George Harrison Wrote a Song About Eric Clapton’s Dog
George Harrison once revealed that he wrote a song about his long-time friend, Eric Clapton’s dog. Clapton was there when George wrote his classic song, “Here Comes The Sun,” and later helped him work on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, George enlisted Clapton and a bunch of other friends to help him on his first post-Beatles album, All Things Must Pass. During the making of the triple album, George wrote a song about Clapton’s furry friend.
George Harrison wrote a song about Eric Clapton’s dog
In 2001, George spoke with Billboard about the 30th-anniversary reissue of his 1970 album, All Things Must Pass.
Billboard asked who Jeep was on the song “I Remember Jeep.” Apparently, Jeep isn’t a person. George wrote the song about Clapton’s dog.
He explained, “Jeep was actually Eric’s dog — a funny kind of orangy-brown dog with pink eyes [laughs]. I think he might have kicked it — I’m sure he has by now — but I know it was his dog.”
“I Remember Jeep” is an instrumental recording that George released on the Apple Jam disc, which featured recordings from a wide range of performers. Clapton and Ginger Baker, formerly of Cream and Blind Faith, played on the song.
Along with George, Clapton, and Baker, Klaus Voormann (bass) and Billy Preston (organ) also played on the song.
George wrote the instrumental around the time Clapton’s dog allegedly went missing
According to Song Facts, there was a rumor that George wrote “I Remember Jeep” around the time Jeep, a Weimaraner, had gone missing. “Details of anything Eric Clapton-related in 1970 are sketchy,” they write.
Maybe George had written the song around the time Clapton’s dog went missing. The title suggests that the dog is no longer in the picture after all.
Jeep appeared on some of Clapton’s famous albums
George wasn’t the only person to immortalize Jeep; Clapton’s put his dog on the sleeve of his 1971 hit single “Layla” and on the 1975 album There’s One In Every Crowd.
According to Beatles Bible, Clapton later said he let Jeep and his golden retriever Sunshine “c*** in the house because we were too stoned to clear it up.”
Interestingly, Clapton was falling in love with George’s first wife, Pattie Boyd, at the time they recorded “I Remember Jeep.” The legendary guitarist later wrote “Layla” for her. Clapton and George soon engaged in a guitar battle to win Boyd’s love. Clapton won, unfortunately.
Boyd left George in the early 1970s, and they divorced in 1977. She married Clapton in 1979. They stayed together until 1989. However, George and Clapton remained friends despite the painful drama between them. The Beatle was able to be in both Clapton and Boyd’s presence after that, and no doubt had no trouble being in Jeep’s company too.
