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George Harrison - “My Sweet Lord”

Happy birthday to singer/songwriter and former Beatles and Traveling Willburys guitarist, George Harrison.  He would have been 68.

Always known as the quiet Beatle, George carved out a nice place for himself in the shadows of Lennon and McCartney.  While with the Beatles, Harrison contributed songs like “Here Comes the Sun” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”.  It was only after the breakup of the Beatles that Harrison was able to release his back catalogue of music in the form of “All Things Must Pass”.  He would go on to write and record other songs both as a solo artist and as part of the Traveling Wilburys.  

Harrison was a devotee of Indian mysticism and was very interested in Eastern thought and practices.  So interested, in fact that he was instrumental in bringing those ideas, and sitarist Ravi Shankar, to Western audiences.  

Harrison was diagnosed with and treated for lung cancer in 1997. Despite being given a clean bill of health, by 2001 the cancer had returned and spread to his brain.  He passed away on November 29, 2001.  In accordance with his faith, his body was cremated and his ashes scattered in the Ganges River in accordance with Hindu tradition. 

My teacher for “Traditions of Love and Devotion in South East Asia,” handed out the lyrics for “My Sweet Lord” in class on Thursday and asked us to determine if it counted as proper Bhakti Saguna poetry. Everyone hated it, declaring it to be childish and elementary level bhakta. No one realized it was Harrison’s work except for me and a kid in my group. Personally, I have had this song stuck in my head since day one of class when we started reading the Bhagavadgita.

…What is happening to kids these days?

(via captainkabluey)