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.
Flying Hour
George Harrison Lyrics
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All about those good old days.
It makes no diff'rence,
What was or what may be.
The past it is gone,
The future may not be at all,
The present improve the flying hour.
They're hoping that they'll see better days.
It's such a sweet thought,
It's something that could be but
The past it is gone,
The future may not be at all,
The present improve the flying hour.
What was and what may be,
Is not here, it is not clear to me.
Right now is the one thing
That I can feel, the one thing real to me,
Uh-uh - uh-uh.
So as you sit back to remember
That which you cannot recall.
It makes no diff'rence,
What was or what may be.
The past it is gone,
The future may not be at all,
The present improve the flying hour.
It makes no diff'rence,
What was or what may be.
The past it is gone,
The future may not be at all,
The present improve the flying hour, uh-uh, uh-uh.
The past it is gone,
The future may not be at all,
The present improve the flying hour.
The lyrics of George Harrison's "Flying Hour" are a reminder to live in the present moment and not worry about what's already happened or what's yet to come. Throughout his life, Harrison heard about the "good old days," but ultimately realizes that dwelling on the past is pointless because it's already gone. Similarly, looking to the future and hoping for better days is a sweet thought, but there's no guarantee that the future will pan out as we hope. The only thing that's real and tangible is the present moment, and Harrison encourages listeners to use it wisely, improve it, and make the most of each passing second.
Harrison's lyrics capture the essence of mindfulness and living in the present moment. He recognizes that the past and the future are intangible and not within our control, while the present moment is real and tangible. We can make small changes in the present that can greatly impact our future, but we must use our time wisely and never take it for granted. The song encourages listeners to focus on the present, make the most of each moment, and not look back on the past with regret or worry about the future.
Line by Line Meaning
All through my life I've been hearing
Throughout my entire existence, I have come across stories about a time in the past when things were better.
All about those good old days.
I have heard tales of a previous era when things were simpler, more enjoyable, and more fulfilling than they are in the present.
It makes no diff'rence,
It does not matter much in the end.
What was or what may be.
The things that have already transpired and the things that could potentially occur in the future are insignificant compared to what is happening right now.
The past it is gone,
The previous events have already taken place and cannot be changed.
The future may not be at all,
There is no guarantee that the future will even come to pass.
The present improve the flying hour.
The only time that truly matters is the present moment, and it is the only time that can be capitalized upon to make things better.
Some people look into the future,
Certain individuals believe that the future could possibly be an improvement over the present state of affairs.
They're hoping that they'll see better days.
These people are optimistic that the future will bring about a better life than what they are currently experiencing.
It's such a sweet thought,
The idea of a more positive future is appealing and often comforting.
It's something that could be but
Of course, there is no certainty that the fantasies of the future will ever become a reality.
What was and what may be,
The things that have already come to pass and the events that could happen in the future are both disconnected from the present moment.
Is not here, it is not clear to me.
These things are not present and therefore do not matter as much as the current time.
Right now is the one thing
Currently, the most significant aspect of reality is what is being experienced in the present moment.
That I can feel, the one thing real to me,
It is the only aspect of reality that can be tangibly experienced and felt.
So as you sit back to remember
As you recline and reflect on your past.
That which you cannot recall.
Events from the past that have been forgotten or blurred through time.
It makes no diff'rence,
It ultimately does not matter whether you remember every detail of the past.
The present improve the flying hour.
The most pressing task is to use the current moment to improve the immediate future.
The past it is gone,
Events that have occurred in previous days cannot be changed.
The future may not be at all,
The future is unpredictable, and nothing is guaranteed to occur as anticipated.
The present improve the flying hour, uh-uh, uh-uh.
Taking advantage of the present moment to make things better is the most important action that can be taken, both now and in the future.
Writer(s): Richard Starkey, Paul Mccartney, John Lennon, George Harrison Copyright: Sony/ATV Tunes LLC
Contributed by Ella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.