A classic for sure, I think most of us can sing the lyrics to this tune right along with George Harrison. I chose this week’s song to give myself and all of us a little pick me up. After the grotesque displays of corruption, greed and cruelty displayed by the current administration and its followers (as in cult followers because that’s what they are), I thought we could all use a palate cleanser and a reminder that the sun will shine (metaphorically) upon our country again. This, too, shall pass.
Harrison wrote this song after an intensely stressful period in The Beatles’ musical career. Their manager, Brian Epstein, had recently passed away and the group was dealing with the financial changes and contract fall outs that resulted in the vacuum of Epstein’s death. Not to mention, the personal tensions and deterioration of their friendships were also taking a toll. Harrison decided to skip a particularly stressful meeting and instead walked through his friend Eric Clapton’s garden in Surrey. Winter was just loosing its grip on England and the garden was bathed in sunshine. For Harrison it was a welcome respite and he sat in happy contentment taking it all in. Eventually, he borrowed one of Clapton’s acoustic gardens and and sat gently playing as the lyrics flowed out of him.
The song was released on the Abbey Road album July 7th, 1969, fifty-seven years ago today.
