George Harrison’s ‘Something’ Earned a Prestigious Award
In 1969, George Harrison‘s “Something” earned the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It must have come as a shock to George because initially he didn’t think the song would do well.
George Harrison’s ‘Something’ became a No. 1 single, but he didn’t think it’d do well
According to Joshua M. Greene’s Here Comes The Sun: The Spiritual And Musical Journey Of George Harrison, George was insecure about “Something.”
The Beatle had friends over one night and told them, “There’s a little song I’ve been working on. It’s very simple. I call it ‘Something.'”
When he finished singing, George “looked up and saw his guests sitting motionless, enraptured by what they were hearing. The song ended, and one by one they emerged from the music’s magic hold,” Greene wrote.
“‘Do you think it’ll sell?’ George asked sheepishly. Pattie smiled, accustomed to his insecurities. As long as she had known him, he had been an enigma, sometimes exuding self-confidence, sometimes doubting whether he could do anything right.
“When they met, he had invoked in her, as he had in thousands of young women and men, the excitement of superstardom. It seemed unthinkable back then that beneath the glory there lived someone with such doubts about himself. The psychology of the human being was so much more complex than his image.”
George had a pretty good reason for being insecure, though. For years, John Lennon and Paul McCartney brushed him and his songs aside. Since he couldn’t get more than two songs on a Beatles record, George initially offered “Something” to Joe Cocker.
Thankfully, George got to record “Something” with The Beatles. Although, by then, the group was working virtually separately. “Something” became a No. 1 hit after Billboard changed its practice of counting sales and airplay separately. The song also earned a prestigious award.
George’s ‘Something’ earned an Ivor Novello Award
In 1969, George’s “Something” earned an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, one of the awards presented annually by the Ivors Academy at the Ivor Novello Awards. The academy holds the award ceremony to recognize the best songwriting and composing talents from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Despite George’s initial thoughts on “Something,” the song was his only to be recognized in the honor. Since 1964, his bandmates had received awards in other categories, including The Most Broadcast Work of the Year and The ‘A’ Side of the Record Issued in [Year] Which Achieved the Highest Certified British Sales.
John and Paul were the first recipients of the Best Song Musically and Lyrically award. They won for “She’s Leaving Home” in 1968.
Some other recipients of the award have been Elton John and Badfinger. The Bee Gees and Kate Bush have also been nominated over the years.
Over 150 artists have covered the song
George’s friends were amazed by “Something” that night he played it for them, and clearly, so was the Ivor Academy.
Frank Sinatra called it “the most beautiful love song of the past 50 years.” Besides Paul’s “Yesterday,” it became one of the most covered Beatles songs. “Something” has been covered by over 150 artists.
Some artists who’ve taken on the love song include Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, and Johnny Rodriguez. George hated Charles’ cover but loved Brown’s.
Regardless of its covers, George’s “Something” has gone down as one of the best love songs of all time.
