Musical content Songs by George Harrison 2

1 musical content

1.1 life
1.2 hottest gong in town
1.3 tears of world
1.4 hari s on tour (express)

musical content
life

the opening track on ep demo of life , harrison re-record full band release on 1981 album somewhere in england. harrison biographer simon leng describes composition singer s love song god , contrasts harrison s spiritual message of bob dylan during same period; unlike dylan s song every grain of sand , leng concludes, life work of man has arrived @ destination.

the demo, features harrison playing musical instruments (accompanied drum machine), made in months before album sessions began in march 1980. musical arrangement differs little album version. noting harrison s more delicate performance on demo, however, author ian inglis views reminder that, in formative stages, songs can possess natural simplicity lost on later versions .

hottest gong in town

hottest gong in town 1 of 5 songs harrison supplied 1986 handmade films production shanghai surprise. wrote track after being told on film set, in hong kong, 2 1937-era songs required before shooting schedule moved on uk studio, in matter of days. pastiche in style of cab calloway, jazz-influenced composition plays on slang term opium – gong .

harrison recorded track @ home studio in oxfordshire, fpshot, in july 1986. musical backing credited zig-zaggers , reference fictional zig zag nightclub, performs song in scene in film. recording features harrison on banjo , singing in jazz scat style had used on earlier songs such answer s @ end , not guilty , , piano part recalls playing of jelly roll morton. although soundtrack album scheduled, cancelled after film s poor critical reception; in 1987, harrison cited rotten experience of working hollywood actors madonna , sean penn reason, , described shanghai surprise film handmade had not enjoyed making. in december 1987, suggested b-side upcoming single, when fab , hottest gong in town , zig zag (the second period song provided shanghai surprise) appeared instead.

tears of world

tears of world recorded somewhere in england in april 1980, deemed uncommercial release warner bros. records, distributor of harrison s dark horse label. after inclusion of sat singing , lay head , flying hour on songs george harrison ep in 1988, song s appearance in 1992 marked last of 4 tracks warner s had rejected.

harrison recorded tears of world @ fpshot, musicians including tom scott, neil larsen, willie weeks , jim keltner. in lyrics, harrison bemoans actions of politicians, military leaders , business concerns, conspire pollute environment , maintain ever-present threat of nuclear disaster. late in song, asks s love been sleeping? , recalling line while guitar gently weeps , song in harrison expresses sadness @ world s apparent failure consider consequences of actions.

hari s on tour (express)

an instrumental, hari s on tour (express) opening track of harrison s 1974 album dark horse , opening song throughout north american tour ravi shankar, held on november–december 1974. live version on songs george harrison 2 ep taken 13 december performance @ capital centre near washington, dc, according disc s credits. authors chip madinger , mark easter suggest track in fact composite of 13 december evening performance , afternoon concert @ toronto s maple leaf gardens on 6 december.

hari s on tour second recording officially released tour, after blue had appeared on ep accompanying harrison , west s 1988 book. harrison s band again included scott, weeks , keltner, along musicians such billy preston, andy newmark , jim horn.