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.

P2 Vatican Blues
George Harrison Lyrics

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Gazed at the ceiling from below
A splendid Michelangelo
Filled my heart with delight
Last Saturday night

Arrived believing from home
Climbed every step inside St. Peter's Dome
Claustrophobic and ex-Catholic

Last Saturday night

Now how come nobody really noticed
Puff of white smoke knocked me out
The truth is hiding, lurking, banking
Things they do at night

It's quite suspicious to say the least
Even mentioned it to my local priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday Night

I wish somebody would tell me
That it's only a show
I'll confess, own up, let's face it
In my concrete tuxedo

It's quite suspicious to say the least
While mentioning it to my priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night

One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night

One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night

Overall Meaning

The song "P2 Vatican Blues" by George Harrison is a satirical commentary on the secrecy and suspiciousness of the Catholic Church's inner workings. The lyrics describe an experience in which the singer is overwhelmed with delight while gazing at Michelangelo's art in St. Peter's Basilica. However, he becomes increasingly suspicious of what goes on behind closed doors within the Church, particularly after experiencing disorientation from a puff of white smoke. The singer expresses a desire for someone to tell him that what he is witnessing is only a show, and he admits to being complicit in these questionable practices, confessing his sins every Saturday night.

The lyrics of "P2 Vatican Blues" highlight the singer's ambivalence towards the Church. On the one hand, he is awed by the beauty of the religious artwork and traditions, but on the other hand, he is disillusioned with the secrecy and deceit he perceives. The song employs a sharp wit and clever wordplay to call out the hypocrisy and corruption of the Catholic hierarchy, exemplified by the use of the term "concrete tuxedo" to describe the singer's participation in the Church.

Line by Line Meaning

Gazed at the ceiling from below
I looked at the ceiling from a lower position

A splendid Michelangelo
It was painted by Michelangelo and it is beautiful

Filled my heart with delight
It made me feel happy

Last Saturday night
On the previous Saturday night

Arrived believing from home
I came with my beliefs from my hometown

Climbed every step inside St. Peter's Dome
I climbed every step inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Claustrophobic and ex-Catholic
I have claustrophobia and used to be Catholic

Now how come nobody really noticed
I wonder why nobody else noticed

Puff of white smoke knocked me out
The sight of the white smoke made me speechless

The truth is hiding, lurking, banking
There is something being kept hidden or secret

Things they do at night
There are activities taking place that are not necessarily visible during the day