Would George Harrison's 1968-69 Beatles tracks- been a good solo album ?

We had a similar thread a few weeks back, asking a similar question about Lennon's 1968 tracks. Many people chimed in, it would have been his best !

In Harrison's case it's less clear-cut imo. For one thing, we have to use 2 years 68 & 69, just to have enough of Harrison's songs, to fill an album.

Just for examples sake

1-Here Comes The Sun
3.05
2-Savoy Truffle
2.54
3-Long Long Long
3.04
4-For You Blue
2.32
5-Inner Light
2.37
6-Old Brown Shoe
3.16
17.28

7-Guitar Gently Weeps
4.45
8-I Me Mine
2.26
9-Not Guilty
4.28
10-Piggies
2.04
11-Something
3.02
16.45

T.T.-34.13

Many substitutions could be made, just an example for discussion, a bit short.

Any opinions, thoughts or conclusion. If this were Harrison's solo debut, where would it rank, among his solo albums.

 

Where are "It's All Too Much" and "Only a Northern Song"?

 

Are they "officially" 1967 songs?

 

Nope.

 

It's All Too Much - Wikipedia

Only a Northern Song - Wikipedia

Both written and recorded in 1967

 

They are Beatles songs.

 

Where is Badge?

Could also argue for Sour Milk Sea, Circles and Dhera Dun?
I'm sure there are plenty of others, such as All things must pass and Isn't it a pity- which was written in '66.

 

Pull "Inner Light" and include it with the '66-'67 tracks, then you can have two George albums each with 10 tracks.

 

Can we use songs he had ready at that time but wasn't able to use? If Not Guilty is in there I'm assuming yes.

Something like this maybe? I'm finding it tricky arranging them because songs like Savoy Truffle, Here Comes the Sun, and The Inner Light have such a different sound to the others.

1. All Things Must Pass
2. Something
3. Sour Milk Sea
4. Old Brown Shoe
5. Savoy Truffle
6. Isn't it a Pity

7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Long, Long, Long
9. Dehra Dun
10. Not Guilty
11. Here Comes the Sun

 

Would George Harrison's 1968-69 Beatles tracks- been a good solo album ?

Are you kidding? It would have been better than any GH solo album other than ATMP!

 

There's every chance they would have been arranged and structured differently, so maybe not

 

An informative related thread:

What if George Harrison had recorded his first solo album in 1969?

 

Saving Piggies for a B-side would have helped the album

 

Do it however you want. I left out things like Badge, because there is no recording of George singing it, on a studio recording.

 

Wasn't Art Of Dying 66ish also?

 

According to historians yes. But again no such 66 version has ever been booted or released

Circles was demoed in 68 but not done as a master until 82.

 

Even without touching any ATMP songs, it would have been a killer solo album!

1. Here Comes the Sun
2. Something
3. Old Brown Shoe
4. Long, Long, Long
5. Sour Milk Sea
6. Circles

7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
8. Savoy Truffle
9. Ski'ing
10. Dhera Dun
11. Not Guilty
12. The Inner Light

 

That's interesting. You just use the raw demo of Dehra Dun ?

What does Harrison do on Ski-ing, ive always assumed it was Clapton, ( perhaps wrongly ). There is no singing of course. It sounds like a better, tighter version of the ATMP jams. Blistering guitar. How could Harrison have written & recorded that many instrumentals in a few weeks ?

 

George is my favorite Beatle, and I really like these songs, but I personally don't feel they would make a good album. It wouldn't have nearly as good of a flow as either disc from ATMP. They fit better among John & Paul's songs (and the occasionally Ringo song).

 

For You Blue is technically 69, I Me Mine too in it's Twickenham airing anyway, so maybe I'd ditch Dhera Dun, Circles or Ski'ing. Although I'm sure fully realised versions of Circles and Dehra Dun in 69 would be pretty nice stuff.

 

George doesn't credit himself with any playing on the Wonderwall soundtrack, so we are left to guess on "Ski'ing" and the other rock tracks what he did besides write and produce, but it's a fair guess he played guitar on it and others. Yes, that's Clapton playing lead on the song. Just a nice hypnotic groove I like a lot.

I was thinking "I Me Mine" and "Piggies" as the b-sides for "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something"

 

Let's see here. HCTS, Long Long Long, and Piggies are three of my all-time favorite George songs. I enjoy Something, Savoy Truffle, The Inner Light, Old Brown Show, and I Me Mine. For You Blue is okay. WMGGW is Dad Rock, but it's also okay. Not Guilty is lacking to me. Overall, an excellent solo debut, and would rival ATMP as his best (but fall just short).

 

Why not? I don't think George or any other Beatle ever did anything more beautiful.

 

This demo would have made an awesome basis for a "Threetles" song for Anthology 3--with some 90s overdubs by George, Paul and Ringo, maybe some harmonies lifted from another tune or outtake to get John's voice in the mix somehow.

 

I'm sure See Yourself & Woman Don't Cry For Me were written in '67 & '68.