Lessons from George
A George Harrison bust in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Not a perfect likeness, but he wouldn’t have minded. (Gary Todd, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Early on in Peter Jackson's new Beatles movie, Get Back, there's a moment in which George Harrison is speaking earnestly to his fellow bandmates about his shortcomings as a guitarist and his desire for growth.
As a huge fan of the Beatles, it's illuminating to hear George talk about his skills and the way he sees himself in relation to other guitarists, like his friend Eric Clapton.
And it's heartbreaking to see how dismissive John and Paul are as George is speaking. Paul is practically yawning.
As the band resurrects and rehearses crummy Lennon/McCartney originals from the early days, desperate to come up with something in that they can all perform together, it's ironic to think that George is sitting on a dozen songs that will, less than two years later, become the backbone of All Things Must Pass, a masterpiece of a triple album and widely regarded as the best of all of the Beatles' solo works.
There's a flash of beauty when George offers that album's title track for consideration and begins to teach his bandmates. Ultimately, the song was rejected. It gets bad enough for George that he even quits the band briefly. I haven't gotten that far in the film, but since it all happened more than fifty years ago, we all know what's coming.
All of these dynamics are understandable. They've all grown past each other, but they're having trouble seeing it or knowing what to do about it, like a family that regresses into old, immature patterns at Thanksgiving dinner. George is the younger brother and will never be able to not be the younger brother, no matter how musically powerful he gets.
How many of us, failing to have our songs taken seriously by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, would simply retreat? It would be a blow to my confidence for sure.
But George didn't give up. He made several choices that allowed him to find creative actualization and independence.
Though the mentorship and example of John and Paul helped George to become a world-class songwriter in the first place, he took the critical step of letting go of the need for their approval. He sought other mentors and collaborators, from Phil Spector to Eric Clapton to Bob Dylan. Their input and contributions allowed George to achieve a level of success that simply wouldn't have been possible if he had stayed in the shadow of his former bandmates.
George was masterful at building friendships with other artists and giving them opportunities. He produced and performed on tracks for a number of musicians, produced films (including Monty Python's Life of Brian), organized the first star-studded benefit concert, The Concert for Bangla Desh, and formed a "supergroup," The Traveling Wilburys. His generosity elevated all of his projects and not only attracted, but helped to develop, the very best talent.
Never one to be satisfied with his capabilities, George was always seeking growth as a musician and person. Ravi Shankar had taught him the sitar, and now, as the sun set on the Beatles, Delaney Bramlett taught him to play slide guitar. This became Harrison's signature sound from the second track of All Things Must Pass, forever distinguishing his solo recordings from those of his former band.
George might have quit writing songs when his early work wasn't good. He might have quit when his good work wasn't valued. He might have stalled when his vision wasn't shared or appreciated. Instead, he chose to push forward, challenging himself, believing in his work and potential so strongly that champions and breakthroughs were inevitable.
There's a lot for us to learn from George Harrison's conviction and commitment. Starting off as a talented young guitarist and a mediocre songwriter, he became one of the most influential artists in the world. He got there not by riding the wave of the Beatles' fame and respect, but by deliberately and intentionally finding opportunities for self-betterment and the expansion of his capabilities.
What is holding you back? Could there be a lesson from George for you? Where are you chafing under circumstances that no longer serve you? And where might you benefit from believing, unshakeably, in your own potential?