Studio’s released track contributions: George Harrison – Lead Vocals, Lead and Rhythm Guitars (1968 Gibson J-200). Paul McCartney – Organ (Hammond RT-3 w/ Leslie 145 cabinet), Bass (1966 Fender Jazz Bass), backing vocals. Ringo Starr – Drums (1964 Ludwig Super Classic Black Oyster Pearl, 1968 Ludwig Hollywood Maple). Chris Thomas – Piano (Hamburg Steinway Baby Grand). Source Content Compiled and Written by Dave Rybaczewski. There are many songs in the vast Beatles catalog that can claim the title of “most underrated.”
And within the 30 tracks that are contained on their masterful 1968 double-album “The Beatles,” better known as the “White Album,” George’s ballad “Long, Long, Long” surely wins the title, as well as “most overlooked.”With the sprawling and attention-getting variety of songs on the album, from the poppy “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” the menacing “Happiness Is A Warm Gun,” the earthy “Yer Blues,” and the countrified “Don’t Pass Me By,” George’s “Long, Long, Long” is almost not even noticed. Appearing directly after the ear-splitting “Helter Skelter,” listeners in 1968 nearly thought that side three of the album was done and reached to turn the record over before realizing there was indeed another song after it. As Ron Schaumburg writes in his book “Growing Up With The Beatles, “’Long, Long, Long’ is a spacey, ethereal popover that I had to listen to six or eight times before I finally could hear it.” In later years, however, this track began to get the attention and praise it truly deserves. We’ll attempt to do the song justice here as well.
Background Fun Facts: Between February and April of 1968, George Harrison was in India studying Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi, the other Beatles also being present for a good portion of this time. Although they swore off most of their creature comforts for this spiritually rejuvenating trip, presumably including drugs, the one thing George reportedly did bring with him was a copy of Bob Dylan’s 1966 album “Blonde On Blonde.” The final track on that album, the eleven minute “Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands,” especially struck a chord with George.”I can’t recall much about it except the chords,” George related about the song “Long, Long Long” in his 1980 book “I Me Mine,” “which I think were coming from (Dylan’s) ‘Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands’ – D to E minor, A and D – those three chords and the way they moved.”Although the sentiments expressed in the lyrics appear to be concerning his rekindled love with a woman, George insists otherwise. “The ‘you’ in ‘Long, Long, Long’ is God,” he explains in the book “I Me Mine.”
Nonetheless, the ambiguous nature of the lyrics endears themselves to the listener who may either interpret the track as a romantic love song or as a deep expression of gratefulness to his creator. Therefore, lyrics such as “how I want you,” “how I love you” and “you know that I need you” work both ways, and phrases such as “so many tears I’ve been wasting” can easily be interpreted as the effects of an estrangement from his lady friend, but ultimately refer to the pain felt in his life experiences before achieving his newly found enlightenment. “I think all love is part of a universal love,” George stated to Rolling Stone magazine, adding, “When you love a woman, it’s the God in her that you see. The only complete love is for God.”Originally titled “It’s Been A Long Long Long Time,” Keith Badman’s book “The Beatles Off The Record” states: “George scribbled the lyrics to ‘Long, Long, Long’ onto the pages of an empty ‘week at a glance’ diary page for 11-14 August 1968.” Although this may not mean the song was written exactly on these days, it can be estimated to have been composed sometime during this month. Therefore, it wasn’t written until the “White Album” was around half complete, other George Harrison compositions being dropped from consideration for the album along the way, such as “Not Guilty,” “Circles” and “Sour Milk Sea.”Although the above mentioned, Bob Dylan song became a major influence on writing his song “Long, Long, Long,” George soon after struck up a long-lasting friendship with his idol. Just after the “White Album” was released, George traveled to Woodstock, New York and spent Thanksgiving 1968 with Bob and his recent collaborators The Band.
At this time the two prolific songwriters composed their first collaborative effort entitled “I’d Have You Anytime,” this song gracing George’s 1970 groundbreaking album “All Things Must Pass.” Thereafter, decades later, they continued their songwriting partnership while in the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys.Long Long Long, Take 44:
2009 Remix here:
Isolated Vocal:
Anybody who wishes to sing this song in place of George, click here, have fun-
in Closing: “Long, Long, Long” was the first song George Harrison wrote that actually addresses God. As mentioned above, the ambiguous nature of the lyrics made it appear as if he was singing to a woman, this approach taken to make the subject matter more palatable for Beatles audiences. After all, the vast majority of Beatles songs, especially in the first half of their career, were lyrically concerning romantic relationships. Beatles fans would have no reason to think otherwise about this song.However, George would have no qualms about singing directly to God during his solo career, even addressing him by name (or many of his perceived names). His spirituality was then more important to him than what he thought the public at large might think, so he didn’t bother much with ambiguous lyrics any more. And how did his fans react? Two personal addresses to God made it to #1 on the U.S. Billboard singles chart, namely, “My Sweet Lord” and “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth).” “Hear Me Lord,” “The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)” and “It Is He (Jai Sri Krishna)” are among other George Harrison song titles that show that he was determined to express his spirituality no matter what others thought about it. His popularity was of a much lesser concern for him. “I wouldn’t really care if no one ever heard of me again” he said to Record Mirror in 1972. The result, of course, was a post Beatles career that is viewed worldwide with deep respect. And well deserved!Join me soon for, Let It Be Only A Northern Song, and learn more about, ’Revolution 1,’ Disc 2, track 8 from The White Album released November 22, 1968, by Parlophone Records.Check Out Don’s Beatles Blog: Fun reads in the archives. http://thisbeatlemaniac.blogspot.com
2018 Remix here:
