Cloud George: George Harrison Part One

Like the Cheap Trick album I just talked about, it was George Harrison that actually made me like the song they played a zillion times on MTV in 1987.  The Rudy Clark song "Got My Mind Set on You." was a resurgence or new found popularity.  Either or I was just exploring The Beatles and some of the solo music of each member.  As a kid I thought "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsay" was a darn good tune.  It was playing over the intercom at the local department store and was immediately hooked.  That is also what George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set on You" did for me as well.  

George's absence from music was about five years.  This as the press and everyone around called it a comeback of sorts, but for me it was a new found listening of a solo Beatle. It was around that moment that I proclaimed that George Harrison was my favorite member. It was not till two years later I discovered Paul McCartney's Flowers in the Dirt and saw the tour of my first Beatle perform live on stage. It was quite an experience and only could imagine what The Beatles sounded like if they were around and doing live concerts.  This was new territory for me.

 

George's music was nothing new to me, but new music of his was new to me. I had a copy of a greatest hits and a pretty darn good copy of All Things Must Pass on vinyl.  In a way I had all the music I needed to hear right? Some how I doubt that.  Around the same time Flowers in the Dirt came out a George Harrison retrospective came out called Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989.  That filled some gaps of George I wanted to hear. George's music was always something I liked.  Not sure what made me listen to more of his music then the rest of The Beatles I will never know. 

Cloud Nine sounded like a Beatles record to me, and I did not mind the fact that this was my Beatles moment.  Everything about this album screamed to me a Beatles reunion that never happened.  I sure wish John was alive and this might have got them to reunite.  It was only a dream. What was pretty cool about Cloud 9 was the fact that their was a great bunch of friends of his playing on the album.  It felt like he was missed and what better way to put him on top of his game by having these friends play with him.  Every song on the album had a hook that wanted you to hear more and more.  The hit "Got My Mind Set on You." was just the icing on the cake. It was pretty tasty too and the video for it was just as cool as the song. From that moment on, George Harrison was my favorite Beatle. His mystery was something I admired.  Being called "The Quiet One" was his charm. 

All in all George Harrison could do no wrong, that is until he died.  He betrayed me. He should have not died.  he was immortal to me and so may other fans.  Cloud 9 was a perfect send off of sorts and this album stuck with me forever and ever.  His tribute to his band mates "When We Were Fab' was just the icing on the cake.  George was the person I wanted to be and never was, I wanted to be quiet and reserved, not me, I'm out going and sometimes too personable.  I wanted to be below the surface and heard and not seen.  I'm deafening and sometimes blinding.  At fifty one years old I can't change me, but I can at least try to. Thanks George for all the great music you  made without making too much of a fuss. I would have failed at that not making a fuss bit for sure.  Enjoy!