Great Rock Albums of 1981: George Harrison- Somewhere in England

Once again, I know that I'm repeating myself here because I did say this when I visited Mr Harrison's self-titled 1979 album but I feel the strange need to say it again. Of all the solo work from the members of The Beatles, it's George's the I like the best. I did really like Paul McCartney with Wings in the early 70s but I felt he went too disco at the tail end of the decade. For the more astute, you may have realised that I never visited Wings' 1979 "Back to the Egg" album, now you know why. However, George Harrison was consistent with his music throughout and didn't bow to trends in music. While the 1976 album "33 1/3" remains my favourite of his albums, "Somewhere in England" has to rank up there as well.

Warning, this is not a bang your head rock album. George Harrison's music has always appealed to my more mellower side and this album is no different. However, what comes through on most of the tracks is a subtle lead guitar in the background and for me, that makes most of the songs where it happens. Most notable is the opening track, "Teardrops" and "Unconciousness Rules." Other tracks have this guitar sound on it as well and there are one or two tracks that make you think George is going to let loose, especially with some of the guitar intros on a couple of tracks but the song goes into the more melodic sound that I know him for. Even so, he makes it sound really good and since the album was released just a few months after former band mate John Lennon's death, the single "All Those Years Ago" is not only a dedication to him, the other former band mates, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr appear on the song marking a true tribute to Lennon.

Track Listing:

  Blood From a Clone

Unconciousness Rules

Life Itself

All Those Years Ago

Baltimore Oriole

Teardrops

That Which I've Lost

Writing On the Wall

Hong Kong Blues

Save the World

[caption id="attachment_1203" align="aligncenter" width="253"] George Harrison[/caption]

George Harrison- Lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, synthesisers

Alla Rakha- tabla

Gary Brooker- keyboards, synthesisers

Al Kooper- keyboards, synthesisers

Mike Moran- keyboards, synthesisers

Neil Larsen- keyboards, synthesisers

Tom Scott-Lynicon- horns

Herbie Flowers- tuba, bass

Willie Weeks- bass

Ray Cooper- keyboards, synthesisers, percussion, drums

Jim Keltner- drums

Dave Mattacks- drums

 I probably appreciate this album much more these days as I'm mellowing with age, although play a Slayer or Amon Amarth song and I will be going full tilt. Over the years before his death, George Harrison put out some good light rock and "Somewhere In England" is one of the best.

Next post: Rick Springfield- Working Class Dog

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1979: George Harrison- George Harrison

For the more astute, I did say that this post would be George Harrison's "Somewhere in England" album, however, as I began refreshing my knowledge in order to write this post, I discovered that that album wasn't released until 1981. The album released in 1979, was the one named after him, George Harrison. I apologise for getting my rock facts wrong on this one and I will visit the "Somewhere in England album when I get to 1981.
When I was posting my "Great Rock Albums of the 70s" chapter, I had great internal debate on whether or not I should visit the George Harrison album "331/3." I decided not to as the album was a real mellow out album although it does contain my all time favourite Harrison song, "Crackerbox Palace." "George Harrison" is a little less mellow and in no way a hard rock album. I decided to include it because of the history of that time. See, in 1979 rock music was fighting off the disco invasion and some notable rock musicians, some whose albums I've included here, were experimenting with the whole disco thing. This album wasn't disco and that was good enough for me. Furthermore and I'm going to say something that some Beatles fans may think blasphemous, musically George was my favourite Beatle. I'm not taking anything away from Lennon and McCartney, they are true geniuses, but I've always liked songs like "Here Comes the Sun," "Something" and my fave, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."
Anyway, enough of the history lesson, (sorry once a teacher always a teacher) let's get on to the subject of this album. "George Harrison" by the person of the same name is a good soft rock album. It begins with an introductory guitar solo from the legendary Eric Clapton on the first track, "Love Comes to Everyone" and carries through the album with a feel good factor throughout. There's the top single "Blow Away" which, for those who take the singles charts seriously, made it  to number 14 in the US and 39 in the UK. The song "Faster" has a bit more of a rock feel to it, especially as it begins with motor racing sound effects.

Track Listing:

1. Love Comes to Everyone

2. Not Guilty

3. Here Comes the Moon

4. Soft Hearted Hanna

5. Blow Away

6. Faster

7. Dark Sweet Lady

8. Your Love is Forever

9. Soft Touch

10. If You Believe

George Harrison- vocals, guitars

Andy Newmark- drums

Willie Weeks- bass

Neil Larsen- keyboards, minimoog

Ray Cooper- percussion

Steve Winwood- polymoog

Emil Richards- marimba

Gayle Richards- harp

Eric Clapton- guitar intro

Gary Wright- oberheim

"George Harrison" for me was common ground for me and my then disco/plastic pop loving girlfriend at the time. Still it's a good album to "mellow out" to. One I listen to on a lazy summer day, like today and shows why I've always said that Harrison's work has always been underrated when compared to the other Beatles.

Next post: Bad Company- Desolation Angels

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London