trying to destroy what they had. A genius to comprehend the whole picture and subtly subvert the direction in order to bring about eventual blossoming of himself .

Thank you so very much for this detailed and passionate analysis! Kudos and respect.

Superb Mini-documentary. Very thoughtful. ❤

All I can think is how incredibly sad. Everyone wants to feel they are valued and George obviously felt like he wasn’t valued as an equal.

I always wondered why there wen't very many songs written by Harrison and Starr actually their songs are some of my favorites I'm ashamed to admit I never knew how talented Harrison was until the Traveling Wilbury's where he shinned like the the star he was

I'm not so deep into the Beatles that I can challenge anything you say here, but your argument seems to be plausible and it's made in a very engaging fashion. I feel like I've learned something, even if it may be as much about your particular perspective on the personal dynamics within the band as it is on George Harrison's song writing intent. You've made a compelling presentation. Well done.

THANK YOU, FOR EXPLAINING SOME OF THIS BACKSTORY OF THE BEATLES!.. I ALWAYS LOVED GEORGE HARRISON'S MUSIC, THE MOST!!