Harrison/Clapton Songs About Pattie

I'd like to get a list of all the songs Harrison or Clapton wrote about Pattie. Love songs, breakup songs, etc. I know Harrison wrote a few that were about her and at the same time his usual spiritual stuff. Anything counts.

I'll start it out with the obvious choices, I'm a little too lazy right now to go looking for the rest. Reply and keep adding to the list, with any comments about the songs you're adding. Try to keep them in the order they were released.

Harrison
I Need You
Something

Clatpon
Bell Bottom Blues
Layla
Wonderful Tonight
Pretty Girl

I believe "What Is Life" was a song about Pattie. But I could be wrong.

Also "For You Blue" was a song about her too.

There's also George's version of "Bye Bye Love," the lyrics of which were completely rewritten about the whole Eric + Pattie situation. And though "Beautiful Girl" was written chiefly about Olivia, the line "Not the kind you go handing around" is clearly a Pattie reference. I Me Mine implies that "Isn't It a Pity" was also written about Pattie.

From Clapton, "The Shape You're In" is about Pattie's alcoholism.

ETA: And Wikipedia says that "She's Waiting," "Same Old Blues" and "Just Like a Prisoner" were about Eric's and Pattie's marriage

there's one I never heard but read about called Golden Ring that Eric wrote for Pattie when she heard George married Olivia. I may have screwed up the title

I think "You Like Me Too Much" and "Woman Don't Cry For Me" are about Pattie. I also think "Isn't it a Pity" and "Grey Cloudy Lies" were Pattie inspired and are about her.


"Dark Sweet Lady" is a beautiful song about Olivia.

Did George ever go on record saying that Something was about Pattie? Because I've only read stuff from him explicitly saying it wasn't about her, that he was just trying to write a Ray Charles style song.

It's true George said many times the song wasn't about Pattie, and Shyamasundar relayed that George told him the song wasn't about Pattie, but about Krishna (only). He said he made the songs pronouns feminine because he didn't want people to think he was gay (Seinfeld: "not that there's anything wrong with that!").

That said..... years later in an interview, they asked George who it was written about, and he said, "I dunno... maybe Pattie."

The world may never know!

It would be difficult to empirically know which songs George wrote with Pattie in mind. During the period he was married to Pattie, he would likely say they were for her (if asked). It would be rare for a married man to say, "Oh such and such is about woman x- not my wife."

Similarly, once there was marital discord, any song written with her in mind will be denied and downplayed, "I wrote it for someone else, not her."

That's my feelings on it, anyway.

Originally Posted by Maia 66

Did George ever go on record saying that Something was about Pattie? Because I've only read stuff from him explicitly saying it wasn't about her, that he was just trying to write a Ray Charles style song.

I know about the quote about it being inspired by Ray Charles and his style, but I never once heard that George himself ever said the song was about her. I didn't think he wrote it with anyone in particular in mind.

This is good for a giggle - Frank Sinatra has been quoted as saying this was the best "Lennon & McCartney love song of all times." Poor Frank - the man really didn't know it was by George Harrison!

You guys might find this interesting... it's George writing in process...

http://soundcloud.com/trekkiemonster...ting-something

I'd like to think it was written for Krishna, as Shy suggested. Maybe it aquired that meaning as it progressed from this point. However, in this initial stage, I'd be inclined to believe George had no one particular in mind. At the beginning he states, "I can't think of what attracted me at all..." He cracks me up.

As it goes along he sings "Something in the way she moves... attracts me like a pomegranate..." I don't think he was bathing in romantic sentimentality when writing it.... in my opinion. :)

Originally Posted by beatlebangs1964

This is good for a giggle - Frank Sinatra has been quoted as saying this was the best "Lennon & McCartney love song of all times." Poor Frank - the man really didn't know it was by George Harrison!

George alludes to that at the beginning of Far East Man. :)