Sunday morning coming down

Former Beatle George Harrison would have turned 80 yesterday. He was the Beatles’ lead guitarist. In the shadow of John and Paul, he slowly emerged as a songwriter. He had great taste and a gift for three-part harmony. I would like to note the anniversary of his birth with a few of the highlights of his recording career from the Beatles’ songbook and after. Forgive me for omitting your own favorites. They are mine too — I’m trying to keep this within manageable limits.

You can hear George’s heart on his sleeve in a song like the Goffin-King number “Take Good Care of My Baby,” from the Beatles’ unsuccessful 1962 Decca audition. It must have been a staple of their live act. The song had been a number 1 hit for Fargo’s own Bobby Vee. Bobby lived down the street from my folks when they moved to Fargo as newlyweds. I found myself standing next to Bobby at the Minnesota State Fair Pavilion in 1968 or so. We were both in the audience to hear The Fabulous Flippers. Bobby could not have been nicer. I should add that the British Invasion did not help his career. Final comment: I think you can hear why the Beatles ditched Pete Best when they had the chance to replace him with Ringo.

The Beatles recorded Leiber and Stoller’s “Young Blood” with George on the lead vocal in one of the 1963 Live at the BBC recordings. John Lennon makes a familiar sort of contribution to the fun.

John and Paul gave “I’m Happy Just to Dance With You” to George for A Hard Day’s Night. They believed in the group as a group. Ringo’s drumming drives this sweet, sweet song while John and Paul’s background parts help carry it along.

George himself said that he loved the Beatles’ songs in three-part harmony. His contributions on “This Boy” and “Yes It Is” (below) and “Because” are beyond the beyond. George uses a volume pedal in his playing on “Yes It Is,” which is also beautiful. Galeazzo Frudua breaks down the harmony parts in this video. I don’t even understand how George can do what he does with his part on this track.

George began to come into his own as a songwriter on “I Need You.” He is using the volume pedal again to good effect.

We began to hear what George could do as a songwriter on The Beatles — the 1968 double album. I’m trying to avoid the songs that absolutely everyone knows, but we can’t skip over “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” the penultimate song on side 1. That is of course Eric Clapton on lead guitar.

Minnesota’s own Prince Rogers Nelson made a statement with George’s song, backed by Dhani Harrison playing acoustic guitar and singing background at the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame festivities.

“Long Long Long” is another of George’s killer tracks on The Beatles, this one the last track on the tumultous side 3. Peace at last.

George surprised us with the great work he had kept under wraps until the Beatles broke up and he released All Things Must Pass (1970), a double album with a bonus disc of noodling with his friends. It was full of highlights. “Apple Scruffs” was my favorite track.

George released “So Sad” on his 1974 album Dark Horse. The song addresses the breakup of his marriage to Pattie Boyd. Someone on YouTube notes that it’s the other side of Eric Clapton’s “Layla.”

The Beatles recorded a version of George’s “Not Guilty,” but we first heard it on George’s self-titled 1979 album. George generally kept whatever bitterness he harbored out of public view. This song let some of it out. I love this.

I’m skipping “Here Comes the Sun.” I’m hoping to introduce at least a few of you to “Here Comes the Moon,” also from George’s self-titled album.

Let’s go out on a high note. George loved the American rhythm & blues singer James Ray. Written by Rudy Clark, “Got My Mind Set On You” was originally recorded by Ray on his self-titled 1962 album. George retrieved it for one of his biggest hits. This is the extended version. George recorded the song for Cloud Nine (1987).