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.
This Guitar
George Harrison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Found myself out on a limb
But I'm happier than I've ever been
But this guitar can't keep from crying
Learned to get up when I fall
Can even climb Rolling Stone walls
This here guitar can feel quite sad
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
Can't understand or deal with hate
Responds much better to love
I though by now you knew the score
But you missed the point just like before
And this guitar can't keep from crying
Guitar, it can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying
This here guitar can feel quite sad
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
It can't understand or deal with hate
Responds much better to love
While you attack, create offense
I'll put it down to your ignorance
But this guitar it can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying
The opening line of "Found myself out on a limb" symbolizes being vulnerable and alone. However, the singer mentions that they are happier than ever before. This paradox can be interpreted as the singer being comfortable in their own company, devoid of external influence. However, as the title suggests, this guitar represents the singer's emotions, which attach a somber tone to the song. The guitar is personified and given emotions, as it "can feel quite sad" and "sometimes get mad." The line "Can't understand or deal with hate, responds much better to love" highlights the theme of love prevailing over hate, as mentioned in most of George's works.
The lyrics also symbolize a relationship between the singer and their guitar. The guitar cannot keep from crying, which implies that whoever the guitar sings to is hurting the singer. The singer seems to be frustrated that their true sentiments are not being understood, despite being conveyed through the guitar. The line "But you missed the point just like before" emphasizes this point further. The singer feels helpless and ineffectual against the person causing the distress.
Line by Line Meaning
Found myself out on a limb
I took a big risk and put myself in a vulnerable position
But I'm happier than I've ever been
Despite the risk, I am the happiest I have ever been
But this guitar can't keep from crying
But even though I am happy, this guitar still feels sad sometimes
Learned to get up when I fall
I have learned how to pick myself up when I encounter obstacles
Can even climb Rolling Stone walls
I am capable of achieving great things and overcoming challenges
But this guitar can't keep from crying
However, no matter what I achieve, this guitar can still feel sad
This here guitar can feel quite sad
This guitar is a metaphor for my emotions, and it can feel sadness
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
My emotions can also be intense and unpredictable
Can't understand or deal with hate
My emotions cannot handle hateful or negative energy
Responds much better to love
Instead, my emotions respond best to love and positivity
I thought by now you knew the score
I assumed you understood the situation
But you missed the point just like before
But you didn't understand it, just like you didn't understand it before
And this guitar can't keep from crying
And this guitar is still feeling sad despite our miscommunication
While you attack, create offense
While you are being negative and trying to hurt me
I'll put it down to your ignorance
I'll attribute it to your lack of understanding
But this guitar it can't keep from crying
But despite my attempt at forgiveness, I am still feeling sad
This guitar can't keep from crying
Once again, this guitar is a metaphor for my emotional state, which is still feeling sad
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.