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.
The Lord Loves the One
George Harrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Lord
And the law says if you don't give,
Then you don't get loving
Now the Lord helps those that help
Themselves
And the law says whatever you do
We all making out
Like we own this whole world
While the leaders of nations
They're acting like big girls
With no thoughts for their God
Who provides us with all
But when death comes to claim them
Who will stand,
And who will fall?
The Lord loves the one that loves
The Lord
And the law says if you don't give,
Then you don't get loving
Now the Lord helps those that help
Themselves
And the law says whatever you do
Is going to come right back on you
We all move around,
With objectives in mind,
To become rich or famous,
With our reputations signed,
But the few that can reach,
To this coveted slot,
Don't escape old age creeping,
Through their bodies,
Like a rot
While the Lord loves the one that loves
The Lord
And the law says if you don't give,
Then you don't get loving
Now the Lord helps those that help
Themselves
And the law says whatever you do
Is going to come right back on you
George Harrison's song The Lord Loves the One is a commentary on the idea of karma and how it relates to one's relationship with God. The lyrics discuss how the Lord loves those who love him and how the law of karma dictates that you only receive love if you give it in return. The idea of self-help is also present in the song, as the Lord is said to help those who help themselves. Ultimately, the song is a statement on the importance of living a good life and treating others with love and kindness, as it will come back around to you.
The opening lines - "The Lord loves the one that loves / The Lord / And the law says if you don't give, / Then you don't get loving" - suggest that love is not an entitlement, but rather something that must be earned through acts of kindness and devotion. The idea of karma is reinforced with the line "whatever you do / Is going to come right back on you."
Harrison also comments on the state of the world, with leaders of nations acting "like big girls," showing no concern for God or the fact that everything they have is provided by a higher power. The final verse discusses the pursuit of fame and fortune and how it ultimately leads to decay and death.
Overall, The Lord Loves the One is a complex meditation on the relationship between God, karma, and living a good life full of love and kindness.
Line by Line Meaning
The Lord loves the one that loves
The Lord
God favors those who love and worship Him
And the law says if you don't give,
Then you don't get loving
One must practice generosity in order to receive love from others
Now the Lord helps those that help
Themselves
God assists those who take care of themselves and their own needs
And the law says whatever you do
Is going to come right back on you
The consequences of one's actions will catch up to them eventually
We all making out
Like we own this whole world
We act as if the world belongs to us and we are entitled to its resources
While the leaders of nations
They're acting like big girls
World leaders are neglecting their duties and acting immaturely
With no thoughts for their God
Who provides us with all
Leaders forget that everything they have comes from God
But when death comes to claim them
Who will stand,
And who will fall?
When leaders face death, they will be judged for how they used their power
We all move around,
With objectives in mind,
To become rich or famous,
With our reputations signed
We all strive to achieve wealth and fame, and to be recognized for our accomplishments
But the few that can reach,
To this coveted slot,
Don't escape old age creeping,
Through their bodies,
Like a rot
Even those who achieve success cannot escape the aging process and the eventual decay of their bodies
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind