Beware Of Darkness

by

George Harrison

Album: All Things Must Pass      Released: 1970

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Bobby Whitlock played keyboards at this session. He was brought in for his skill on the organ, but ended up playing a different instrument on this. Says Whitlock, "Beware Of Darkness was the first time I ever played piano. They needed a piano player for that, and I decided that's what I'm going to do. That was my first recorded piano thing."

Some of the guys who played on this were members of Delaney And Bonnie's band. Whitlock explains how it came together:
"George went out for a couple of dates with us when we were on tour with Eric (Clapton). George, Paul and them had broken up. I was friends with George when all this was happening. He was playing me the songs he wanted to do on his record. I spent a lot of time out there at Friar Park. George plays me all this stuff. He wanted to do his first record after The Beatles - he never got to do his own stuff, just one song on each album. He wanted to know what Eric and I thought about putting a band together for his album. Eric and I were already talking about it, and we had already talked about having Jim Keltner come over and be in our band. Keltner was the original drummer, and Carl Radle. They were out on tour, they were still doing Mad Dogs (Joe Cocker's album). It turns out Jim Gordon and Carl come storming in from the Mad Dogs And Englishmen thing. We started right in on the session. I made a call, I called Carl Radle and Jim Keltner. Keltner was on the road with Gabor Szabo, and Carl Radle was on the road with Leon (Russell) and them. I talked to Keltner, and Keltner was going to come over when he got finished, but Jim Gordon got finished with that Mad Dogs thing and he stormed right on over and was in on it right away. The availability was there for a drummer, and Jim Gordon seized the moment. Keltner said Jim Gordon's been taking some pretty important gigs from him in Derek and the Dominos and All Things Must Pass. He was there and the need was immediate, so he filled the slot. The Dominos were formed during the recording of All Things Must Pass. Carl and Jim wound up coming out to Eric's at Heartwood Edge and we stayed out there and rehearsed. That got to be too much, so we got the Domino flat in town on 33 Turlough Street. We got out of Eric's place and the 3 of us were in downtown London raising all manner of hell and unrest." (For more on the All Things Must Pass and the story of Derek and the Dominos, check out our Bobby Whitlock interview.)

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Comments:

I heard this song on the "Concert for George" DVD last year. It has a beautiful chord progression and intriguing lyrics. I think Clapton's tibute version from this concert surpasses the "Bangaladesh" version. It has motivated me to look more deeply into George's solo songs for other treasures.
- Tony, Eugene, OR

a very beautiful moody song by George- he was an unusual song writer..very under rated and somewhat over shadowed by Lennon McCartney and yet his understated songs and style fit the Beatles perfectly. and he was a nifty guitar player. ( he got into the beatles because he could finger pick) I am sure by the time the Beatles broke up he had a love hate thing going- it always chaffes to stand just outside the limelight. he was my favourite Beatle !
- zanegrey, wimberley, TX

this song is undoubtedly one of George's best. I also agree that the version in the Concert for Bangladesh was awesome, with Leon dishing out his own style in the second verse. I wonder who did the lead guitar part..was it George or Eric Clapton?
- boots, Manila, Philippines

This song saved my life so many times when I was depressed from my divorce. It gave me the strength to go on. It was equal to dozens of therapy sesions. It a great song for all time.
- Paul, Brooklyn, NY

George was a Hare Krishna remember? When he said beware of Maya he meant the illusion. Maya means "that which is not." He meant beware of trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master God, this is called illusion. Maya makes us think we are these bodies not souls etc, makes us lust after them, eat meat, take drugs etc that ;eads to suffering. Beware of Maya indeed, cheers George x
- Rasa Bihari Das, Tamworth, UK, England

The theme of this song appears to be a wee bit more pessimistic than most of George Harrison's stuff. A lot of what he wrote was so optimistic, it seemed. This is by far my favorite song of his.
- Ethan, Helsinki

I agree with Alan in Michigan. While this is a fantastic song, the "Concert for Bangla Desh" version was absolutely awesome with Leon coming in on the 3rd verse giving it a very emotional, bluesy feel. I think this was also Leon's first vocal of the concert. Leon also did a cover of this on the "Leon Russell and the Shelter People" album, which, I think, was much faster and sounded very little like George's original.
- Richard, Anniston, AL

What I get out of this song is the idea that it isn't the events in our lives, its how we choose to react to them that can lead to darkness/sadness/maya. We need to beware lest we fall into the addiction becoming our feelings.
- Duncan, Haverhill, MA

I believe this song is like "Watch out, expect the unexpected" things like that.
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

My favorite George song ever. Like a 'don't worry, be happy' vibe, but still be cautious and aware of your surroundings. amazing. the world misses you, george.
- Laura, Spencerport, NY

One of the Best songs on All things must pass... George Harrison was one of the greatest song writers ever.
- Paul, Arlington, TX

This is one of my favorite songs on "All Things Must Pass" I miss George so much. I would never knock John, Paul or Ringo's solo work, but George wrote the most awesone, the most REAL songs. They always say something worthwhile.
- Jude, Thomasville, GA

Oops! I mean Leapin' Leon comes in on the 3rd verse!
- Alan, City, MI

Awesome song. I like the Bangla-Desh version also with Leon Russell coming in on the second verse.
- Alan, City, MI

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