Why Paul McCartney Played the 'Taxman' Guitar Solo Instead of George Harrison
When you look back at the career of George Harrison, you might call 1966’s Revolver his breakout moment. The revolutionary Beatles album featured three songs by George, who tried his hand at experimental guitar solos and otherwise fully committed to the recording sessions.
Though he reached something of a low point with Sgt. Pepper’s the following year, George’s leap forward in songwriting on Revolver paved the way for “Something” and other classics that were to come.
Yet it didn’t come easy on Revolver. As George worked to increase his standing in The Beatles, he met resistance from John Lennon and borderline dismissal from Paul McCartney. George Martin, the band’s esteemed producer, harbored his own doubts about George at the time.
Things came to a head during the sessions for “Taxman,” the hard-rocking track that opens the album. Though George wrote the song and was the band’s lead guitarist, Paul played the famous guitar solo on it.
Source: cheatsheet.com
