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A nobody; a nitwit; a pilot; a motorcyclist; a raconteur; a lover...of life - who loves to laugh, who tries to not take myself (or anything) too seriously...just a normal guy who knows his place in the universe by being in touch with my spiritual side. What more is there?

07 March 2008

George Harrison - Horse To The Water

In early October of 2001, George Harrison traveled to Switzerland to record one of the last, if not the last song he ever composed (with his son Dhani). The song is called, “Horse To The Water.” George was dying. He had been diagnosed with cancer in 1997. Barely two months after the recording session he was gone.

I remember watching some of the clips of George from 1996, during the time he, Paul McCartney and Ringo got together to complete those two rough John Lennon songs (“Free As A Bird” and “Real Love”). In the formal interviews that George gave at the time, he looked good! He was all made up and his hair was perfect - the George we knew and loved. But in the candid documentary footage of the three surviving Beatles working together on the Lennon songs, he looked awful…sick. In sad retrospect, you can tell that the cancer was eating him up even then, whether he knew it or not (and I suspect he did although the official announcement was yet to be made).

George approached that death with good-natured grace. “Horse To The Water” was a bit of gallows humor on his part, a little inside joke about his inability to quit his years of heavy smoking which ostensibly caused his cancer. He kept working right up until the end. In fact, when George went to Switzerland to record the vocal for that song, it was not for use on one of his own records but rather, a CD entitled “Small World, Big Band” by a guy named Jools Holland. We’ll get to that in a second.

Although he was dying, although he was nearly 58 years-old, George could still write a rocker! The bluesy, “Horse To The Water” is as good as anything he’d ever written.

One of George’s long-time friends was a musician named Joe Brown. Fairly well-known in England, he never gained much popularity in the United States. Joe was best-man at George’s marriage to his second wife Olivia. Joe’s daughter Sam is a singer, and had been working with Jools Holland, who himself had been a member of and keyboard player in a terrific English band called Squeeze back in the 1980’s. The founding members of Squeeze were two guys named Chris Difford and Glen Tillbrook, who were heralded at the time as the “new Lennon/McCartney.” The influence of the Beatles on the music of Squeeze was undeniable, and they didn’t. Currently, Jools Holland is a well-respected musician, television host and interviewer on English television.

So one year after Harrison’s death, his buddy Eric Clapton puts on this concert in George’s honor. He gathers up many of George’s friends including many of those he’d played with over the years. Then they get together in the Royal Albert Hall in London to sing and play his music. I’ve written before about the “Concert For George” and how much I love it. It is possibly the best "tribute concert" that ever will be.

One of the songs they do is “Horse To The Water,” sung by an ebullient Sam Brown. It is an amazing, joyous performance, one of the highlights of the whole show. But before clicking on the video below (and I sincerely hope you do), here are a few things to watch for.

· Sam Brown’s incredible vocal . She just flat nails the song! She owns it!
· Jools Holland’s keyboard playing is wonderful. The look on his face says it all – how happy and honored he is to be there on that very special night.
· Andy Fairweather Low’s backing vocal is awesome, adding a gospel depth.
· Tom Scott’s rockin' sax solo! And I’m not even a big fan of the sax. Scott’s been around forever. He is outstanding.
· This is one time in the concert when we get to actually hear Eric Clapton play- they finally turn his guitar up! As bandleader, throughout most of the concert he's stuck to just playing rhythm and not lead. In this song, his signature sound is unmistakable, yet the cameras only briefly ever catch him in the act.

Enjoy…
 



I can (and do) watch that video over and over. I just love watching Sam sing it, and of course I love hearing it. It never fails to cheer me up and make me feel good.

I had not been able to find a bloggable copy of George Harrison singing that song, although I knew one existed. Finally, through the magic of YouTube, somebody put it up! Mind you, while it is George's version of "Horse To The Water" as it appeared on the Jools Holland album, what is posted below is not a music video. It's just a collection of Beatle video clips centering mostly on George, forming the background for it. Sadly, many of the clips show him happily puffing away on cigarettes.

After George recorded the vocal for the aforementioned "Small World, Big Band" CD, Jools Holland took the track and added the orchestra instruments and more background vocals. So it doesn't sound like your "typical" George Harrison song. Still, it sounds great. But compared to Sam Brown’s killer version, I’m not sure which one I prefer! I'll let you decide for yourself.


21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I bet Tom Petty could do an awesome version of this song.


kman

Hal Johnson said...

Before "Concert for George," my four favorite concert films were Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps," The Band's "The Last Waltz," Nanci Griffith's "One Fair Summer Evening," and the Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense." (Love that one, even though I was never a rabid Talking Heads fan.)

But sheesh, "Concert for George" just blows them all out of the water. I've watched it about ten times so far, and it still gives me chills at certain points.

Loved this post, Bob. Thanks.

David said...

Wow!

Concert For George just went to the top of the shopping list.

I watched the George version first. The time lapse from Abbey Road nearly (Nearly) teared me up.

This is not a 'prod' just an observation, that could have been Dylan off of say, Slow Train.

Sam Brown! Where do I find one of those!? WWOWW. At about 5:05, did you see Clapton looking at her like a proud papa?

Another great music post from a pilot. You're gonna change my way of thinking! LOL!

David

PS: What was that Clapton had in his hand?

Redlefty said...

Great stuff, thanks!

I introduced Samantha to the Beatles on Wednesday night. She eventually asked me to sing "Hard Day's Night" as her bedtime song. :)

Bob Barbanes: said...

kman, I dunno...I can never imagine anyone else doing Beatle songs. I love Elvis but I'm not a big fan of his version of George's "Something" (one of the most-recorded songs of all time).

And guys, I'm glad my copy of the "Concert For George" is not like a vinyl record or it would be worn-slap-out by now.

Michael, having Samantha ask for "A Hard Day's Night" just proves that great music really is timeless.

David, that "thing" in Clapton's hand...you mean that Strat? Quite a few Stratocasters up on that stage. I've got to get me one of those things! Think it's too late in life for a 50-something guy to learn how to play the guitar? I wanna rock out before I die.

David said...

It's never too late!

Hal Johnson said...

Bob, in some ways, being 50-something may mark the ideal time to learn to play the guitar. Go for it dude: better now than when you're in your seventies.

Hal Johnson said...

Now here's a travesty for ya: Sam Brown's version of "Horse to the Water" isn't included on the soundtrack CD for Concert for George. Sheesh.

But, I ordered it anyway.

Bob Barbanes: said...

Yes Hal, that *IS* a travesty! How they failed to include that scorcher of a potential hit song on the audio CD is simply unfathomable. And dont' give me any of this "space consideratons" mumbo-jumbo - I'm sure they could have squeezed her in. Oh well, for those who don't own the concert DVD, at least there are the YouTube versions. Maybe some day I'll be able to find one for my iPod.

saraswati said...

Hi! I m from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I ve just come across your blog since I have been listening Horse to the Water sung by George again and again and again for at least an hour and a half. I do love that song. I m a big fan of George and there is no day for me without playing his songs.
I absolutely agree with you about this Horse to the Water, about Concert For George and about the amazing Sam Brown´s performance of that song. I m also one of those who have played that part of the Concert hundreds of times...actually I ve seen the complete Concert a dozen of times and the more I see it the more I love it and I never fail to cry at the end of it when Joe Brown sings that touching song and all of a sudden roses petals start falling down. I know people of all ages that have seen that Concert and everyone of them says the same about it is perhaps the best tribute ever. I took the dvd to some friends´ who arent fans of George but they could felt the joyful vibes that were around that night at the Royal Albert Hall and I saw tears in their eyes. It is magical.
I d like to call that Concert "a celebration of a man´s life".
I knew that was the last song he sang before leaving his body and I think it is another special reason to love it.
It is amazing how the guy was leaving but he wrote such amazing songs like that and like The Rising Sun. Every time I hear him singing "and in the rising sun you can feel your life begins" I cry and say to myself: "he is such a great soul! though he leaving this material world he sang about the beginning of a life"
I ve just found another vid on youtube where you can listen to George singing Horse to the Water and see some rare pics of him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyOQ6qBmKgc

I started this comment saying I came across your posting about this song...but maybe it was not just "by chance" that I found it. Besides, I ve noticed you posted it on my birthday.

Bob Barbanes: said...

Sara, thank you so much for your comments. Like you, I am a HUGE George Harrison fan, and I listen to his music every day. There are so many of his songs that I listen to over and over. Like you, they often affect me emotionally.

I did look at the YouTube video you linked, and it is terrific! I do love his version of the song. And amazingly, there were pictures of him I'd never seen before!

The clip of Sam Brown singing "Horse to the Water" has been removed from YouTube because of some silly copyright fight between companies. However, I am editing the blogpost to include a shorter YouTube clip that still exists - at least until it is pulled down another time.

Again, I thank you for visiting and commenting. It is through George's fans that his music lives. He was an amazing man. (And I might add, I had other things planned for tonight - a new blogpost I'm working on. But I got sidetracked watching and listening to George Harrison videos on YouTube. For me, it's a wonderful way to spend time. And it sure beats working!)

-Bob

Anonymous said...

Randall here

I saw Sam Brown at the Concert for George, in London and Royal Albert Hall

While the concert was the best I've seen in my lifetime [ Billly Preston, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton -- who was magnificent on While My Guitar Gently weeps, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, on and on ] Ms Brown really brought the house down

She was electric

I've been love with her ever since

Glad to see someone else who gives credit for her amazing performance and George's lost, last great song

Music is immortal

Bob Barbanes: said...

Agreed, Randall. Thanks for posting!

Unknown said...

Oct. 2015. In France. I watched on youtube the Concert for Georges. A lot of joy, emotion, goose bumps and tears... And Sam Brown appears on stage ... what a great great voice and performer ! i love it ! Bought the cd on Itunes and listen to it everyday.
Thanks for your wonderful post.. And yes, me too, I am going to learn guitar at 58 !..
Keep on updating your blog. You are doing a great job
Fabrice

Bob Barbanes: said...

Hey Fabrice, thank you for your comment! It is amazing (and more than a little surprising) to see how much of an impact George Harrison made on my life. He was a wonderful person.

My guitar playing is progressing...maybe not as fast as I'd like, but I *do* see progress. So good luck with your playing! Keep practicing, and have fun!

Unknown said...

I know I come very late to this chat and maybe you won't even be able to read this, but still I need to send you a BIG thank you for having written it.
I enthusiastically agree each and every word.
I am a die-hard Beatle fan and George has always been very special for me. I don't like to say "my favourite", they all are, but George is special.

The Concert for George is an event with no match in the history of rock and I am completely convinced that no other tribute concert will ever get close to the shadow of it.
I tried hard to buy me a ticket to attend the concert live, but though I have good friends in London, from Barcelona it proved to be impossible.
I cannot count the times I have seen it, and let me tell you, I am NEVER shy or bored to see it again and again. Feeling deep, strong emotions each and every time.
The performance of Sam Brown is a highlight in an evening full of highlights, but the best of it all is seeing, feeling the true emotion of George's friends and mates when playing his music, the love flowing all around on stage... it always touches me deep inside.
I am not a guy who cries easily, but watching this concert I find it very hard, if not impossible, to refrain my tears at certain points.
I could keep talking about it for hours... will only say "thank you" again.

Bob Barbanes: said...

Well, my "Unknown" friend, I completely agree with you. I don't know why George has affected me so much...why I feel such a kinship with him. Perhaps he was more spiritual than even he ever realized! He was truly a very special man.

Like you, I can watch the Concert For George over and over and never get tired of it. I just wished that they had closed the show with George's "The Art of Dying." It's a great rockin' song, and it would have been very appropriate. Why it wasn't even included in the set list is beyond me. Did it hit a little too close to home? Were the performers still too sensitive to try it? I mean, they did a great version of "Wah-Wah," which was written about Paul - and he was sitting right there, singing along! Ah well...neither Jeff, Eric nor Dhani consulted me on songs to be done.

Glad you enjoyed the post. Keep on listening, and keep George's music alive!

Unknown said...

Sorry, this is Wolfgang, from Barcelona, I never meant to appear as "Unknown", thought that my name was coming along with my message and address.

Glad to see you are still active and answering.
"Art of dying" is a great rocker from "All things must pass", widely acclaimed as the best solo Beatle album ever. But yes, maybe the song was too specific...

May I say one more thing about that concert?
Almost each and every musician having been important in the career and the life of George was there. Obviously with the exception of the guys who took the step before George, like John or Roy Orbison.
The list is long, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Klaus Voormann, Billy Preston, Tom Petty, Joe and Sam Brown, Gary Brooker, Jim Keltner, a long etc., besides his family members, Olivia, Dhani, Paul, Ringo.

Who was missing? Bob Dylan. Supposedly a good friend of George, and moreover, a Travelling Wilbury! I never found an explanation about why he failed to join the show, though I have looked for it more than once.
You know? I have little respect for Dylan as a person, of course recognising his enormous stature as an artist. I had already bad feelings since I saw him live in Barcelona, many years ago, and he did not bother to address a word or even say hello to the audience one single time. Played and left without saying goodbye, don't mention offering an encore. Arrogance in its purest form.
And then... not participating in George's tribute concert. Cannot be forgiven. No excuses are valid for such a thing. Come on, could he pretend to be busier than all the other guys present there? Or more important?

May I have your thoughts about it?
Cheers,
Wolfgang

Bob Barbanes: said...

Hmm, Wolfgang, you know, I never really thought about it! But now that you mention it...where *WAS* Bob?

I've noticed that lately, Dylan has become very...what's the word...strange. He doesn't actually "sing" anymore...at least, not in any tuneful way. I once saw a raw tape of the "Bobfest" concert in NYC. At the end, everyone came out and did a group version of "My Back Pages." When it came Bob's turn, he didn't so quite 'sing' his verse, but just kind of...it's hard to explain. But it was awful. In the Official DVD version, that "bad" part was cut out and overdubbed with a version where he actually sings the lyrics. Very odd.

So it's hard to understand what's happening with Dylan. Yes, you'd think he should and would have been there for George. Maybe they weren't as close as people thought? I agree with you - not even addressing the audience was just rude. I'll bet everyone there were people who loved and respected him for decades, and loved his music. But he doesn't seem to care.

Strange man.

Glad you got to see him though! I've never been able to do that - and probably won't at this point. Thanks for commenting, Wolfgang!

Unknown said...

Well Bob, you may be right, maybe Dylan was not so close to George. Maybe Dylan is not too close to anybody else.
But he participated in The Concert for Bangla Desh, he co-wrote with George "I'd have you anytime" for "All things must pass", and most of it, HE WAS A TRAVELLING WILBURY! When you are in a band together with someone else, that should mean something...
George was one of the guys singing "My back pages" at the concert you just mentioned, together with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Neil Young etc. George sang as well "Absolutely sweet Marie" himself before, the same evening.
How does it come that Dylan did not feel that he should be in the Concert for George, if only to return the favour?
Dylan is not just a strange man, he is a pretentious arrogant cold-hearted strange man.

Bob Barbanes: said...

Pretty harsh there, Wolfgang! But I won't disagree with you. Look, people change over time - nobody stays the same. I'm not the same guy I was 20 years ago, and neither are you. Let's give Bob Dylan the space to do that too, huh? As you say, he's probably not close to *anyone*.

But! When you've spent your life with everyone kissing your ass and telling you what a great legend you are, I suppose it can go to a person's head. (Think Paul McCartney!) And maybe it has affected Dylan in a negative way: "pretentious, arrogant and cold hearted" as you say. All I can say is, "Maybe he had a good reason for not participating in the Concert For George." I will say though, that George's version of "Absolutely Sweet Marie" is one of my all-time favorite songs. Man, that thing ROCKS!! The guitar interplay between G.E. Smith and Steve Cropper is simply amazing. The song just blows me away. (I just wish George had brought his electric, not that acoustic he was playing.)