David Bowie Said It’d Be Really ‘Hard’ to Have George Harrison’s Spiritual Life
George Harrison was a profoundly religious man, whereas David Bowie described himself as more of a spiritual seeker. During an interview, Bowie discussed his desire to find clarity. Bowie contrasted his internal life with George’s. Notably, Bowie covered a song George wrote.
What David Bowie thought of George Harrison’s faith
On the album Reality, Bowie covered a song George wrote called “Try Some, Buy Some.” During a 2003 interview published in Vice promoting Reality, Bowie said the song was important to him. Bowie interpreted “Try Some, Buy Some” as a song about personal metamorphosis. He also mused on George’s beliefs.
“For him, there is a belief in some kind of system,” Bowie said, perhaps referring to George’s Hindu faith. “But I really find that hard. Not on a day to day basis, because there are habits of life that have convinced me there is something solid to believe in.”
What David Bowie wanted to gain from spirituality
Bowie discussed his philosophical side. “But when I become philosophical, in those ‘long lonely hours’, it’s the source of all my frustrations, hammering away at the same questions I’ve had since I was 19,” he said. “Nothing has really changed for me. This daunting spiritual search.”
Bowie further elaborated on his thoughts about spirituality. “If you can make the spiritual connection with some kind of clarity then everything else would fall into place,” he opined. “A morality would seem to be offered, a plan would seem to be offered, some sense would be there. But it evades me. Yet I can’t help writing about it.”
The way the world reacted to 2 versions of ‘Try Some, Buy Some’
George released his version of “Try Some, Buy Some” on the album Living in the Material World. It wasn’t a single. Living in the Material World reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for five weeks. It lasted on the chart for 26 weeks in total.
Meanwhile, The Official Charts Company said “Try Some, Buy Some” did not chart in the United Kingdom. Living in the Material World reached No. 2 there and lasted on the chart for 12 weeks.
Bowie never released “Try Some, Buy Some” as a single, so it never hit the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, Reality hit No. 29 on the Billboard 200. It stayed on the chart for four weeks.
The Official Charts Company reports Bowie’s cover of “Try Some, Buy Some” did not chart in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, Reality reached No. 3 in the U.K. and remained on the chart for five weeks.
Bowie had a different spiritual life than George; however, that didn’t stop Bowie from recording one of George’s tracks.
