The Beatles' recording of this song features lead vocals from Harrison and brief backing vocals from John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The instrumental track was recorded in Bombay, India, during the sessions for Harrison's Wonderwall Music (a soundtrack album), during January 1968.
"The Inner Light" was one of the last Beatles songs to become readily available on an album in the English-speaking world. Although the song had been included in Por Siempre Beatles, a compilation album released only in Spain in 1971, it was not available on a British or American long-playing record until the release of Rarities (which had been included in the British and American boxed set, The Beatles Collection, in 1978, and released separately as an album in the United Kingdom in 1979). The first stand-alone American album to feature "The Inner Light" was The Beatles Rarities, which was released in 1980. "The Inner Light" is available on CD on Past Masters: Volume Two.
The mono version of the song that was released as the B-Side of the "Lady Madonna" single (and later on the Rarities compilation) is slightly different from the stereo version available on "Past Masters: Volume Two". The mono mix features an extra horn riff during the intro and overdubbed vocals, whereas the stereo mix lacks the extra horn and features a single vocal track.
Jeff Lynne of ELO, who worked heavily with George Harrison, sang the song accompanied by his acoustic guitar, Anoushka Shankar on sitar, and an ensemble of Indian musicians in 2002's Concert for George.
Part of the song appears mixed alongside another Harrison composition, Here Comes the Sun, on the 2006 Cirque du Soleil album, Love.
Personnel
* George Harrison: lead vocals
* John Lennon: harmony vocals
* Paul McCartney: harmony vocals
* Sharad Gosh: shenai[1]
* Hariprasad Chaurasia: flute
* Ashish Khan: sarod
* Mehapurush Misra: tabla, pakhavaj
* Rij Ram Desad: harmonium
The Inner Light
The Beatles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can know all things of earth
Without looking out of my window
I could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
You can know all things on earth
Without looking out of your window
You could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
Arrive without traveling
See all without looking
Do all without doing
The lyrics of The Inner Light by The Beatles display the concept of inner contemplation and self-realization. The lyrics offer a powerful message that suggests that one has the ability to gain knowledge and understand the world without having to travel. The first two lines of the song, "Without going out of my door, I can know all things of earth" suggest that there is a wealth of knowledge that can be gained through personal reflection and meditation, and that it is possible to understand the complexities of the world without ever leaving one's own interior world.
In the second verse, the lyrics ‘Arrive without traveling, see all without looking, do all without doing’ convey the message that the quest for knowledge begins with introspection and self-awareness. The line "the farther one travels, the less one knows, the less one really knows" hints at the idea that the more one tries to understand the world through external means, the further they may become from true understanding, and the more they may lose touch with their inner selves.
One can easily say that The Inner Light is a reflection of George Harrison's interest in Eastern philosophy and spirituality, which he was deeply involved with at the time he wrote the track. The lyrics of the song are built around a Taoist or Zen-like understanding of reality, where the individual no longer distinguishes between subject and object, as both are seen as being of the same essence. Furthermore, the inner light is a common metaphor in spiritual literature for the attainment of enlightenment.
Line by Line Meaning
Without going out of my door
I can expand my knowledge and understand the world without physically leaving my house.
I can know all things of earth
I have the ability to gain knowledge and insight about the planet and everything on it.
Without looking out of my window
I can gain understanding of life beyond the physical world and expand my imagination.
I could know the ways of heaven
I am capable of comprehending the intricate and sublime nature of the spiritual realm.
The farther one travels
The more one explores and distances themselves from the familiar, tangible world.
The less one knows
Despite gaining new experiences, one's knowledge is relatively diminished.
The less one really knows
The more one tries to expand their perspective, the more they realize how little they truly understand.
Without going out of your door
Others have the potential to gain insight and awareness from their own homes, without leaving their personal space.
You can know all things on earth
Anyone can access information and understanding about the world and its contents through various forms of education and exploration.
Without looking out of your window
One can tap into their own psyche and intuition to gain insight and wisdom, independent of physical surroundings.
You could know the ways of heaven
People are capable of contemplating and understanding the mysteries of spirituality and religion.
The farther one travels
The more one distances themselves from their comfort zone and familiar surroundings.
The less one knows
Despite accumulating new experiences and knowledge, an individual may still feel limited in their level of understanding.
The less one really knows
The more a person explores and becomes knowledgeable, the more they realize the vastness of what they don't know.
Arrive without traveling
One is capable of experiencing a new mindset or perspective without physically leaving their current location.
See all without looking
Through perception and intuition, one is capable of understanding the entirety of a situation without extensive inspection.
Do all without doing
An individual can manifest their desires and goals through visualization and mental preparation, without physically acting on them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE HARRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rainylullabyx5353
I'm an Indian and I'm so proud that my country's culture came to limelight with George Harrison. Thank you so much George. Indians love you.
@IsaacWale2004
I hope everything's okay over in India...
Peace and love to India from England.
@rainylullabyx5353
@@IsaacWale2004 Actually everything is not fine here in India at all. There is a shortage of oxygen for the COVID-19 diesease. But it was very kind for you to ask. Thank you so much for caring about India. Lots of love to England too.
@hervescellier6943
@@rainylullabyx5353 Love to India from France
@leethrelfalllt
Just wish that the Indian people would learn to keep their country tidy.
@rainylullabyx5353
@@leethrelfalllt That wasn't very nice. Stop being a nasty racist atleast here on a platform like YouTube. It is meant to bring us together, and not to part us with stupid things like... Racism.
@vampyros1
I just love ALL of George’s “Indian” music contributions to the Beatles catalog. This song is beautiful.
@singing894
One of The Beatles' greatest songs and easily the most underrated in their entire repertoire.
@sergeytyurin1688
After George songs i love India
Thank you George
@ASLUHLUHCE
I'm of Indian descent and the Beatles is the most Indian thing I listen to