Written by: Harrison
Recorded: May 1968
Unreleased
George Harrison: vocals, acoustic guitar
Paul McCartney: bass
Ringo Starr: tambourine
Sour Milk Sea was one of the demo songs recorded in May 1968. Although it was an early contender for the White Album, it was eventually given to Apple recording artist Jackie Lomax.
The song was written by George Harrison. Although not explicitly mentioned, the song contains clear references to Transcendental Meditation, the "very simple process" which takes "no time at all". Although the connection has never been acknowledged by the group, Sour Milk Sea's refrain of "Get back to where you should be" bears a similarity to the chorus of The Beatles' 1969 hit Get Back.
I wrote Sour Milk Sea in Rishikesh, India. I never actually recorded the song - it was done by Jackie Lomax on his album Is This What You Want? Anyway, it's based on Vishvasara Tantra, from Tantric art. 'What is here is elsewhere, what is not here is nowhere'. It's a picture, and the picture is called Sour Milk Sea - Kalladadi Samudra in Sanskrit. I used Sour Milk Sea as the idea of - if you're in the shit, don't go around moaning about it: do something about it
The Beatles taped a version at Kinfauns, Harrison's bungalow in Esher, Surrey, prior to the sessions for the White Album. They recorded 23 demos on his Ampex four-track machine. The demo of Sour Milk Sea remains unreleased, and is only available on unofficial bootleg recordings.
The Beatles never attempted a studio version of Sour Milk Sea. It was taped by Lomax at Abbey Road on 24, 25 and 26 June 1968; Harrison produced the song, with Paul McCartney on bass, Ringo Starr on drums, Eric Clapton on guitar and Nicky Hopkins on piano.
Lomax was the first artist to sign to The Beatles' Apple label. Sour Milk Sea was released as a single in August 1968, with the catalogue number Apple 3. It was part of Apple's "Our first four" set of singles, which also included The Beatles' Hey Jude, Mary Hopkin's Those Were The Days and the Black Dyke Mills Band's Thingumybob.
The song also appeared on Lomax's debut album, Is This What You Want?, released by Apple in March 1969.
Lyrics
If your life's not right, doesn't satisfy you
Don't get the breaks like some of us do
Better work it out, find where you've gone wrong
Better do it soon as you don't have long
Get out of Sour Milk Sea
You don't belong there
Get back to where you should be
Find out what's going on there
If you want the most from everything you do
In the shortest time your dreams come true
In no time at all it makes you more aware
Very simple process takes you there
Get out of Sour Milk Sea
You don't belong there
Get back to where you should be
Find out what's going on there
Looking for release from limitation?
There's nothing much without illumination
Can fool around with every different cult
There's only one way brings result
Get out of Sour Milk Sea
You don't belong there
Get back to where you should be
Find out what's going on there
Related articles:
- George Harrison produces Jackie Lomax's Sour Milk Sea
- George Harrison produces Jackie Lomax's Sour Milk Sea
- George Harrison produces Jackie Lomax's Sour Milk Sea
- Paul McCartney and George Harrison produce a Jackie Lomax session
- US single release: Hey Jude
