The BeAtLeS All Wrote influential songs - George's most influential is.......?

[Paperback Writer]

George wrote many influential songs with the Beatles, most were not "break-outs" - but some were - select your most influential Beatle George song - and why?

A. Think For Yourself (An early 'message' song from the Beatles - and it was George!)

B. Taxman  (A direct 'hit' on the establishment, it rocks and has hooks, too!)

C. Within You Without You  (Total freak-out in it's day and forerunner of World music and Indian music in rock).

D. While My Guitar Gently weeps  (Brings 'outsider' Clapton into the fold and brings anthemic/spititual rock out front.

E. Something (Now George has"A"-side hit and world acclaim with this immortal love song.

F. Others (There are many!)

Check in on your George vibe!   

[mervap]

I'll go with "Something"....more covers of this one than any other Beatles song except "Yesterday". Also Frank Sinatra's fave Lennon-McCartney song! 

[lampie1970]

yup...something....its a runaway for me for influential....

other george faves are: Don't Bother me, if i needed someone, think for yourself, and of course while my guitar gently weeps

[SavoyTruffle]

1) Something -there cannot be another Harrison song better than this one.(Sinatra---of all ppl--thought it was one of the greatest love songs of the last 50 years (of course 'ol blue eyes' spoke these words in the early 70's. Since then, George's masterpiece has done even better. It's become his ultimate evergreen)

2) The Inner Light- A song that was almost overlooked (being the B -side of the of the Lady Madonna single on Capitol in '68) This song, probably more than any other encapsulates Hari's spiritualism and personal philosophy)

3)Don't Bother Me-George's lead vocal debut way back in 1963 !!!

4)Here Comes The Sun-to me, this one was George's own version of All You Need Is Love in that it  emphasizes hope and perseverance w/the same intensity (and strong melody) as the classic Lennon/Macca anthem

5)Taxman- The boys must've thought as highly of this scathing pounce on 1960's English politics and economics as the rest us ultimately did since they chose it to be Revolver's kick off number. For so many years I thought that was George on the lead guitar break...only to find out it was Macca!! It's a killer song..always has been)

[mervap]

The Inner Light- A song that was almost overlooked (being the B -side of the of the Lady Madonna single on Capitol in '68) This song, probably more than any other encapsulates Hari's spiritualism and personal philosophy)

And a beautiful melody to boot! My fave of Hari's 'rag rock'!

[Roger SB]

i think that Here Comes The Sun is George's best ever song. it's a great song to relax you after a tough day.

[Paperback Writer]

It may not be George's best song, but his most influential song, for me, was "Within You Without You."  To hear that song in 67 - 41 years ago - was truly unique.  You can really sense that even today - when you listen to it in context -by listening to the entire Sgt. Pepper album  - it's different even there!

Though George had already written stand-outs - this distinguished him in the music world and gave him  his latter day Beatle identity.   

[lampie1970]

i truly envy the "i was there and..." sensibility...i learned about the beatles somewhat backwards: i mean jeez...they broke up the year i was born(before i was born) i listened to their music all out of order (on compilations at first, no less) and john was already dead when i started really getting into them...so i really try to listen when you tell me what it was like...and i really think that must be awesome to have those kinds of memories...anytime you want to share, just know im listening ;) and just trying to imagine it all...

[SavoyTruffle]

i truly envy the "i was there and..." sensibility...i learned about the beatles somewhat backwards: i mean jeez...they broke up the year i was born(before i was born) i listened to their music all out of order (on compilations at first, no less) and john was already dead when i started really getting into them...so i really try to listen when you tell me what it was like...and i really think that must be awesome to have those kinds of memories...anytime you want to share, just know im listening ;) and just trying to imagine it all...

Thx 4 adding this, Lampie:) I have to say, it really was a very magical time (especially if you were a young teen) Ask anyone that was there. Unless they were living in a cave, they had to have been effected by the giant events of that era : Beatlemania & the entire Brit Invasion(which was all-pervasive and humongous), JFK, Vietnam...etc. I've often wanted to go back in time--if only for a short time--just to re-live what I did live ! :)

[Paperback Writer]

Thanks Lampie for your sensibility and for reading our stuff! 

The best way to recreate that feeling, is to listen to Paul's own depictions of these times, as played and performed on his great Flaming Pie album.

Especially listen and feel these two songs:  "The World Tonight" and "The Song We Were Singing."  It captures the memory and spirit of those times very well - and this is Paul!  He was there - very there!

[2 of 3]

Interesting that Something is regarded as a "beautiful lovesong" and of course it is...but it is common knowledge that Mr Harrison wasn't exactly faithful with his lady folks...which reminds me of another...Mr Lightfoot...who also wrote some beautiful love songs...and he too was a cad!.

What was the question again? ..oh yeah...I would say..If I Needed Someone...or what ever song he first started using that 12 string electric....seems to me a bunch of other artists quickly jumped on that one.

[mervap]

I think the first song George used the 12 string Rick on was "You Can't Do That".


I think...

[lampie1970]

Thanks Lampie for your sensibility and for reading our stuff! 

you're absolutely welcome of course!

Especially listen and feel these two songs:  "The World Tonight" and "The Song We Were Singing."  It captures the memory and spirit of those times very well - and this is Paul!  He was there - very there!

...and those are two of my faves...I will queue them up today, just cause you said!! ;)

[Paperback Writer]

Another vote for E. Something, sent in yesterday by Paul McCartney!

[SavoyTruffle]

Mr Lightfoot...who also wrote some beautiful love songs...and he too was a cad!.

Those rascally Canadians !!!  (all jokes aside, 'ol Gord is one of my fave folk/pop singers of all time. A guy who had something to do w/ a song like "If You Could Read My Mind" cant be all bad..)