The Music of George Harrison

George Harrison was one of the most prolific popular music composers of the late 20th century. During his tenure with the Beatles, he caught the wave of 1960s pop culture and began channeling its pervasive influence through his music. Often described as "The Invisible Singer," his solo recordings reveal him to be an elusive, yet essential, element in the Beatles’ sound. The discussion of George Harrison’s Beatle tracks featured in the text employs a Songscape approach that blends accessible music analysis with an exploration of the virtual space created on the sound recording. This approach is then used to explore Harrison’s extensive catalog of solo works, which, due to their varied cultural sources, seem increasingly like early examples of Global Pop. In that sense, the music of George Harrison may ultimately be viewed as an important locus for pan-cultural influence in the 20th century, making this book essential reading for those interested in the history of songwriting and recording as well as the cultural study of popular music.

Thomas MacFarlane completed his doctorate at New York University where he currently teaches courses in music composition and arts analysis. In addition to contributing articles and chapters to various popular music studies, his books include The Beatles’ Abbey Road Medley: Extended Forms in Popular Music (2007), The Beatles & McLuhan: Understanding the Electric Age (2012) and Experiencing Billy Joel: A Listener’s Companion (2016). He has also given lecture presentations and seminars at international venues such as UM Lowell, the University of Glamorgan at Cardiff, and the Université Paris-Sorbonne.