Tahsinur Rahim, Grade 12
UWC-USA
One of my idols or someone that I really highly admire is the late Beatles member, George Harrison. I have been a fan of the Beatles for God-knows how long, perhaps since I was a little boy. I have listened to all of their albums and can tell you little tidbits and trivia about the band and their history. I even had the great privilege of visiting the UK for the summer where, I got to go to Liverpool for one day, and visit famous Beatles sights, such as John Lennon’s home, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and the Beatles story museum at the Royal Albert Docks. I love their songs and the band members’ songs after they broke up. I love John, Paul, George and Ringo, but if I had to pick one of the fab four to be my favourite, it would be George Harrison. Simply because every song that I have listened to that was written by him are songs that I really like. Without further ado, here is George Harrison in the studio today! Welcome, George.
George: Pleasure to be here!
Me: It is an honour to meet you and have this opportunity to interview you. I have a few questions that I would like to ask you. First off, one of your biggest hit songs for the Beatles is Here Comes the Sun! Amassing an astounding 854 million, 700 thousand, 602 listeners on Spotify. How did you come up with such a melodic tune?
George: Well it was 1969 and I think I announced to my friends that I would leave the band at the beginning of the year. I remembered the discomfort in the band and was getting frankly annoyed by it. I would eventually return later on but I was still annoyed and was like, right let’s just get on with the contract, recordings and stuff and wrap up our last album. One day, we were supposed to have a meeting at Apple, and I didn’t want to go. So instead, I headed to Eric Clapton’s house to relax. I was in the garden, with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars, where I just came up with Here Comes the Sun.
Me: Just like that?
George: Just like that. I guess it was the relief, and relaxation of not having to be with dopey accountants, journalists, and businessmen asking me to sign documents that gave me the opportunity to come up with the song. I think I then completed the rest of the song on holiday in Italy and then recorded with the band over the summer. The song kind of sounded like If I Needed Someone you know.
Me: Brilliant and now moving on to the next question. Your fascination for Indian music and Indian music theory has impacted the band’s music heavily especially the albums near the end of the band’s time such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The White Album with songs like Within you and Without you and Tomorrow Never Knows are great examples of Indian music influencing the band. How did you gain such an interest in Indian music, and have the band incorporate hints of that genre to your music?
George: I remember our movie ‘Help!’ had a classical sitar instrument used in the soundtrack and I remember encountering, Indian thought, in the Bahamas when filming the movie. In the summer of 1965, David Crosby from the Byrds introduced me to Ravi Shankar, and well I got along with him. A year later, I would ask him if I could be his student, and learn the sitar. Then I got into LSD after me, John and our wives had dinner with a dentist friend of ours who slipped it into our coffee.
Me: Sorry? A friend of yours drugged you and John with LSD?
George: Yup. I think LSD had an impact on us because it gave us transcendence of some sort and would help us write the psychedelic-sounding songs you would hear such as Strawberry Fields Forever and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Eventually, I would also go with the band on a retreat to Rishikesh in India to seek a spiritual intervention by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, because the band was arguing at the time, and we hoped it would sort our problems out. Basically, acid, yoga, and a sitar gave you Indian sounding Beatles music.
Me: Thank you for that answer. Finally, moving on to the last question, what made you perform the concert for Bangladesh? I as a Bangladeshi, admire you a lot for that concert, but I just want to know, what made you do the concert for Bangladesh and help raise money for our nation?
George: It was Ravi Shankar that brought my attention to what was going on in Bangladesh. He told me about the cyclone and the war going on, and I must say I was deeply moved by it. I was asked by a friend about helping the country, and so I did. We held the concert with Ravi, Bob Dylan, Ringo and a lot of other musicians on stage. A pretty great success I must say.
Me: Fantastic! Thank you so much for the interview George!
George: Glad I could help.
Bibliography
Jones, M., 2022. George Harrison: The Beatles and Indian Music. [online] Beatlesstory.com. Available at: <https://www.beatlesstory.com/blog/2017/05/29/george-harrison-the-beatles-and-indian-music> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
McGuinness, P., 2022. ‘Here Comes The Sun’: The Story Behind The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ Song. [online] uDiscover Music. Available at: <https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-beatles-here-comes-the-sun-abbey-road-song/> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
Music, T., 2022. Harrison’s Crowning Moment – The Concert For Bangladesh. [online] This Day In Music. Available at: <https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/liner-notes/george-harrison-concert-for-bangladesh/#:~:text=On%201st%20August%201971%2C%20the,New%20York's%20Madison%20Square%20Garden.> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
Image Courtesy: https://www.guitarworld.com/features/george-harrison-greatest-guitar-moments
George: Pleasure to be here!
Me: It is an honour to meet you and have this opportunity to interview you. I have a few questions that I would like to ask you. First off, one of your biggest hit songs for the Beatles is Here Comes the Sun! Amassing an astounding 854 million, 700 thousand, 602 listeners on Spotify. How did you come up with such a melodic tune?
George: Well it was 1969 and I think I announced to my friends that I would leave the band at the beginning of the year. I remembered the discomfort in the band and was getting frankly annoyed by it. I would eventually return later on but I was still annoyed and was like, right let’s just get on with the contract, recordings and stuff and wrap up our last album. One day, we were supposed to have a meeting at Apple, and I didn’t want to go. So instead, I headed to Eric Clapton’s house to relax. I was in the garden, with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars, where I just came up with Here Comes the Sun.
Me: Just like that?
George: Just like that. I guess it was the relief, and relaxation of not having to be with dopey accountants, journalists, and businessmen asking me to sign documents that gave me the opportunity to come up with the song. I think I then completed the rest of the song on holiday in Italy and then recorded with the band over the summer. The song kind of sounded like If I Needed Someone you know.
Me: Brilliant and now moving on to the next question. Your fascination for Indian music and Indian music theory has impacted the band’s music heavily especially the albums near the end of the band’s time such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The White Album with songs like Within you and Without you and Tomorrow Never Knows are great examples of Indian music influencing the band. How did you gain such an interest in Indian music, and have the band incorporate hints of that genre to your music?
George: I remember our movie ‘Help!’ had a classical sitar instrument used in the soundtrack and I remember encountering, Indian thought, in the Bahamas when filming the movie. In the summer of 1965, David Crosby from the Byrds introduced me to Ravi Shankar, and well I got along with him. A year later, I would ask him if I could be his student, and learn the sitar. Then I got into LSD after me, John and our wives had dinner with a dentist friend of ours who slipped it into our coffee.
Me: Sorry? A friend of yours drugged you and John with LSD?
George: Yup. I think LSD had an impact on us because it gave us transcendence of some sort and would help us write the psychedelic-sounding songs you would hear such as Strawberry Fields Forever and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Eventually, I would also go with the band on a retreat to Rishikesh in India to seek a spiritual intervention by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, because the band was arguing at the time, and we hoped it would sort our problems out. Basically, acid, yoga, and a sitar gave you Indian sounding Beatles music.
Me: Thank you for that answer. Finally, moving on to the last question, what made you perform the concert for Bangladesh? I as a Bangladeshi, admire you a lot for that concert, but I just want to know, what made you do the concert for Bangladesh and help raise money for our nation?
George: It was Ravi Shankar that brought my attention to what was going on in Bangladesh. He told me about the cyclone and the war going on, and I must say I was deeply moved by it. I was asked by a friend about helping the country, and so I did. We held the concert with Ravi, Bob Dylan, Ringo and a lot of other musicians on stage. A pretty great success I must say.
Me: Fantastic! Thank you so much for the interview George!
George: Glad I could help.
Bibliography
Jones, M., 2022. George Harrison: The Beatles and Indian Music. [online] Beatlesstory.com. Available at: <https://www.beatlesstory.com/blog/2017/05/29/george-harrison-the-beatles-and-indian-music> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
McGuinness, P., 2022. ‘Here Comes The Sun’: The Story Behind The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ Song. [online] uDiscover Music. Available at: <https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-beatles-here-comes-the-sun-abbey-road-song/> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
Music, T., 2022. Harrison’s Crowning Moment – The Concert For Bangladesh. [online] This Day In Music. Available at: <https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/liner-notes/george-harrison-concert-for-bangladesh/#:~:text=On%201st%20August%201971%2C%20the,New%20York's%20Madison%20Square%20Garden.> [Accessed 2 August 2022].
Image Courtesy: https://www.guitarworld.com/features/george-harrison-greatest-guitar-moments
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