After the Beatles stopped touring in 1966, George started writing more songs than could be fitted onto the albums so that by the time of the split he had built up a collection of songs, some used on his debut solo album, All Things Must Pass. The album, released in 1970, contains the two-time number one hit, "My Sweet Lord".
Harrison is also credited for creating music benefits, notably the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. Harrison played beside Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, and Leon Russell to a crowd of 40,000 in Madison Square Garden, New York. The show raised over $240,000 benefiting the George Harrison Fund for Bangladesh relief.
Harrison went on to release several successful solo albums, and in the late 1980s collaborated with Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, in a group called Traveling Wilburys. The group released two albums. Later, Harrison reunited with the other two surviving Beatles, after John Lennon's murder in 1980, to produce two final Beatles records, "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love" featuring the voice of Lennon, taken from home demos provided by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The three Beatles also co-wrote a massive autobiography and television special, both titled "The Beatles Anthology."
Before his death, Harrison conceived of a Cirque du Soleil show, "Love," featuring remixes of Beatles music which were overseen by Beatles producer George Martin.
Harrison died on November 29, 2001 after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a wife and son, Olivia and Dhani Harrison. His last album, Brainwashed, was released posthumously and featured the single "Any Road".
A benefit concert in Harrison's memory was played on 29 November 2002 at the Royal Albert Hall. The star-studded event (featuring Eric Clapton and Monty Python, as well as former band mates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr) was released on the DVD double-album, Concert for George.
Devil`s Radio
George Harrison Lyrics
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Gossip, gossip
I heard it in the night
Words that thoughtless speak
Like vultures swooping down below
On the devil's radio
Airwaves gettin' filled
With gossip broadcast to and fro
On the devil's radio
Oh yeah, gossip
Gossip, oh yeah
He's in the clubs and bars
And never turns it down
Talking about what he don't know
On the devil's radio
He's in your TV set
Won't give it a rest
That soul betraying so and so
The devil's radio
Gossip, gossip
Gossip, gossip
(Oh yeah) gossip, (gossip) oh yeah
(Gossip) oh yeah, (oh yeah) gossip
It's white and black like industrial waste
Pollution of the highest degree
You wonder why I don't hang out much
I wonder how you can't see
He's in the films and songs
And on all your magazines
It's everywhere that you may go
The devil's radio
Oh yeah, gossip
Gossip, oh yeah
Runs thick and fast, no one really sees
Quite what bad it can do
As it shapes you into something cold
Like an Eskimo igloo
It's all across our lives
Like a weed it's spread
'till nothing else has space to grow
The devil's radio
Can creep up in the dark
Make us hide behind shades
And buzzing like a dynamo
The devil's radio
(Gossip) oh yeah, (gossip) oh yeah
(Gossip) gossip, (gossip) gossip
Oh yeah, gossip I heard you on the secret wireless
Gossip, oh yeah You know the devil's radio, child
Gossip, gossip
Gossip, gossip
In “Devil’s Radio,” George Harrison sings about the spread of gossip and rumors through various media outlets. He compares these forms of communication to vultures swooping down to feast on carrion. The devil’s radio refers to the negative, toxic energy that can spread through gossip like pollution, and Harrison seems to be decrying the often destructive impact that this kind of speech can have on individuals and communities.
The song opens with the line, “I heard it in the night; words that thoughtless speak.” Here, Harrison is highlighting how gossip and rumors can come from people who aren’t thinking carefully about what they’re saying. The next lines shift to the media, with references to airwaves, TV sets, films, and magazines. Nothing, it seems, is immune from the spread of gossip, and Harrison suggests that it can be especially insidious because it’s hard to avoid. The final verse points to the ways that gossip can affect individuals, making them “cold” and closed off, like an “Eskimo igloo.”
Overall, “Devil’s Radio” is a passionate condemnation of the destructive power of gossip and the harm it can cause when it spreads unchecked.
Line by Line Meaning
Gossip, gossip
Repetition of the importance of gossip in our society.
I heard it in the night
Gossip is heard in the hidden corners of society.
Words that thoughtless speak
Mindless untruths that are disseminated through the grapevine.
Like vultures swooping down below
Comparing the scavenging habits of vultures with the eagerness of people to gobble up gossip.
On the devil's radio
The devil's radio is where all the twisted and malicious chatter is broadcast.
I hear it through the day
Gossip is around us all the time.
Airwaves gettin' filled
The constant flow of empty talk on the airwaves.
With gossip broadcast to and fro
The constant transmission of rumors, lies, and unverified information.
He's in the clubs and bars
A reference to people, who love engaging in gossip, having conversations at bars or clubs.
And never turns it down
The urge to gossip is so strong that a person will not miss any juicy details or rumors.
Talking about what he don't know
People don't care about the truth, they are only concerned about the details they can share.
On the devil's radio
All the malice, lies, and rumors are broadcasted through the devil's radio.
He's in your TV set
Even the media is not spared from spreading gossip.
Won't give it a rest
The media relentlessly bombards their audience with gossip and rumors.
That soul betraying so and so
The people spreading gossip are betraying the trust of others.
It's white and black like industrial waste
Gossip is toxic and similar to industrial waste that causes pollution.
Pollution of the highest degree
The damage caused by gossip is severe and deep-rooted.
You wonder why I don't hang out much
The singer distances himself from socializing due to the toxicity of gossip in social circles.
I wonder how you can't see
The singer laments the fact that some people can't see the damage caused by gossip.
He's in the films and songs
Gossip is so common that it is now present in movies and songs as well.
And on all your magazines
Even the printed media carries reports on celebrities and other gossip.
It's everywhere that you may go
Gossip is ubiquitous, and it is challenging to avoid it.
Runs thick and fast, no one really sees
Gossip circulates quickly, and no one is interested to question if the news is right or wrong.
Quite what bad it can do
The artist questions the damage gossip causes.
As it shapes you into something cold
Gossip shapes people's attitudes towards others and turns them into cold, indifferent beings.
Like an Eskimo igloo
A metaphor for people who become hardened like an igloo due to gossip.
It's all across our lives
Gossip has penetrated into all aspects of our lives.
Like a weed it's spread
Like a weed, gossip has grown and spread out of control.
'till nothing else has space to grow
The extent of gossip is so much that it leaves no space for anything else.
Can creep up in the dark
Gossip thrives in the dark corners of society and grows unchecked.
Make us hide behind shades
People try to keep a low profile to avoid getting caught in the gossip.
And buzzing like a dynamo
Gossip generates a lot of unwanted buzz and noise just like the sound of a dynamo.
Oh yeah, gossip
Repetition of the importance of gossip in our society.
I heard you on the secret wireless
The artist heard about someone on the radio spreading gossip.
You know the devil's radio, child
People who spread gossip are just like the devil himself.
Gossip, gossip
Repetition of the importance of gossip in our society.
Gossip, gossip
Repetition of the importance of gossip in our society.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: George Harrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind