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George Harrison, one of the Fab Four, is an often overlooked former member of the Beatles (why I will never understand). He was born on February 25, 1943, and passed away from cancer in 2001.
But for even casual fans of The Beatles, it’s impossible forget his legacy or his sound. Here are 10 facts about Harrison we can bet you didn’t know.
10. “Crackerbox Palace” is about his mansion.
George Harrison lived in a mansion that contained gnomes, gardens, and grottos. It was distinctive because of its many architectural influences. The guitarist nicknamed his 120-room home “Crackerbox Palace” – and he wrote a song about it.
9. He was a chatty fellow.
Harrison had a reputation for being quiet, but musician Tom Petty said this wasn’t quite true.
“He never shut up. He was the best hang you could imagine.”
8. Harrison was 27 when The Beatles broke up.
Harrison joined John Lennon’s band, The Quarrymen, in 1958. By the time The Beatles broke up in 1970, he was only 27 years old.
7. He invented giant benefit concert genre.
We’re now used to seeing large charity concerts, but Harrison organized the first-ever large-scale benefit concert back in 1971. The idea came about after he befriended Ravi Shankar, who told him about the problems of Bangladeshi refugees at the time. Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and Badfinger were some of the prestigious artists who lent their bands to the show.
6. He was the first ex-Beatle to be #1…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPTHem2iu0A
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, Harrison quickly went to work recording All Things Must Pass. The album was released to rave reviews and spent weeks at the top of the charts.
5. He rescued Life of Brian.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian is now considered one of the best comedies of all time, but the film almost didn’t get made because its original funders thought it would be too controversial. Harrison’s company, Handmade Films, eventually became a producer for this film, and the rest is history.
4. The other Beatles were very supportive of him.
To the point that they (apparently) were with him during and cheered him on after he lost his virginity.
3. He and Bob Dylan were besties.
All of the Beatles were friends with the star, but he and Harrison shared a special connection, and they even wrote a song together. Harrison also hung out with The Band, a collection of 1960s musical greats.
2. Harrison was the first Beatle to play in the U.S.
The Fab Four had their big break in the Ed Sullivan Show, but Harrison had a quiet introduction to the U.S. in 1963. He played with the Four Vests as a lead guitarist during the show’s second half.
1. His first song was about wanting to be alone.
Harrison wrote “Don’t Bother Me” because he didn’t want to be disturbed. Of course, he was sick and in bed, so it’s no wonder he felt this way.
Harrison led an interesting life, and he continues to make an impact on us even though he’s been gone for a while. Is there anything else you think we should know about him? Let us know in the comments!
