Why “Something” Became the Song That Proved George Harrison Was a Beatles Equal
For much of The Beatles’ career, the songwriting spotlight fell predominantly on the partnership between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Their prolific writing was at the forefront of the band’s records, and often left limited space for songs written by George Harrison and Ringo Starr. But, by the late 1960s, Harrison had developed his songwriting to a place of quiet sophistication, and one tune in particular would prove that he deserved greater recognition.
“Something” is Harrison’s beautiful masterpiece that was first featured on Abbey Road and described by Lennon as “The best track on the album.” The song quickly became one of the most celebrated songs in rock history and was a great introduction to Harrison’s philosophy. “Something” truly marked the point where Harrison’s abilities could no longer be overlooked, firmly establishing him as an equal creative force in The Beatles.
The Beatles are most famously associated with the songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with around 180 songs in the band’s catalog credited to the pair. While they certainly wrote the majority of the material, their dominance in quantity didn’t necessarily mean their contributions were qualitatively superior to those of their bandmates, particularly George Harrison.
Source: collider.com/Fiona MacPherson-Amador
