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Author Topic: I Me Mine  (Read 2951 times)

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Kaleidoscope_Eyes

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I Me Mine
« on: February 27, 2007, 10:21:12 PM »

Has anyone read this "autobiography" of George? I was a slight bit disappointed because it didnt give much detail about his life. The best part for me was the stories behind his songs. Your thoughts?
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Bobber

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2007, 10:34:23 PM »

No, haven't read it (yet). But I know John wasn't too pleased with the book. It caused some estrangement between John and George.
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harihead

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2007, 04:09:53 PM »

Yes, I read I, Me, Mine years ago and skimmed through it in about an hour (I skipped most of the song notes). I picked it up again a couple of months ago because I wanted to know what George had said (or specifically, omitted) that had irritated John.

Quote from: John Lennon (in Playboy)
"Well, I was hurt by George's book, 'I, Me, Mine' ...so this message will go to him. He put a book out privately on his life that, by glaring omission, says that my influence on his life is absolutely zilch and nil. In his book, which is purportedly this clarity of vision of his influence on each song he wrote, he remembers every two-bit sax player or guitarist he met in subsequent years. I'm not in the book."


So I read it, specifically looking for these sax players and guitarists. I don't recall George listing even one sax player-- did I miss it? The only guitarist I remember (apart from the other Beatles) is Clapton, mentioned in George's notes about his cowrite with him on "Badge". Ringo gets a credit in this entry as well, for contributing the "swans who live in the park" line, but I think mostly because George thought it was a funny story that Ringo should show up drunk and spout this line, and because Ringo doesn't exactly have a heaping pile of lyric credits. George's mom gets a credit for one line in Piggies, the one about the "damn good whacking." Considering all the trouble this line caused, George should have left Mom out of it.

I apologize, once again, for not having the book in front of me (it's back in the library). So I'm going from memory. Still, I didn't really find any evidence for John being slighted in favor of other players; people are mentioned in the most offhand manner possible. You really need to know George's life history before reading this to follow it. IMHO, the real people who should feel slighted are George's wives. They hardly get a mention either, except in passing. He certainly never describes meeting them, or when he's married, or when he's not, just one allusion to his "naughty period" and then Olivia's name drops in for some other song notes.

I think the problem is that this book is not really an autobiography. It's more of a memoir, a collection of extremely random remarks by George. Derek Taylor, who ghosted it, says that most of George's recollections involved various models of cars he'd owned (not even guitars!)-- but out of mercy to the public, Taylor axed most of these. If the book had been titled "George's stream of consciousness about some people he knew but he won't tell you who any of them are and random song notes", it might have set the public's (and John's) expectations a little closer to the reality. Kaleidoscope_Eyes, does this match your impression?

Regarding John's hurt feelings, George did mention in one interview that John was annoyed that George didn't credit him with John's 1-line contribution to Taxman. You can hear George speak for himself here:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w5gctFJYsg&amp;mode=related&amp;search=" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w5gctFJYsg&amp;mode=related&amp;search=</a>


The sad part is that George called John to talk this over, but John was out and never called him back. And then John was gone.
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tangerine

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2007, 09:46:08 PM »

Quote from: 551
The sad part is that George called John to talk this over, but John was out and never called him back. And then John was gone.

 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

its like the saddest thing ever.

having read I Me Mine, I think John's hurt feelings seemed a bit pointless- the book didnt seem to have much intention at all let alone intention to leave John out. Maybe they're both reunited in peace wherever they are

About the book though, I thought it was worth it for the info about the songs. The first section does seem pretty random and selective though- I guess it was just whatever George spoke about by chance at the time. It seems to miss out a lot definately- but then I was expecting much from it when I bought it so I had nothing to be let down about. It's also cool to see some photos of his original scrawlings of song lyrics!

You may have found this already but 'Here Comes the Sun - The Musical and Spiritual Journey of George Harrison' was for me a very good autobiography and it quoted directly from George quite a lot. I thought it was really thorough and had loads I never knew. Especially good as Im interested in his religious side.  :)
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Kaleidoscope_Eyes

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2007, 05:35:26 AM »

That's my next book purchase- Here Comes The Sun. But I kind of can understand John, I mean, John did "love him" (i think he said that sometime". But then he never credited or said much about any of the beatles and thats what annoyed me. Having been listening to his music, I think the Beatles for George was like a childhood fun type of thing and gradually with the years he grew out of it. So he didnt write much about his times with the Beatles (because everyone knows it) and not many know the lives Georgre Harrison as solo lived. But stil i would have prefered more inthoughts on the Beatles.
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Revolution

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2007, 06:03:49 AM »

I'd love to read  it.
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harihead

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2007, 08:22:44 AM »

Quote from: 553
having read I Me Mine, I think John's hurt feelings seemed a bit pointless- the book didnt seem to have much intention at all let alone intention to leave John out.
Very well put, Tangerine! I'm sure the fellows have resolved whatever issues they might have had by now.  :)

I'm glad to hear your thoughts about Here Comes The Sun. I was a bit suspicious about that one-- the guy seemed to have an agenda, based on the comments I saw in Amazon.

Kaleidoscope_Eyes, I agree with your comment. I think George was actively trying to move away from the Beatles at the time, something he continued for many years-- with only marginal success, IMHO. As has been said, being a Beatle was a life sentence. I think George worked hardest to shed that image, so he had the hardest time of it-- because the Beatles continued in popularity and scholarly impact long beyond any rational expections for a "pop" group. So he could never escape, and spent a lot of energy in the process.

But I also was glad to hear more about George's solo work and his Indian experiences. I only wish the book had been updated to include more of his solo catalog. A couple of his stories, when he stopped to elaborate, were really interesting!

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All you've got to do is choose love.  That's how I live it now.  I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden.  I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007<br />

Kaleidoscope_Eyes

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2007, 08:15:14 AM »

Can anyone understand/relate to the whole "little i and big I"? I sure dont!
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harihead

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2007, 01:36:05 PM »

I'd have to read it again to understand how George is using the term. I've only borrowed I, Me, Mine from the library, but I plan to buy it now that it's in paperback. Sorry!
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All you've got to do is choose love.  That's how I live it now.  I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden.  I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007<br />

raxo

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2007, 09:11:33 PM »

Quote from: 551
[...]
I picked it up again a couple of months ago because I wanted to know what George had said (or specifically, omitted) that had irritated John.

So I read it, specifically looking for these sax players and guitarists. I don't recall George listing even one sax player-- did I miss it? The only guitarist I remember (apart from the other Beatles) is Clapton, mentioned in George's notes about his cowrite with him on "Badge".
[...]
Still, I didn't really find any evidence for John being slighted in favor of other players; people are mentioned in the most offhand manner possible.
[...]
If the book had been titled "George's stream of consciousness about some people he knew but he won't tell you who any of them are and random song notes", it might have set the public's (and John's) expectations a little closer to the reality.
[...]
Quote from: 553
[...]
having read I Me Mine, I think John's hurt feelings seemed a bit pointless- the book didnt seem to have much intention at all let alone intention to leave John out. [...]
John was not always true to reality or facts ... he could be sincere, but only some times ...

... imagine that he even said he wanted to leave The Guys by 1966  ::) ... oh, of course, John! ... after the breakup anyone could say wathever to ap-pear to be far away from the ap-ple[size=10]a[/size]  8) ...

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adamzero

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2007, 02:17:14 AM »

Quote from: 596
Can anyone understand/relate to the whole "little i and big I"? I sure dont!

"little i"=phenomenal selfhood (the time and space bound you living in a decaying organic structure)--concerned primarily with fulfilling its personal needs often at the expense of others (not realizing that "others" are part of one's ultimate Self)

"big I"=transcendental Self that is the very idea of selfhood, out of space and time, wear and tear, the true Self of which the "little i" is just an infinitesimal reflection like a shard of a mirror broken into billions of pieces


Life goes on within you and without you

"Big I" is the vital part of our being ("within you" as it animates you/gives you life) while the "little i" is the thing that dies and life can ultimately go on "without you"
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Kaleidoscope_Eyes

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Re: I Me Mine
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2007, 09:12:31 AM »

Thanks adamzero... however even though i re-read your post three times, I'll have to do it again coz (being the slow person I am) I still don't reallu get it  :-/
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