Darker Horse: Did George Harrison steal something for "Something?"
Thoughts on how the lyric “Something in the way she moves” is forever tied to the songwriter it inspired instead of the songwriter who did the inspiring.
When I have a pithy thought running through my head that makes me chuckle, I’ll throw it up on social media to see if it sticks with anyone else. TikTok is a place to be pithy. Every one-minute thought dump leaves room in my mind for the next.
I can’t remember what made me remember that George Harrison lifted the opening phrase of his iconic song “Something” from fellow songwriter James Taylor, but something did, and when it did, I was inspired.
This was information that I knew I knew, as this information is not in any way revelatory for nerded-out fans of The Beatles who subscribe to multiple podcasts dedicated to the band. Still, on this past Monday morning, it got me worked up in a certain kind of way anyway.
How come no one talks about the fact that George Harrison signed James Taylor to Apple, nicked the first line of his (superior) song “Something In The Way She Moves,” and then let his debut album flop?
After I posted the above to Facebook, I took to TikTok, the app that is both the bearer of balms and the fomenter of foes. You see, TikTok giveth and TikTok taketh away. Many a creator who “blows up” is then paddled into submission by the algorithm that takes away their audience, takes away their views, and takes away their confidence.
I was sitting at my kitchen table, where I will be sitting to voice these words later for your amusement or ridicule. I don’t care as long as you subscribe! I turned on the lamp that makes me look cool, and let off a wee tirade about how George “stole” the opening of “Something” from James Taylor.
I said “stole” and used the word “thievery” on the screen because, in two years of TikTok, one becomes conditioned to present content in a way that will be viewed beyond the two-second mark when most viewers scroll away.
This skill is like any other. It is one that only comes with time. Some people are naturals. Most (including me) are not. When TikTok shows me my daily “On This Day” video of whatever I thought was important a year ago, only recently have I not completely cringed at what I saw.
I enjoy TikTok a lot, and I am enjoying seeing this creative growth, but I also know that I have been manipulated into trying to create content in a way that strives to be seen. This doesn’t mean that I intentionally post to trigger. I remember a right-wing troll early in my time on TikTok telling me to “post positivity.”
Still, the reality of unconscious conditioning that mixes with my natural personality can cause me to come off like a “content creator” when making a video about something I am passionate about.
I am comfortable in my feeling that I do not compromise my ethics, morals, and, most importantly, my artistic motivation when I present myself in a way that will increase my chances to connect and be consumed. I am motivated by curiosity. How good can I get at this? I want to get as good at it as I can.
When I said George “stole” James Taylor’s lyric, I meant it. But I also felt like I was on my bullshit, and those kinds of videos tend to play. Still, I did not expect this one-minute post about George’s “thievery” to get anywhere. I let my fab four freak flag fly and was surprised at the reactions I received to the post and the idea behind it.
Let me recount what the hell it is I am talking about:
I am a lifelong fan of A-list singer-songwriter James Taylor, mostly because I grew up with his album JT, released when I first got heavily into music at five years old. This album still sounds like heaven to me. If you hear the first 20 seconds of the opening track “Your Smiling Face” and aren’t enamored, you are not a safe person!
JT is James’ eighth record. Let’s rewind back to James’ debut. Released on December 6, 1968, the self-titled James Taylor came out on a little label that you may have heard of called Apple Records. This fact is the hook of my complaint.
Pithy:
George Harrison signed James Taylor to Apple, “stole” the opening phrase of James’ song “Something In The Way She Moves” verbatim for his own song “Something,” and then “let” James’ Apple Records debut album “flop.”
The opening line of “Something In The Way She Moves” by James Taylor: “Something in the way she moves…”
The opening line of “Something” by George Harrison: “Something in the way she moves…”
Not Pithy:
I received lots of comments similar to these:
@Craig***: “Mediocre artists borrow….great ones steal….and Harrison’s song is better IMHO”
@Tom***: “It is well known to Beatles fans that George Harrison asked James Taylor if he could use it. James said yes.”
@David***: “No sentences should ever be locked away never to be used by others - variations on a theme”
This last comment was more thoughtful than the others. It’s a treat when I learn from comments by people seeking to engage with an opinionated person and who aren’t just trolling and looking to unleash on a stranger.
I pushed back because “Something” is not a “variation on a theme,” which is defined as “a musical technique where a composer alters an original theme by changing the rhythm, harmony, melody, or other aspects.”
@Josh Bloom: “Not a variation. A word for word lift of the opening line of a song by an artist GEORGE SIGNED TO HIS LABEL”
@David*** “I totally understand, but that’s the way variations on the theme works you start with the theme?”
@Josh Bloom: “Nah, brah. He just stole the line and was busy asking John for lyric ideas on ‘Something,’ too.”
My last comment refers to footage of George working on “Something” in Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” documentary on The Beatles, where he asks Paul McCartney and John Lennon to help him with the song.
The clip also underscores the pressure George rightly felt to match the genius of the songwriting partnership he was surrounded by at a time when he was also flirting with leaving the band entirely.
I never knew about the “variations on a theme” concept before, and I agree with the idea that a sentence can’t be locked away, which is why I mention facetiously, but notably, that none of this has anything to do with Nirvana’s “Something In The Way.”
This is different!
In this case, the single sentence not locked away from George did not exist in the ether. It is from a song by an artist directly under George’s wing.
As far as theme, both songs have the same theme. They are both about a woman with whom the songwriter is in love. If George had taken John’s suggestion and “Something” became a song about cauliflower, I might not be in my sixth hour of writing this!
As an owner of Apple Records, George stood to gain financially from James’ career success and, more directly, was also the person at the label who scouted and signed James.
In that role, he was also responsible for seeing that James’ record got the attention and love of the marketing staff of the label, as Paul did for artists he signed to Apple Records (Mary Hopkin, for example.)
I have 30-plus years of experience in the music industry. I could get deep into the weeds about this!
But, that is not necessary because the details of my depiction of these events, condensed into a one-sentence post and one-minute video, is my depiction of these events. It’s my thought, it’s my post, it’s my video.
I am not a journalist! I am just a dude saying crap on the internet that is of little to no consequence, even if I did find the reactions unexpected and provocative.
However, it is still interesting to me and apparently of some interest to other Beatles fans who took what I said as permission to pop off. I am okay with that because views. I am okay with that because engagement. I am okay with that because I want you to be moved by James’ incredible song.
If George had been on his game as a record label man, he would have said to James, “Hey, James, let’s not open this unbelievably powerful and perfectly written song with a creepy 35-second harpsichord solo.”
Introverted guitarists don’t make the best A&R guys, I guess.
The go-to version of this song is the moodier, slower, and deeply haunting version that James performed on December 5, 1970, almost exactly two years following the album’s release.
Some more context:
On a scale of one to ten in terms of Beatles fandom, I am at an 8.7 when it comes to knowledge of the material, knowledge of the history, and knowledge of the cultural impact.
Look, The Beatles is my favorite group. I have studied plenty, so there is only a little left to examine besides these bits of minutiae. For God’s sake, the LED lightbulbs in my living room lamps are labeled John, Paul, George, and Ringo in the app that controls them. I say, “Turn on George” first thing in the morning!
My love for The Beatles endures. I am not afraid to peel the glass onion, but I can be a sarcastic and critical little bitch that triggers people, even though that is not my intention. Still, Sean Ono Lennon came for me on Instagram about the John Lennon piece I wrote a couple months back. Want to read it? Subscribe!
If you are enjoying my writing, consider buying me a coffee? A bit of cash and caffeine keeps me composing!
Thoughtful criticism of cultural icons does not often invite thoughtful responses, including from their offspring! We are brainwashed into believing that a song, in this case, George’s “Something,” should be revered because of its place in history rather than being judged on its merits by the “judge” listening to it at any given time.
When I love, I love completely, and I love George Harrison. Part of loving is offering constructive criticism and thought, especially in retrospect.
Part of loving is being able to point out what we don’t love. I would say this to George if he were here. In my real life, I say it to people you don’t know. I have even learned how to let them say it to me! I do not mean to be a Debbie Downer. I mean to be a Debbie Details.
Mean:
Compared to John and Paul, I have never been the biggest fan of George’s songs, and that comparison is inevitable.Not with The Beatles or solo.
I feel like The Traveling Wilburys should never have existed, his “Got My Mind Set On You” cover is a travesty, and when I think of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” these days, I think of Prince’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame solo first.
Not Mean:
I still own an original vinyl box set pressing of All Things Must Pass because it stores the saved-up songbook that The Beatles forced George to stow away. He was not particularly prolific, but his gems shine, and most of the ones that blind me are here.
I was also softened while writing this by the just-released remastered version of the George song “Be Here Now” from his 1973 album Living In The Material World, which will receive a deluxe reissue on November 15, 2024. Go and watch the Martin Scorcese documentary on George of the same name. It is worth your time. It has been nice to be softened momentarily!
My favorite George release is actually late 1971’s The Concert For Bangladesh. While this is a live concert recording featuring many performers, most notably Bob Dylan, who made his first major US concert appearance in five years, I still consider it a George album because the event was George’s passion project. It is thought of as the first benefit concert of its kind.
The opening performances by Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar and his ensemble featuring sarod master Ali Akbar Khan are the parts of the record I love the most. They exemplify George’s open-minded fascination and willingness to fund artists working in other mediums and musicians from different cultures.
George was as key to bringing Monty Python to the world via his Handmade Films imprint as he was for bringing Western awareness to Indian instruments via his Sgt. Pepper’s track “Within You Without You.”
I don’t think I would have discovered the beauty of Ravi and other Indian artists if not for George’s introduction, and I believe that is what George was hoping for! The Concert For Bangladesh represents a bigger picture of what George was about as an artist, and his musical contributions to this recording are elevated by the setting.
I am less of a fan of James Taylor when it comes to the overall knowledge and standards described above. Not even close! I have zero LED light bulbs named after him. The bulbs in my bedroom are named for Beastie Boys and Simon & Garfunkel. But, as a fan of songwriting, the only information I need to make an assessment about songwriting is songs.
George must have considered James to be in his league from jump, at the very least, when he signed him to Apple as a brand-new artist.
“JT was probs too busy shooting up to notice” was the first Facebook comment I saw addressing my thoughts, referring to the fact that James Taylor spent many years, including this period, addicted to heroin.
James admitted to The Guardian as recently as four years ago that he felt responsible for introducing John Lennon to the opiate, which contributed to personal difficulties within The Beatles in 1968.
The commenter who told me about this article added that maybe George took the lyric as a passive-aggressive way to get James out of London at the time, which sounds like a fun idea for a novel or film!
For me, James’ history with heroin adds to his mystique. I don’t wish the insidiousness of heroin addiction on anyone, but from an artist’s perspective, I am interested in the circumstances that bring an artist to the creative space that reveals the work.
James’ childhood friend Suzanne Schnerr committed suicide during the recording of James’ debut album for Apple. The incident partly inspired James to write “Fire and Rain,” which appears on his second album Sweet Baby James.
It is my favorite of his songs and an example of everything I admire in songwriters and songwriting. The song’s meaning and resonance are deepened for me, knowing that James was self-medicating during its composition and recording.
“The album flopping wasn’t personal. Apple just didn’t know how to market an artist who wasn’t in the Beatles,” remarked a musician friend who knows what he is talking about (and who politely declined my invitation to elaborate further for this article.)
I stood my ground.
“It’s personal,” I responded. “Also, you have to really hate someone to allow this typeface to come anywhere near their album cover. I will allow for the photograph due to the time period, James’ habit, and every man’s general love of lazily laying about casually covered in scattered fall leaves.”
To reiterate my original thought: George “let” James’ album “flop.”
Even if this happened due to ineptitude, there is precedence for the alternative reality. As I mentioned above, Paul was incredibly proactive in looking after artists he signed to Apple and seeing that they were properly promoted. He actually gave away to and wrote songs for artists under his wing. Paul didn’t lift the opening line to any of their songs to make it the opening line of one of his songs.
But, as another commenter reiterated the one above, “JT doesn’t seem to mind.” This is the general consensus: I am making a big deal out of this when even James Taylor himself doesn’t care.
Last week I discussed my “Block and Delete” method of dealing with disrespectful commenters on social media. For the most part, those thoughts were inspired by my experiences with political content.
I did not think I would be dealing with rock and roll trolls a week later. I was reminded of when I criticized Animal Collective on Facebook and was greeted with a comment section filled with whining Williamsburg weirdos.
“Block and Delete” worked against me this time in a way I didn’t predict. I wanted to discuss some of the angriest personal attacks that came at me, but I already blocked and deleted them!
My absolute favorite, which I deleted for the commentor’s benefit, not mine, came from a guy who started with “How dare you!” and then went on about how I am “obviously not an artist or musician” if I don’t love “Something,” and concluded by asking me what I do for a living.
As I was about to respond, “I’ve been working in the music business for 30 years,” I went to his TikTok first to listen to his music. It was so fucking voluminous and so fucking bad that I decided it was better to delete his comment instead of ruining his life.
Some of the more pointed responses that remain include:
@Mr. b***: “You look so Jewish”
@3ch***: “Because it’s 6 words and it’s irrelevant”
@allengo***: “you’re full of it better than Something no!!”
@Jerry L***: “Not a great take chief”
Others felt they needed to remind me there is more to the song than the opening line (likely a guitarist), that there was no copyright infringement involved (likely a lawyer), and that George “also ripped off The Chiffons song ‘He’s So Fine’ and used the riff for ‘My Sweet Lord’” (likely a songwriter.)
I will not get too deeply into other examples of George’s history of appropriation. I was already familiar with the case he settled over “My Sweet Lord,” but another commentator reminded me of one that I had forgotten about:
@j***: “He also stole the entire first side of Electronic Sound.”
Likely an electronic artist?
Electronic Sound is a release by George on The Beatles’ Apple Records “experimental” offshoot label Zapple of two side-length electronic music compositions. George was accused of simply taking the recording of a Moog keyboard demonstration given to him by electronic music pioneer Bernie Krause and putting it out as his own work.
@james***: “The thing is all I remember is James Taylor’s version and it is the best”
George’s “Something” is considered an all-time classic, and his “Here Comes The Sun” is still the most streamed song by The Beatles on Spotify, which is a fantastic achievement.
The comment above was among the few that agreed with what I want to leave you with now:
James Taylor’s song is fucking amazing and should not be best known for being ripped off by George Harrison. I will continue to contemplate the psychology behind how that happened with a certain mix of fiction and non.
I am writing my own narrative and throwing it up on social media. Did it stick?