Shelter In Your Love - Pure George

[Legs]

FPSHOT and I were talking about this song, and it seems that it's very little discussed. It's indeed one of the most obscure songs, but yet it's so beautiful and pure George that it deserves more atention. In fact it's so obscured I haven't seen it on bootlegs, tho there must be at least one with the song on it.

Shelter In Your Love was co-written with Alvin Lee. For sure is that it was written and recorded in 1985. The book Eight Arms To Hold You says spring of that year, while two other books say it was December of the same year (even the few lines written, in the few books about the song, are contradicting themselves).

I can't hear Alvin Lee on the demo,, so I asume that it was just co-written with Lee but that George alone recorded the demo.
Coming after the "Gone Troppo" album, it has that style and wouldn't be misplaced on that album. The song has a soothing feeling. The lyrics could be about God, but they also leave enough room open that it could be about finding comfort in the love of a person you love deeply.

Shelter in your love sample (http://home.versatel.nl/carryingwords/shelter.mp3)

Thanks FPSHOT.

[AnyRoad69]

thanks for this song I did not hear it yet
sounds like how in the seventies...

[darkhorse]

Thanks for the song, I hadn't heard it either and I agree that the style is very 80's George... it was quite emotional to hear his voice in a 'new' track... the sound of this one reminds me of his demo for Dylan's "Abandoned Love".

Any light on what the lyrics are all about?

[FPSHOT]

It’s such a gift to have this song.

I wonder about the time this was recorded. 1985 I have read, however when I play the song, I see more a connection to “Life Itself” and “Writings On The Wall” and when you would play “That Which I Have Lost” on a slower tempo you would recognize the same style as well.

But then..some of the Gone Troppo - 1982 - atmosphere is also in this song.

I have placed a question at the official Alvin Lee message board, maybe some additional information comes from there.

I found this track on last Christmas day…very accidentally… and kept it private for a while hehehe… such a beauty..

[Cecilia]

Great to hear George again. I love his voice on this one...I see it more like "Sat Singing" or "Lay His Head", only with a slower tempo.

I'd like to read the lyrics...and the entire demo, though. But still, is awesome to hear the track. Thanks for posting it :smile1:

[FPSHOT]

You are right Cecilia...these songs are in the same atmosphere as well.

[Siobhan]

Thanks Legs, that is a beautiful song. I too have never heard this one, so it was wonderful to be able to. I agree with Darkhorse that it's remeniscent of the Abandoned Love demo. I thought of that song as soon as George started to sing.

[Legs]

I haven't made the connection to Abandoned Love or a song in particular, to me it's more of a feeling. Feels like it could have been on "Gone Troppo" or "Somewhere In England". But some people on the George forum maded the comparison to "Abandoned Love" as well.

As for the lyrics, I am almost sure about them but the first line I still don't get.

I hope you get some more info from the Alvin Lee board FPSHOT.

[Legs]

Here are the lyrics with thanks to some people at the George forum. Sorry forgot your names in case you're reading. After listening to the song a few times, I think that most of the lyrics are right, except for the first line.

Wings ? ...... ? off friendly place?
Worlds cracking up like eggs
Strains showing me the human race
And I shelter in your love
I sheltering my love

Cash flowing into empty space
Tongues lashing and expose
Brains thrusting on suspecting haste
I ... shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love

It's a safer way to go through life
It's right .... inside your love


And I shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right ...... inside your love

In any case beautiful and warm lyrics.

[FPSHOT]

I hope you get some more info from the Alvin Lee board FPSHOT.

No reply yet, Legs. Too technical probably...

[Siobhan]

Here are the lyrics with thanks to some people at the George forum. Sorry forgot your names in case you're reading. After listening to the song a few times, I think that most of the lyrics are right, except for the first line.

Wings ? ...... ? off friendly place?
Worlds cracking up like eggs
Strains showing me the human race
And I shelter in your love
I sheltering my love

Cash flowing into empty space
Tongues lashing and expose
Brains thrusting on suspecting haste
I ... shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love

It's a safer way to go through life
It's right .... inside your love


And I shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right ...... inside your love

In any case beautiful and warm lyrics.


I hear the first two lines a little differently, although I may be wrong. This is what it sounds like to me anyway:

Dreams bleeding on a friendly place
Wounds cracking up like eggs

[beatlebangs1964]

Funny you should say that, FPSHOT. I thought it was "wounds" too. I'll check findlyrics.com

[Legs]

I was sure about Wings and world's cracking up like eggs. But I can't be to sure, anyway good reason to listen to the song some more.

What do you think of the song BB?

[darkhorse]

May I interrupt? I could just swear that this was recorded during the Somewhere In England sessions. Perhaps another rejected track from those sessions? Some lirical/musical textures remind me even of "Writing's On The Wall"

[FPSHOT]

That's the first song I thought about when I heard this.

[old_moon_shining]

Here are the lyrics with thanks to some people at the George forum. Sorry forgot your names in case you're reading. After listening to the song a few times, I think that most of the lyrics are right, except for the first line.

Wings ? ...... ? off friendly place?
Worlds cracking up like eggs
Strains showing me the human race
And I shelter in your love
I sheltering my love

Cash flowing into empty space
Tongues lashing and expose
Brains thrusting on suspecting haste
I ... shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love

It's a safer way to go through life
It's right .... inside your love


And I shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right
It's a safer way to go through life
It's right ...... inside your love

In any case beautiful and warm lyrics.

Thanks FPSHOT for sharing this song and to Legs for his hard work on the lyrics. When I first heard it I thought 'GH album' but no one else has mentioned this one. Just one more idea to confuse, sorry!

Has anyone got closer with the lyrics??

[beatlebangs1964]

I like the song and think it is a high caliber work. The lyrics are timely and relevant; indeed, they are timeless. Shame this is an obscure work because it is intense and very pleasant. I can also see where others have compared this one to other songs.

[Legs]

Thanks Old Moon, but those folks at the Harrison forum pretty much worked the lyrics out already. I did however listen to the song many times to see wheter I would agree. No problem btw cause i like to listen to the song. But still the first line is giving me problems. Can't figure it out.

I think 1985 as date when the song was written and recorded is pretty sure. Sure not everything that has been written is right, but all the sources place the song in that year. Since it hasn't been released on an album, or given the production treatment, it can be dificult to place it exactly.

[FPSHOT]

Someone from the Alvin Lee website wrote me and said the song is an outtake from the sessions for the 1986 album "Detroit Diesel" for which George played on "Talk Don't Bother Me".

"The Beatles Diary- After The Break-Up 1970-2001" by Keith Badman which is a pretty accurate book, writes that George and Alvin were writing songs amogst which this one, in December 1985.

[old_moon_shining]

....not everything that has been written is right....

This has to be true.

My imagination goes wild thinking about when you guys found this song. Like a prospector sifting through tons of dross and then! - that glimer of 'gold'.

I must get better speakers so I can listen and comment more accurately about the lyrics.

General feeling so far that it has to be 'God' he is talking about, for me anyway......

"I ... shelter in your love
I ... sheltering my love"

..but keeping an open mind.

To me the lyrics sound 'fragile' as does his voice. (Emotionally and physically.) Not nearly the confident vocal and lyrical pinnacle of 'Cloud 9' which, according to this new timetable you present, was just around the corner.

Anyway many thanks to you guys, again.

[FPSHOT]

I found this song on last Christmas day... I don't recall how I came to it...but suddenly on WinMX it was just there...

[beatlebangs1964]

How a propos and a wonderful Christmas present!

[FPSHOT]

It sure was and I was happy to be able to share it with just the one I'd want to share it with... a very special day...

Thank you George...

[Siobhan]

Wow, yes a special Christmas present. And thanks to you and Legs for sharing it with the rest of us :smile1:

[beatlebangs1964]

Well said, Siobhan.

[Hari's Chick]

It sure was and I was happy to be able to share it with just the one I'd want to share it with... a very special day...

Thank you George...

That was among my very favorite XMas gifts! :smile1: Definitely the best "grown up" gift. :smile1: :smile1:

[beatlebangs1964]

Yeah, and it is "pure" George. The distinctive guitar style and melody...definitely another bonus gift grom George. :smile1: :smile1:

[FPSHOT]

That was among my very favorite XMas gifts! :smile1: Definitely the best "grown up" gift. :smile1: :smile1:
amazing huh

:smile1: :wink1:

[FPSHOT]

this still rare song may be one for the new compilation

i found a youtube, but the sound quality is poor

FJ9zrBIX0nE

[Hari's Chick]

This is a really special song...

"Shelter" is a term we use in Krishna Consciousness a lot. Just as in some Christian churches words appear often, "shelter" is found extremely often in Srila Prabhupada's writings (and other Vaisnavas). I did for instance a vedabase search and got an instant 15 long pages of references. That was on a limited search feature!

There is even a popular devotee band called simply "Shelter."

The term is often used in conjunction with the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna.

George is really showing his devotee roots on this beautiful song. :)

****************

Let Us Take Shelter of Your Lotus Feet

http://bp0.blogger.com/_ZGoNArkoGbM/R82RSZSsnFI/AAAAAAAAB68/BWDS6cN6nHQ/s400/lotus+feet.JPG


The demigods said: O Lord, Your lotus feet are like an umbrella for the surrendered souls, protecting them from all the miseries of material existence. All the sages under that shelter throw off all material miseries. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto Your lotus feet.

O Father, O Lord, O Personality of Godhead, the living entities in the material world can never have any happiness because they are overwhelmed by the three kinds of miseries. Therefore they take shelter of the shade of Your lotus feet, which are full of knowledge, and we also thus take shelter of them.

The lotus feet of the Lord are by themselves the shelter of all places of pilgrimage. The great clear-minded sages, carried by the wings of the Vedas, always search after the nest of Your lotuslike face. Some of them surrender to Your lotus feet at every step by taking shelter of the best of rivers [the Ganges], which can deliver one from all sinful reactions.

Simply by hearing about Your lotus feet with eagerness and devotion and by meditating upon them within the heart, one at once becomes enlightened with knowledge, and on the strength of detachment one becomes pacified. We must therefore take shelter of the sanctuary of Your lotus feet.

O Lord, You assume incarnations for the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation, and therefore we all take shelter of Your lotus feet because they always award remembrance and courage to Your devotees.

O Lord, persons who are entangled by undesirable eagerness for the temporary body and kinsmen, and who are bound by thoughts of "mine" and "I," are unable to see Your lotus feet, although Your lotus feet are situated within their own bodies. But let us take shelter of Your lotus feet.

SB 3.5.39-44