The Beatles are simply the greatest band to ever grace this earth. In addition, they are undeniably the most influential artists in the history of modern, popular music. If you don't agree, you're either lying, wrong or probably haven't heard enough of their discography.
All four band members are unique and talented in their own way, which is definitely something that cannot be said of every great band. However, something needs to be said which may not be the most popular opinion among Beatles' fans. George Harrison's abilities and contributions to the group have been criminally underrated. I'd go even further and say that he is, by far, my favorite Beatle and the coolest of the fab four. Here are 10 reasons to appreciate the overlooked brilliance of George Harrison, the Beatles' lead guitarist.
1. He had the best style and fashion sense.
George was clearly the best dressed and most stylish member of the band. His wonderful wardrobe consisted of everything from classic staples like black turtleneck sweaters and patterned blazers to new fashion statements like double denim and colorful printed shirts. Also, let's not forget that he was very easy on the eyes, especially compared to the other members of the group.
2. He was very witty and charming.
Harrison was known as being very quick-witted and he always had the best one-liners. One of his most famous lines was when he broke the ice with producer, George Martin. Martin told the young group, "I've laid into you for quite a long time. You haven't responded. Is there anything you don't like?" Harrison responded with some cheeky British humor. He said, "Well, for a start. I don't like your tie."
3. He was the quiet Beatle, which made him more interesting.
I know it sounds like a cliche, but it's so true. Often the most interesting artists are the ones that are introverted and ones that spend most of their time living inside their brilliant minds. People like Morrissey and Ian Curtis proved that having a more reclusive side only amplified their mythical status.
4. He wrote some of the best Beatles' songs.
Songs that he wrote like "Here Comes The Sun," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Something" are classic Beatles' tunes, whether you're a huge fan of George or not. In fact, those are some of my favorite Beatles' tracks. Also, there were some lesser-known ones that he wrote, which were still just as brilliant like the guitar-heavy "Taxman" and the Indian-influenced "Within You Without You."
5. He wasn't as cheesy as Paul, as crazy as John, and he was far more complex than Ringo.
As great as Paul McCartney was, you can't deny that his songwriting tends to be a little too much on the corny side. John Lennon, on the other hand, was very cool and rough around the edges, but once he met Yoko, it's pretty clear that he went a bit mad. Lastly, Ringo was, well, Ringo. He was extremely likable and sort of the class clown of the band, but he hardly ever got his own songs on their records and he was never really as deep or interesting as the others. George, however, had a mix of everything. He had a soft side, he was cool, he was funny, but most importantly, he was a complex guy.
6. He was caught in between the egos of Paul and John, and you can't help but feel sorry for him.
George struggled to get his own songs onto the band's albums, even though he had plenty of his own material. The majority of the songs in the band's discography were credited to Lennon and McCartney, which irked Harrison, who just wanted a piece of the action. To make matters worse, Paul often took the role of lead guitar away from George because he became increasingly impatient with him, even if it was on a song that George had written.
7. He brought that super cool 12-string guitar into the mix.
George Harrison's 1963 12-string Rickenbacker guitar was one of the band's secret weapons that helped them revolutionize their sound. In fact, his guitar was only the second 12-string guitar that Rickenbacker ever made. Songs like "Ticket To Ride," "What You're Doing" and "You Can't Do That" were forever changed by that chimey, bright guitar sound that only comes from a 12-string.
8. He brought a wide array of influences to the band like Bob Dylan, The Byrds and sitar master, Ravi Shankar.
Harrison was probably the most experimental member of the group in terms of bringing new sounds to the table. He brought the influence of Bob Dylan and The Byrds to albums like "Beatles For Sale"and "Help!" He also brought the sound of Indian instruments and the influence of Ravi Shankar to albums like "Rubber Soul," "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
9. He did a massive amount of charity work including many charity concerts.
Harrison founded his own charity foundation in 1973 called The Material World Charitable Foundation to help anti-war efforts and to help promote messages of spirituality and culture. He did many charity concerts, as well, over the years including his famous Concert for Bangladesh, which included appearances by Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and Eric Clapton.
10. He had the best post-Beatle career out of the fab four.
Most critics and fans agree that the best post-Beatle album was Harrison's debut solo release, which came out in 1970. It was a triple LP titled "All Things Must Pass," and included hits such as the title track, "My Sweet Lord" and "What Is Life." It appeared that Harrison finally was able to prove himself as an equal to that of Lennon and McCartney, a feat that was long overdue.
