25 George Harrison Quotes From the Quiet Beatle About Life and Music
If you are a Beatles fan, or a fan of music at all really, then you probably know that George Harrison was the lead guitarist for the Beatles.
He was also a talented songwriter.
These George Harrison quotes offer a glimpse into his thoughts on music and the Beatles.
Even though John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote most of the band’s songs, Beatles albums from 1965 and onward feature some of his work.
One of my favorite songs written by Harrison is “Here Comes the Sun.”
In March 1958, George Harrison auditioned for the Quarrymen (the Beatles’name at the time) playing Arthur Smith’s “Guitar Boogie Shuffle.”
George had only recently turned 15, and Jon Lennon felt he was too young to join their group.
However, Paul McCartney engineered a second meeting on the upper deck of a Liverpool bus.
This time, he impressed Lennon with his performance of the lead guitar portion of the instrumental “Raunchy”.
He hung out with the band and fill in on guitar occasionally until he finally became a full-fledged member.
Harrison embraced Indian culture and Hinduism.
Fans and critics often referred him to as “the quiet Beatle.”
His quiet nature and Hindu-aligned spirituality added a broader element to popular music thanks to Indian instrumentation and philosophical lyrics.
Don’t forget to also check out these Beatles quotes that reach for a better world.
If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement.
Check out more inspirational quotes on our motivational quotes category page.
Famous George Harrison quotes about the Beatles
1. “We were the Spice Boys.” — George Harrison
2. “The Beatles will go on and on.” — George Harrison
3. “The Beatles will exist without us.” — George Harrison
4. “The Beatles saved the world from boredom.” — George Harrison
5. “What good are three Beatles without John?” — George Harrison
6. “To the best of my knowledge, none of the Beatles can read music.” — George Harrison
7. “If we’d known we were going to be the Beatles, we’d have tried harder.” — George Harrison
8. “People say I’m the Beatle who changed the most, but to me, that’s what life’s about.” — George Harrison
9. “I just got so fed up with the bad vibes. I didn’t care if it was the Beatles; I was getting out.” — George Harrison
10. “As far as I’m concerned, there won’t be a Beatles reunion as long as John Lennon remains dead.” — George Harrison
11. “The biggest break in my career was getting into the Beatles in 1962. The second biggest break since then is getting out of them.” — George Harrison
12. “It was all part of being a Beatle, really: just getting lugged around and thrust into rooms full of pressmen taking pictures and asking questions.” — George Harrison
13. “To tell the truth, I’d join a band with John Lennon any day, but I couldn’t join a band with Paul McCartney. But it’s nothing personal. It’s just from a musical point of view.” — George Harrison
14. “They gave their money, and they gave their screams. But the Beatles kind of gave their nervous systems. They used us as an excuse to go mad, the world did, and then blamed it on us.” — George Harrison
15. “Of course, once you’ve been a Beatle, you’re never really out of it. People always want to know what you’re up to, and if you don’t immediately tell ‘em, that’s when they start making stuff up.” — George Harrison
George Harrison quotes about God and spirituality
16. “It is better to be an outspoken atheist than a hypocrite.” — George Harrison
17. “Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot wait.” — George Harrison
18. “If we were all perfected beings, we wouldn’t be here in the physical world.” — George Harrison
19. “You’ve got as many lives as you like, and more, even ones you don’t want.” — George Harrison
20. “The fact that we’re all here in these bodies means that we’re not perfected.” — George Harrison
21. “Down through the ages, there has always been the spiritual path. It’s been passed on – it always will be – and if anybody ever wants it in any age, it’s always there.” — George Harrison
22. “In the end, you’re trying to find God. That’s the result of not being satisfied. And it doesn’t matter how much money, or property, or whatever you’ve got, unless you’re happy in your heart, then that’s it. And unfortunately, you can never gain perfect happiness unless you’ve got that state of consciousness that enables that.” — George Harrison
George Harrison quotes about being a musician
23. “I think of myself as a jungle musician because of my lack of formal training.” — George Harrison
24. “I’ll give up this sort of touring madness, certainly, but music-everything is based on music. No, I’ll never stop my music.” — George Harrison
25. “Although I have guitars all around, and I pick them up occasionally and write a tune and make a record, I don’t really see myself as a musician. It may seem a funny thing to say. It’s just like I write lyrics, and I make up songs, but I’m not a great lyricist or songwriter or producer. It’s when you put all these things together – that makes me.” — George Harrison
Which of these George Harrison quotes is your favorite?
The Beatles have a complicated history with each other.
George Harrison’s interests and beliefs moved away from those of his bandmates by 1966.
The Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album of 1967 was a turning point in his career.
He only had a single composition on the album, and it was the Indian-inspired tune “Within You Without You.”
No other people contributed to the piece, in fact, he played sitar and tambura on the track, backed by musicians from the London Asian Music Circle.
He later commented that the album was “A millstone and a milestone in the music industry … There’s about half the songs I like and the other half I can’t stand.”
Ringo Starr had already quit the band briefly at one point, but tensions got worse in January 1969.
Harrison quit the group on January 10, over frustrations with the cold and sterile film studio.
Lennon’s creative disengagement from the Beatles, and “a domineering attitude from McCartney,” were also a factor in his decision.
Twelve days later, thanks to his bandmate’s agreement to move the film project, and abandon McCartney’s plan to return to public performance, Harrison rejoined the Beatles.
However, after The Beatle’s final breakup, he took most of his unreleased compositions and enjoyed a solo career.
He did still have quite a bit to say about them, as you can see with these George Harrison quotes and sayings.
Leave your favorite George Harrison saying in the comment section below.
