George Harrison - Written for John Lennon



I'm shouting all about love
While they treated you like a dog
When you were the one who
had made it so clear
All those years ago.

I'm talking all about how to give
They don't act with much honesty
But you point the way to the truth when you say
All you need is love.

Living with good and bad
I always look up to you
Now we're left cold and sad
By someone the devil's best friend
Someone who offended all.

We're living in a bad dream
They've forgotten all about mankind
And you were the one they
backed up to the wall
All those years ago
You were the one who Imagined it all
All those years ago.

Deep in the darkest night
I send out a prayer to you
Now in the world of light
Where the spirit free of the lies
And all else that we despised.

They've forgotten all about God
He's the only reason we exist
Yet you were the one that they
said was so weird
All those years ago
You said it all though not many had ears
All those years ago
You had control of our smiles and our tears
All those years ago

George originally wrote this as a song with different lyrics to give to Ringo to record, which he did, but Ringo felt the range was a bit too high and he wasn't crazy about the lyrics. George agreed and took the song back, and when John was murdered a month later, he took the song back into the studio and remixed it, removing Ringo's vocals, but leaving his drum track, then re-recorded his own vocals with re-written lyrics as a tribute to reflect the loss of their friend. Paul and Linda McCartney and Denny Laine came by the studio to provide backup vocals, and Al Kooper provided the keyboard parts. Herbie Flowers took over the bass duties.

What started out as a song written by one Beatle to give to another (a common practice between them at that time), essentially turned out to be a rare recording of the three surviving Beatles.

This would mark the first time in ten years, since 1970, that all four Beatles played on a recording together ("The Long And Winding Road"). All four Beatles would not be heard on another track together for another fifteen years on an unfinished song by John Lennon, "Free As A Bird".