George Harrison MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) born in Liverpool… Read Full Bio ↴George Harrison MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) born in Liverpool, UK, was an English rock musician, singer-songwriter and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist in The Beatles, along with mainstream success as a solo artist. George contributed to the songwriting talents of his Beatles band mates, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, firstly by adding ideas and guitar parts, and later with his distinctive style of music inspired by Eastern spirituality. Ten years after Harrison's death, and forty-two years after its first release, his classic "Here Comes the Sun" is the number one Beatles download on iTunes.

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.

Jumpin' Jack Flash / Youngblood
George Harrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(George: a couple of numbers from Leon)

Jumpin' Jack Flash

I was born in a crossfire hurricane
And I howled at my mama in the driving rain
But it's alright now in fact it's a gas
And it's alright, hey

I'm Jumping Jack Flash it's a gas gas gas

I was raised by a toothless bearded hag
I was schooled with a strap right across my back
But it's alright now in fact it's a gas
And it's alright, hey
I'm Jumping Jack Flash it's a gas gas gas

But it's alright now in fact it's a gas
And it's alright
I'm Jumping Jack Flash it's a gas gas gas

But it's alright now in fact it's a gas
It's alright now in fact it's a gas
But it's alright now in fact it's a gas
But it's alright now, but it's alright now
But it's alright

Jumpin' Jack Flash end

Well, you know that I love my woman
But just sometimes she just don't treat me right
Yeah, I woke up this morning and I looked her in the eye
She said sweet daddy, you got what I want
But you ain't givin' it to me
Oh, and it hurt me deep down into my soul
And I had (...) out of the door
I was (..) my heart (...)
Gonna ever see my baby no more

I went a-walkin' down the street
And I was ashamed to look at anyoone I meet
Ooh, (..) and there she was standing
Leaning up against a lamp post
(Well, tell it, tell it)

Youngblood

I saw her standing on the corner
A yellow ribbon in her hair
All night long my heart was shudder
Look at there, look at there
You're the one, look at there
Youngblood, youngblood, youngblood
Woo, I can't get you out of my mind

And I couldn't sleep, I went on crying
And I saw the risin' of the sun
All night long my heart was crying
You're the one, you're the one
You're the one, you're the one
Youngblood, youngblood, youngblood
Well, I can't get you out of my mind

(...) she looked so tough
I had to follow her all the way home
And when we were there
I met her dad, he said:
You'd better leave my daughter alone

And I couldn't sleep, I went on crying
And I saw the risin' of the sun
All night long my heart was crying
You're the one, you're the one
You are the one, you're the one
Youngblood, youngblood, youngblood
Woo, I can't get enough of your love

Woo, you're breaking my heart in two
(Youngblood, youngblood, youngblood)

Youngblood end

Ooh, and I looked at that 19 year old girl
Right in the eye.
And I said you look so sweet to me darlin'
But there's one thing I got to tell you.
You know, I've got me a fine old lady
Lying back there in that bedroom at home
And I think I got to get hack to her.

Ooh, you ain't interested in my, she said.
(...) walkin' home down the street, back to my pet
And I crawled and I snugged and I crawled back in the bedroom

My baby looked at me with her great big blue bedroom eyes
And she said:
Wooh, dad where have you been all night long?
Yet I know I told you to get away from me
I told you to leave me alone
Wooh, but I had a chain in your heart
And I've been needin' you all night long
(...) needin' the good thing
I ain't had none of the good thing

Yeah and I looked at my baby and I said
Baby, I said, what is it that I've got that you want, yeah?
She looked at me and she said, real slow, real soft, real sweet

She said this right here:

Jumpin' Jack Flash reprise

Yeah, it's alright now, in fact it's a gas
Well, it's alright now, in fact it's a gas
But, it's alright now, in fact it's a gas
It's alright, it's alright now

Jumpin' Jack Flash end

Yeah, now ev'rybody's got a young lady at home that they love
But sometimes the things, they just don't go right
But I want to tell you one thing, and it's for sure
You treat your woman like you treat yourself

Ev'rything is gonna be alright
Yeah it's gonna be alright now.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to George Harrison's "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood" are split into two distinct parts. The first is "Jumpin' Jack Flash," which is a cover of The Rolling Stones' famous song that became an anthem for the late 60s counterculture. Harrison's version retains the original's driving guitar riff and percussion while adding his own unique vocal style. The song's lyrics, which deal with a character named Jumpin' Jack Flash who was "born in a crossfire hurricane," are somewhat ambiguous, but they can be interpreted as being about a person who has overcome adversity and is now living their best life. The second part of the song, "Youngblood," is a classic R&B tune about a man who is infatuated with a young woman, only to find out that her father doesn't approve of him.

Overall, the song seems to be about the ups and downs of romantic relationships, with "Jumpin' Jack Flash" representing the highs and "Youngblood" the lows. In "Jumpin' Jack Flash," the singer is exuberant and confident, declaring that "it's a gas" to be alive. However, in "Youngblood," he is heartbroken and ashamed after being rejected by his love interest's father. The final reprise of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" seems to suggest that the singer has reconciled with his partner and is now feeling content once again.

Line by Line Meaning

I was born in a crossfire hurricane
He was born into chaos and turmoil.

And I howled at my mama in the driving rain
He cried and screamed as a baby.