10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About George Harrison, The Not-So-Quiet Beatle | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About George Harrison, The Not-So-Quiet Beatle

From adding to the urban dictionary to saving Monty Python

256
10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About George Harrison, The Not-So-Quiet Beatle
YouTube

George Harrison is my favorite Beatle but not just because of his songwriting and guitar playing. Here are 10 facts you didn’t know about George Harrison.

1. He used to shop at East Side Market.

George made frequent stops in Providence while his son Dhani was at Brown. When George was spotted by a fan while putting groceries in his cart, he put a finger to his lips and whispered “shh.” The fan nodded and the two of them walked away.

2. Without George Harrison, there would be no Live Aid.

On August 1st, 1971, George held what would be the first benefit concert in rock history to raise money after Bangladesh was devastated by floods and a cyclone. He put together a band of legends such as Bob Dylan and Ringo Starr and drew in 40,000 people. Combined with sales of DVDs, tickets, and albums, $12 million dollars was sent to Bangladesh via UNICEF.

3. His first marriage went down as one of rock and roll’s most infamous love triangles.

George married model Pattie Boyd on January 21st, 1966 after they met on the set of the Beatles first film, “A Hard Day's Night” in 1964. It was for her that he wrote, “Something.” However, his close friend, Eric Clapton, became friends with Pattie and wrote the song “Layla” for her as a declaration of love. Pattie divorced George in 1977 and married Eric in 1979. Unbelievably, George served as best man and remained friends with Clapton for the rest of his life.

4. He was a Monty Python fan who saved their career.

Monty Python was working on their next film, “Life of Brian,” where a man is mistaken for Jesus and crucified. Producers found it so blasphemous, the film couldn't get funding. Eric Idle, a member of Python, was friends with George and gave him the script to read. The next day, George said he’d give them the money. When Idle asked why, George answered, “I want to see the movie.” Turns out, he wanted to see it so much, he mortgaged his house for $40 million, which according to Idle, “is still the most amount of money anyone has ever paid for a cinema ticket.”

5. After the Beatles, he became part of another rock and roll supergroup.

In 1988, George formed the rock and roll band The Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. The band wrote and recorded their debut album, “Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1” over the course of ten days. The album was released to huge critical and commercial success. Tom Petty said that George was always proud of the Wilburys' success because the band had been his dream project; just a group of friends making music for the hell of it and having a good time.

6. Sometimes, he would rather be gardening than rocking.

After the Beatles broke up in 1971, George joked that he was now a full time gardener at his manor, Friar Park. He had built a replica of Matterhorn Mountain made of 20,000 tons of stone with Beatles guitars nailed on. There was also a lake with stepping stones so a person felt like they were walking on water as a tribute to Krishna, one of the major deities of Hinduism. His garden is 33 acres and is still kept in tip top shape to this day!

7. He popularized a British slang term.

In the film “A Hard Day's Night,” George is mistaken for a teenage model and is asked to give his opinion on dress shirts for teenagers. He replies, “I wouldn't be caught dead in them, they're dead grotty…grotesque.” The word caught on in popularity and ended up in the Urban Dictionary.

8. His nickname “The Quiet Beatle” wasn't applicable.

George was known for his one liners, and one of them almost aborted the Beatles career. When the Beatles first met their future producer George Martin, Martin played back the tracks the band had recorded. When they were done listening, Martin asked, “Is there anything you don't like?” George replied, “Yeah, your tie for start.” Luckily, Martin had a sense of humor.

9. He had an advice column in the English newspapers...sort of.

The advice column, “Ask George” was released when the Beatles popularity was climbing. Fans could ask anything they wanted from what was the best way to clean their kitchen to how to ask out their crush. However, it was a ghost writer seeing as George was too busy performing and recording.

10. He believed he would never be really gone.

George converted to Hinduism in the late 1960’s, embracing a life of meditation and intellectual spirituality. His favorite piece of scripture was Chapter 2 verse 12 of the Bhagavad Gita: “There was never a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” He came to view the human body as a suit that a person took off when they died, but the soul would not cease to exist. All that mattered to him was leaving his body in a state of peace, and his second wife Olivia said that on the day he died, light seemed to fill the room because he had left his body the way he had wanted.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

190562
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

15092
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

457999
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26705
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments