The Only Childhood Film George Harrison Could Remember Was ‘Bambi’
The only childhood film George Harrison remembered was Bambi. The Beatle preferred listening to music and later rock ‘n’ roll to sitting down for a film. Decades later, his son, Dhani, liked watching Yellow Submarine.
The only childhood film George Harrison remembered
During a 1989 interview (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters), Mark Rowland asked George, “Everyone asks what kind of music did you listen to when you were a kid—what movies did you watch when you were a kid?”
George couldn’t remember anything except Bambi.
“When I was a kid all I could remember was ‘Bambi’ and the forest going on fire. I don’t know, I can’t remember in my early childhood,” George said. “I remember when I was a school boy and I used to sag off school and go watch all the horror movies in Liverpool, but I suppose the films that have given me the most pleasure would have to be … I think my favorite film of all time has got to be ‘The Producers.’
“I just love that. Every bit of dialogue is very … I love Mel Brooks. I think he’s just wonderfully crazy. But that one in particular of his is the best film. I love the ‘Blues Brothers’ movie because the music was great, and the story was good, and it was packed full of action.”
George loved comedies. That’s why he funded Monty Python’s Life of Brian and started HandMade Films. However, George liked music more than film.
During his childhood, George liked music better
During his childhood, George liked music more than film.
Coming home from school every day, George turned on the radio. He listened to tunes from Jimmie Rodgers, Big Bill Broonzy, Slim Whitman, and various English music-hall numbers.
In 1992, George told Timothy White (per George Harrison on George Harrison), “I think the first person who really got me interested in guitar was Jimmie Rodgers—’The Singing Brakeman.’
“And my father had some records, and he used to go away to sea, and he brought back this big wind-up gramophone and Jimmie Rodgers records. ‘Waiting for a Train,’ it was called, and ‘Blue Yodel.’ And so I always remember that from when I was a little kid of about eight or seven.
“Later, when I was a little bit older than that, there was this guy from Florida, and he was a huge success in England during the ’50s, and he was called Slim Whitman. Again, there was a singer with a guitar. And then it turned into Bill Haley. And then in Britain we had this big craze called skiffle music, which came out of a traditional jazz, which is kind of Dixieland jazz.”
Rock ‘n’ roll songs came on the radio when George was 13. The genre entered the future musician’s life by way of Fat Domino’s “I’m in Love Again,” Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” and Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti.”
George’s son, Dhani, liked ‘Yellow Submarine’ as a kid
Decades after his own childhood, George’s son, Dhani, had a favorite children’s film, Yellow Submarine. The cartoon had a good message but also showed Dhani good music. Although, he had no idea his father helped make it. George didn’t tell his son he was a Beatle until he was older because he didn’t want to burden Dhani.
However, Dhani found out about The Beatles without George. During a 1987 interview with Anthony DeCurtis (per George Harrison on George Harrison), George explained that Dhani had come up to him, asking about The Beatles’ song, “Hey Bulldog.” George had no idea where Dhani had heard the song.
“I’ve never consciously sat him down and said, ‘Listen, here’s the old Beatle records,’ but he’s picked up on them because when he was about four or five, Yellow Submarine—there’s an age group that like Yellow Submarine.
“The kids watch, and they watch it every night for like three months, and then they forget about it. And so he knows, then, songs like ‘Hey Bulldog,’ and all those things to do with that.”
Eventually, Dhani learned that his father was a Beatle and therefore worked on “Hey Bulldog.”
