The 4 George Harrison songs that Paul McCartney loves

Paul McCartney and George Harrison met each other for the first time years before The Beatles were formed. Their relationship was not always the best, especially after the band’s success, since Harrison said many times said that Paul and John not always accepted his contributions to the songs.

But, they remained friends over the decades and loved each other very much, always praising each others work. Both of them also had very successful solo careers and McCartney even talked many times of the songs written by the late musician. Rock and Roll Garage selected the 4 songs written by George Harrison that Paul McCartney loves.

The 4 songs written by George Harrison that Paul McCartney loves

“Marwa Blues”

After The Beatles came to an end in 1970, Paul, George, Ringo and John instantly focused on their solo careers. They released many solo records especially in the 70s. Many music fans expected that John’s and Paul’s efforts would be more successful that the ones from Ringo and George, since their were the main songwriters of The Beatles.

But it was the George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” that was the most successful album from a Beatles member. The record was released in 1970 and since then it had been certified six-times as platinum.

But, when asked by Uncut magazine back in 2003 to list some of his favorite songs of all time, the one from George Harrison chosen by Paul McCartney was “Marwa Blues”. The instrumental track was released on Harrison’s final album “Brainwashed” (2002), that was posthumously finished by his son Dhani Harrison and ELO’s Jeff Lynne. It shows once more the importance of the influence that the music made in India had on Harrison.

“Here Comes The Sun”

Even though Paul McCartney and John Lennon were The Beatles’ main lyricists, George and Ringo had the opportunity many times to record their own songs with band. One of Harrison’s biggest tracks released with the group was “Here Comes The Sun”. The track was part of  their 1969 album “Abbey Road”.

In 2020, Paul McCartney was asked during a session of questions and answers on Reddit which was his favorite track written by Geroge. He said: “Here Comes The Sun. It is a brilliant song and the kind of song that’s really good in times like these”.

Talking with the Clear + Vivid podcast in 2020, Paul McCartney recalled that George Harrison used to ask him how he created characters for the songs. The musician also said that Harrison didn’t realized he was doing the same with tracks like “Here Comes The Sun”.

“It’s funny. George Harrison often said to me, ‘How do you do that!?’ Cos his stuff is sort of biographical. He’ll be feeling a certain way – ‘Here Comes The Sun?’ He’s talking about his life: Here comes the sun, it’s better, the ice has melted. But he said, ‘How do you do this? How do you make these people?’” Paul McCartney said.

“Taxman”

Another Beatles song that was written by George Harrison and Paul McCartney likes is “Taxman”. The track was released on the band’s famous 1966 album “Revolver”. Curiously, George who was often the responsible for the guitar solos of the songs, didn’t play the one in this track. It was actually Paul, who played the guitar solo.

He recalled that in an interview with Guitar Player magazine in 1990. He said that he suggested to George a certain way to do the solo and someone ended up telling him to do it.

“I liked ‘Taxman’ just because of what it was. It was really my first voyage into feedback. I got the guitar and was playing around in the studio with the feedback and stuff. So I said to George, ‘Maybe you could play it like this.’”

“I can’t quite remember how it happened that I played it. But it was probably one of those times when somebody says, ‘Well, why don’t you do it then?’ George was generally a little more restrained in his guitar playing. He wasn’t into heavy feedback. When people say, “Great solo on ‘Taxman’, I don’t think he’s too pleased to have to say, “Well, that was Paul, actually,” Paul McCartney said.

It remains as one of The Beatles most political songs, that criticized tax rate of that era. That policy actually made many bands from the country to exile and record in other countries so that they could save the money from the taxes.

“Something”

One of the most most famous songs written by George as a member of The Beatles is “Something”. The track was inspired by his ex-wife Pattie Boyd, who ended up marrying his friend Eric Clapton years later. But they also got divorced after sometime together.

Since George Harrison’s death in 2001 at the age of 58, Paul McCartney included the track on his solo concerts over the decades. McCartney starts the song in a different way, playing the ukelele during the introduction. He tells the crowd that Harrison was a huge fan of ukeleles. Then dedicates the track, saying that is for his “friend George”. Also during the entire performance of the song photos of George are showned.

“I don’t know how many people know it. But George was a really good ukelele player. He gave me this one. This next song is dedicated to my friend George.” That’s what Paul McCartney said during a show in the United States in 2008.