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.
Piggies
George Harrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crawling in the dirt?
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt
To play around in
Have you see the bigger piggies
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts
To play around in
In their sties with all their backing
They don't care what goes on around
In their eyes there's something lacking
What they need's a darn good whacking
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Living piggy lives
You can see them out for dinner
With their piggy wives
Clutching forks and knives
To eat their bacon
One more time
George Harrison's song "Piggies" is a social commentary on the greed and materialism of the upper class. He presents a stark contrast between the privileged "bigger piggies" who wear "starched white shirts" and who live in luxury, and the common "little piggies" who crawl in the dirt and struggle to survive. The lyrics suggest that the privileged class is content with their status quo and lacks empathy for others while they indulge in their opulent lifestyles.
Harrison's lyrics paint a picture of pigs living in sties or barns, oblivious to what is happening around them. These "bigger piggies" are depicted as selfish and only care for their material possessions. The line "what they need's a darn good whacking" suggests that Harrison sees this lack of empathy as a serious problem that needs addressing. The song culminates with the image of the "piggy wives" enjoying their bacon, an ironic twist that highlights the hypocrisy of their behavior.
Overall, "Piggies" is a thought-provoking commentary on greed, power, and the loss of humanity in modern society. George Harrison's message is clear: it is time for a "whacking" of these attitudes, and for a return to a more compassionate and caring way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you see the little piggies
Have you noticed the helpless individuals of society?
Crawling in the dirt?
Struggling to survive in their lowly position.
And for all the little piggies
Despite their efforts
Life is getting worse
Their living conditions continue to deteriorate.
Always having dirt
Having no choice but to live in filth.
To play around in
As if it's a toy to them.
Have you see the bigger piggies
Have you noticed the upper class?
In their starched white shirts?
Dressed in expensive clothing to display their wealth.
You will find the bigger piggies
They tend to be the ones
Stirring up the dirt
Intentionally causing trouble for those beneath them.
Always have clean shirts
Never having to involve themselves in manual labor or unpleasant tasks.
To play around in
Their privileges are their only form of 'play.'
In their sties with all their backing
Protected and supported by those with power.
They don't care what goes on around
They are indifferent to the suffering of others.
In their eyes there's something lacking
They are devoid of empathy or basic morality.
What they need's a darn good whacking
They deserve to be held accountable for their actions.
Everywhere there's lots of piggies
Those with wealth and privilege are abundant.
Living piggy lives
Their material possessions are the sole focus of their existence.
You can see them out for dinner
Their wealth allows them to enjoy lavish meals.
With their piggy wives
Their partners are also caught up in their greedy lifestyles.
Clutching forks and knives
Ready to indulge in the flesh of those they consider inferior.
To eat their bacon
They are willing to consume the products of the very beings they oppress.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind