ABSTRACT

George Harrison was one of the most prolific popular music composers of the late 20th century. During his tenure with the Beatles, he caught the wave of 1960s pop culture and began channeling its pervasive influence through his music. Often described as "The Invisible Singer," his solo recordings reveal him to be an elusive, yet essential, element in the Beatles’ sound. The discussion of George Harrison’s Beatle tracks featured in the text employs a Songscape approach that blends accessible music analysis with an exploration of the virtual space created on the sound recording. This approach is then used to explore Harrison’s extensive catalog of solo works, which, due to their varied cultural sources, seem increasingly like early examples of Global Pop. In that sense, the music of George Harrison may ultimately be viewed as an important locus for pan-cultural influence in the 20th century, making this book essential reading for those interested in the history of songwriting and recording as well as the cultural study of popular music.

part I|2 pages

With the Beatles

chapter 1|17 pages

Gentleman George

chapter 2|17 pages

Far East man

chapter 3|30 pages

Guitar George

part II|2 pages

The Material World

chapter 4|19 pages

Beware of Maya

chapter 5|24 pages

Dark horse

chapter 6|17 pages

Writings on the wall

part III|3 pages

Coming home

chapter 7|13 pages

Cloud Nine

chapter 8|11 pages

Any road will take you there

chapter 9|12 pages

Now and then