George Harrison Liked ‘Highbrow’ Music, but That Doesn’t Mean He Was More Musical Than the Other Beatles
George Harrison liked “highbrow” music, but that doesn’t mean he was more musical than his fellow Beatles. The guitarist admitted many times that he should’ve practiced more.
George said he liked ‘highbrow’ music but wasn’t sure if he was more musical than the other Beatles
The guitarist interviewed himself in a November 1964 issue of The Beatles Book Monthly (per Beatles Interviews). George asked the questions he thought reporters missed, including if he thought he was the most musical out of The Beatles.
George replied that it depends. He explained that some people have said he is only because he admitted to liking Segovia’s guitar playing, “and they think that’s all very highbrow and musical.”
George believed he loved his guitar more than the others loved theirs. For John Lennon and Paul McCartney, songwriting was essential. Guitar playing was “a means to an end” and only helped them write and play their songs.
George explained, “While they’re making up new tunes I can thoroughly enjoy myself just doodling around with a guitar for a whole evening. I’m fascinated by new sounds I can get from different instruments I try out.”
However, George wasn’t sure if that made him more musical than his fellow Beatles. “Just call me a guitar fanatic instead, and I’ll be satisfied,” he said.
The guitarist did like ‘highbrow’ music
George did listen to music from some of the best.
In 1964, George’s biggest musical heroes were Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Big Bill Broonzy, Slim Whitman, and Jimmie Rodgers, the first person who got George interested in the guitar. One of his most upsetting childhood memories involved missing out on buying Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock.”
A year later, George’s musical taste changed drastically. In 1965, he heard the music of Ravi Shankar. Listening to Indian music for the first time was a strange experience for him. It sounded familiar like it was calling him “back to a place he already knew.” Soon, rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t a top favorite anymore, although it was always a fixture in George’s life.
He didn’t really like Elton John’s music. He thought it all sounded the same. George claimed Rod Stewart’s brain was as small as a marble. He wasn’t a fan of Neil Young’s music and denied signing Crosby, Stills, & Nash with The Beatles’ Apple Records. Popular music was even worse. It made him feel uptight. George often said new music didn’t give him a “buzz.”
Tom Petty claimed George wasn’t interested in rock past about 1957. Later in life, George’s most prominent musical interests were George Formby, the ukulele player he aspired to be; Smokey Robinson, who he was madly in love with; Shankar, of course; The Band; Eric Clapton; and Hoagy Carmichael.
However, George loved two musicians most: Bob Dylan and Bismillah Khan, who he picked as the one artist he could’ve listened to for the rest of his life.
Whether or not George’s musical influences were “highbrow,” he wasn’t more musical than his fellow Beatles.
George wasn’t more musical than the other Beatles
In 1964, George wasn’t sure if he was more musical than the other Beatles. He might’ve felt he cared more about his guitar and listened to the best musicians, but that didn’t mean he was more musical.
At that time, John Lennon and Paul McCartney may have been more concerned about lyrics than their instruments. Their songs used basic chords. However, that changed later on. Once The Beatles started experimenting in the mid-1960s, various instruments and sounds appeared in their music. George and his bandmates honed their skills as musicians.
George wasn’t the only Beatle who had some impressive influences, either. Paul used Shakespeare to write “The End,” Alice in Wonderland for “Helter Skelter,” and an old Russian song for Mary Hopkin’s “Those Were the Days.” A 1600s poem inspired Paul on “Golden Slumbers.” John Lennon loved Lewis Caroll. Not to mention, The Beatles liked hanging around beat poets like Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.
How can one Beatle be more musical than the rest, especially when none of them knew how to read or write music? They never learned, yet they became music icons and churned out hit after hit. A simple song like “Good Day Sunshine” even puzzled classical composers. The Beatles were unmatched. Even if John and Paul never picked up a guitar, they’d still need musical skills to write songs.
So, all of The Beatles were musical in their own way. George is right; it would be better to call him a guitar fanatic than the most musical Beatle. Although, that still isn’t completely right, either. George confessed many times that he didn’t practice guitar as much as he should’ve.
Throughout 1977, George didn’t touch his guitar once. In 1989, George told Mark Rowland (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters), “I’m not trying to be the best guitar player. I don’t really care about it.”
George wasn’t alone. He often said that Ringo Starr played the drums like he played the guitar; they didn’t practice much, but once they needed to play, they got it right every time. Sometimes Paul would forget to play his guitar too.
Regardless, The Beatles achieved success, whether one of them was more musical than the rest. Without each of their talents, they might not have become as famous.
