Log In
Register
Read the original blog post
4.55pm
31 March 2008
Offline
Recorded: 12 January; 6, 8 February 1968
Producer: George Martin
Engineers: Geoff Emerick, JP Sen, SN Gupta
Released: 15 March 1968 (UK), 18 March 1968 (US)
George Harrison: vocals
John Lennon: backing vocals
Paul McCartney: backing vocals
Sharad Ghosh/Hanuman Jadev: shehnai
Hariprasad Chaurasia/SR Kenkare: flute
Ashish Khan: sarod
Mahapurush Misra: tabla, pakavaj…
Can buy me love! Please consider using these links to support the Beatles Bible: Amazon | iTunes
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs
Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!
2.46am
8 January 2015
Offline
Beautiful and underrated, I’m glad George was pushed to do it.
The following people thank ewe2 for this post:
WeepingAtlasCedars, BeatlebugI'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 
but I may have to get more specific in the future.
11.29am
2 January 2017
Offline Must I say I really like the flute work on this 
The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:
WeepingAtlasCedars, Beatlebug"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... "
2017:
8.40pm
Moderators
15 February 2015
Offline 
I didn’t really hear it until I got Past Masters , quite late into my (The faaarther one traaavels, the lesss one knooows… the less one really knoooooows). I was fair enraptured by the flute and the vocal melody — it’s my favourite of his Indian trilogy.
The following people thank Beatlebug for this post:
WeepingAtlasCedars, William Shears Campbell, William Shears Campbell, ewe2, SgtPeppersBulldog, vonbontee([{BRACKETS!}])
New to Forumpool? You can introduce yourself here.
If you love The Beatles Bible, and you have adblock, don't forget to white-list this site! 
4.57pm
22 December 2013
Offline listening to Jeff Lynne’s heartfelt rendition from the ‘Concert For George’ as I’m writing this… Outstanding…:-)
The following people thank Billy Rhythm for this post:
Beatlebug5.33pm
1 December 2009
Online Great song. I love George hauling John and Paul into the studio to contribute a two-second, 4-word vocal overdub.
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
50yearslate, Beatlebug, Vera Chuck and DaveGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
7.56pm
18 October 2013
Offline Always loved this one…….
I remember my parents were out and leading ‘Margaret’ up the stairs……!!!!
The following people thank Wigwam for this post:
Beatlebug8.38pm
30 April 2019
Offline I really like this song especially for the line with the ending harmony.
See all without looking
Do all without doing
The following people thank Tangerine for this post:
Getbackintheussr, Beatlebug11.29pm
13 January 2019
Offline I LOVE this song so much and I hate how underrated it is. The lyrics are wonderful. And one of the instruments (the trumpet thing- I forgot what it’s called) is used in Indian weddings, so I feel nostalgic when I hear it.
The following people thank Getbackintheussr for this post:
Tangerine, vonbontee, 50yearslate, BeatlebugP E A C E & L O V E
Without going out of my door, I can know all things on Earth...
~
~
12.39am
30 April 2019
Offline Alas! Being underrated is the fate of any good B-side. Especially one as great as this.
The following people thank Tangerine for this post:
Getbackintheussr, Beatlebug2.21am
18 October 2013
Offline Paul liked it.
The following people thank Wigwam for this post:
Beatlebug4.51am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Another of those 50th-anniversary book differences in the recording line-up where it omit’s John’s backing vocals.
Which account is therefore gone with? Do we stick to what’s been recorded for five decades or go with what is reported in the newest official source which has studied the original tapes again?
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.06am
11 September 2018
Offline meanmistermustard said
Another of those 50th-anniversary book differences in the recording line-up where it omit’s John’s backing vocals.Which account is therefore gone with? Do we stick to what’s been recorded for five decades or go with what is reported in the newest official source which has studied the original tapes again?
What do your ears tell you?
11.46pm
22 July 2019
Offline I must say this is a good song, with in my opinion some of George’s most profound lyrics. I really enjoyed the sitar work, as well as all the other backing instruments. It’s a shame that this song is forever banished to the B-Side.
Also, I must say that this song is better than “Within You Without You “. Apologies to Scarlett Fields Forever.
The following people thank CakeMaestor for this post:
BeatlebugWe do a little trolling
- Faul
6.31am
26 January 2017
Offline Bold take ^^ Personally, this is my least favourite of the heavily Indian-influenced songs, but it’s still enjoyable. I like the title.
“While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I’m a naysayer and hatchet man in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I’ll gladly take another - because I choose to live my life in the company of Ghandi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. I love you, Sheriff Truman.”
1.54pm
15 November 2018
Offline I like the lyrics of the other ones better, but this one might have the best melody. Then again, Within You Without You might also have the best melody. I’m not sure. I’d have to listen.
Love one another.
- - -
(I'm Fiddy, not Walrian)
- - -
2018:
2019: 
2020:
2.53am
1 December 2009
Online QuarryMan said
Bold take ^^ Personally, this is my least favourite of the heavily Indian-influenced songs, but it’s still enjoyable. I like the title.
I like to think of this one as George’s exercise in Indian-“jazz”, following his “-“classical” and “-rock” efforts. It’s got the addition of wind instruments, and guys trading little instrumental bits around, and that same overall peace-and-love-and-percussion vibe as those Pharoah Sanders albums we all love. 
(“Wonderwall Music ” has touches of jazz too, come to think of it, a nice solo trumpet, at least)
The following people thank vonbontee for this post:
QuarryManGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
5.53am
26 January 2017
Offline Which ones would you say are the classical and rock ones, @Wigwam ? I’ve not yet heard Wonderwall Music but if it’s anything like Pharoah Sanders then I should probably check it out..
“While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I’m a naysayer and hatchet man in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I’ll gladly take another - because I choose to live my life in the company of Ghandi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. I love you, Sheriff Truman.”
6.12am
18 October 2013
Offline QuarryMan said
Which ones would you say are the classical and rock ones, @Wigwam ? I’ve not yet heard Wonderwall Music but if it’s anything like Pharoah Sanders then I should probably check it out..
I think you’re addressing VB………
10.52am
1 December 2009
Online Wigwam said
QuarryMan said
Which ones would you say are the classical and rock ones, @Wigwam ? I’ve not yet heard Wonderwall Music but if it’s anything like Pharoah Sanders then I should probably check it out..
I think you’re addressing VB………
Thanks, wigwam!
The music of “Wonderwall” (and “Inner Light”) isn’t jazz per se, and doesn’t SOUND much like it really, any more than “Within You Without You ” sounds like classical music. What it does is remind me of the overall spiritual/spacey aura that surrounds certain “exotic” recordings of the era, such as Pharaoh’s. But on the whole, if you acquire it in hopes of hearing “Karma II”, you’ll be disappointed, sorry.
…but it’s still a cool assortment of sounds, including a couple of acid-rocking instrumentals featuring guests Eric Clapton and Ringo! (Both sonically identifiable)
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
