George Martin on George Harrison

[Mini]

Hey Guys,

What do you think of George Martin's comments that it wasn't until George wrote Here Comes the Sun that he realised he had talent and that he regrets that he didn't pay as much attention to him as he had hoped.

I mean did he hear While My Guitar Gently Weeps ? Or Taxman ? Or If I Needed Someone?

I would have thought that he would have realised from Don't Bother Me on With the Beatles. That is such an under rated song. I was very surprised by this comment and felt abit sorry for George as he had to learn the hard way by watching John and Paul.

Then again with John and Paul there you can see why he didn't give him the attention he deserved.

[kylestyle]

I agree. Don't Bother Me is an excellent song. Maybe the "quiet Beatle" shut his mouth far too often (so-to-speak) and therefore didn't give himself the same opportunities to extoll his own virtues like John and Paul would have done.

Love You To, The Inner Light and Within You Without You are grand, ambitious compositions. Surely Sir George Martin would have realised by 1966 (Revolver-era...Taxman, Love You To, I Want To Tell You...all great great songs) that George was a one-man Beatle Superpower in himself!

[Mini]

You know what Love You Too is such an out of this world song for 1966 that it proves to me that George was the avant garde one not John or Paul. I'm glad you mentioned that one.

[Steve-o]

George freely admitted that he didnt have alot of writing chops early on and that he learned a great deal from McLen. I would say 1967 forward, he started to accumulate the backlog of songs, most of which surfaced on ATMP. Dont for a second think that GH could have been as prolific as McLen in writing. Just look at his early, post ATMP solo career. A good song or two, but nothing special, until 1976 or so. But on a song vs song basis, he had a few absolute gems, WAD.

[kylestyle]

You know what Love You Too is such an out of this world song for 1966 that it proves to me that George was the avant garde one not John or Paul. I'm glad you mentioned that one.

that "hang a sign on meeeeeeee-e-e-eeee-e-e-eeeeeeeee" melody bit is genius. Only guys like Serj and Daron from System of a Down can create expressive art like that in 2005. There's something about an eastern melody if merged with a Western pop format, its unlike anything you'll ever hear on Top 40 radio, very unique and very beautiful.

[theDingle]

You know what Love You Too is such an out of this world song for 1966 that it proves to me that George was the avant garde one not John or Paul. I'm glad you mentioned that one.

that "hang a sign on meeeeeeee-e-e-eeee-e-e-eeeeeeeee" melody bit is genius. Only guys like Serj and Daron from System of a Down can create expressive art like that in 2005. There's something about an eastern melody if merged with a Western pop format, its unlike anything you'll ever hear on Top 40 radio, very unique and very beautiful.

I think pressing the issue on WHO was the most avant garde is a mite silly, they were very much a group at this point and they all kept each other keen with those kind of ideas. But I totally agree with you 2 that there were a good many great ideas going on in LYT as well as the song itself, I love it, it holds its own with all other album contributions.

Those kind of unique harmonies showed up in some of their other songs of that Beatle era--there is a name for them in music theory, but I don't know what it is.

[theDingle]

...there is a name...

erm..term I mean, duh...

[Mini]

I think pressing the issue on WHO was the most avant garde is a mite silly, they were very much a group at this point and they all kept each other keen with those kind of ideas. But I totally agree with you 2 that there were a good many great ideas going on in LYT as well as the song itself, I love it, it holds its own with all other album contributions.

Those kind of unique harmonies showed up in some of their other songs of that Beatle era--there is a name for them in music theory, but I don't know what it is.

I agree the avant garde issue is ridiculous I just said it to give George something (no pun intended)

I absolutely love the chorus "Love me while you can.." Indian instruments + guitars and the melody is very eastern like Arabic music.

[Mini]

You know what Love You Too is such an out of this world song for 1966 that it proves to me that George was the avant garde one not John or Paul. I'm glad you mentioned that one.

that "hang a sign on meeeeeeee-e-e-eeee-e-e-eeeeeeeee" melody bit is genius. Only guys like Serj and Daron from System of a Down can create expressive art like that in 2005. There's something about an eastern melody if merged with a Western pop format, its unlike anything you'll ever hear on Top 40 radio, very unique and very beautiful.

You are so right.

Eastern music comprises lots of different instruments that give more musical depth to modern music. If you listen to modern eastern music which is a combination of guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, clarinets + the unique stringed instruments that are peculiar to each country (sitar for India) it really opens up your mind to what is out there. I can see why George was attracted to this. Songs like The Inner Light were based on more traditional musical forms but Within You Without You and Love You Too show what can be achieved when you blend east with west.

[Berkeleyan]

Back to topic: Could Mr. Martin have acted otherwise ?
I mean, Beatle George was great, but Beatle Paul and Beatle John
were beyond that, out of this world.

And anyway, with P & J determining all the moves of the band,
there wasn't much G. Martin could have done beyond the call of duty and his recommendations and suggestions (which were great).