Song Of The Week - Within You Without You

[nimrod]

We were talking-about the space between us all
And the people-who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth-then it's far too late-when they pass away.
We were talking-about the love we all could share-when we find it
To try our best to hold it there-with our love
With our love-we could save the world-if they only knew.
Try to realize it's all within yourself
No-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small,
And life flows ON within you and without you.
We were talking-about the love that's gone so cold and the people,
Who gain the world and lose their soul-
They don't know-they can't see-are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself-then you may find, peace of mind,
Is waiting there-
And the time will come when you see
we're all one, and life flows on within you and without you.


George Harrison ;

"It was becoming difficult for me, because I wasn't really that into it...I'd just got back from India, and my heart was still out there.  After what had happened in 1966, everything else seemed like hard work.  It was a job, like doing something I didn't really want to do, and I was losing interest in being 'fab' at that point."

A month later, to everyone's relief, George popped in to the sessions with another composition that fit in perfectly with where his enthusiasm was right then.  And it fit in perfectly with the kaleidoscope of musical genres on display on the album, depicting a euphoric atmosphere amazingly suited to the "summer of love" mentality of that year.  The song was titled "Within You Without You."

But was the song accepted by the rest of the group?

John Lennon in Playboy (1980):  "I think that is one of George's best songs, one of my favourites of his.  I like the arrangement, the sound and the words.  He is clear on that song.  You can hear his mind is clear and his music is clear.  It's his innate talent that comes through on that song, that brought that song together.  George is responsible for Indian music getting over here.  That song is a good example."

Ringo Starr:  "'Within You Without You' is brilliant.  I Love It!"

"Klaus had a harmonium in his house," George remembers about that day, "which I hadn't played before.  I was doodling on it, playing to amuse myself, when 'Within You' started to come.  The tune came first, and then I got the first sentence.  It came out of what we'd been doing that evening."

Since George Harrison was "a detached, reluctant participant" during the recording of the Pepper album, as Geoff Emerick described him, "George Martin must have known that he felt that way, which would explain why he was prepared to put so much time and effort into recording the song.  My theory was that, while Harrison may well have felt trapped by the group's fame and notoriety, he didn't want to let the side down, either.  That's why there was such a sense of relief among everyone when the track turned out so well."

Emerick continues:  "Studio Two had a hardwood floor, so in order to dampen the sound, I normally put down carpeting underneath Ringo's drums and in the area where Beatles vocals were recorded.  But this time Richard and I got out a bunch of throw rugs and spread them all around the floor for the musicians to sit on, all in an effort to make them more comfortable and make the studio a bit more homey.  Mind you, the Abbey Road rugs were completely moth-eaten and dilapidated...but it was the thought that counted."

"All four Beatles were there when the basic track was recorded, along with famed illustrator Peter Blake, who was there to talk about the 'Sgt. Pepper' album cover.  He mostly huddled with Paul and John while George was busy instructing the musicians as to the parts he wanted them to play.  Ringo, as usual, was lost in a game of chess off in a corner with Neil (Aspinall)."

The basic tracks for "Within You Without You" featured only Harrison and a group of uncredited Indian musicians based in London. Producer George Martin then arranged a string section, and Harrison and assistant Neil Aspinall overdubbed the tambura. According to Prema Music, dilruba player Amrit Gajjar played on the track. Hunter Davies wrote that Harrison "trained himself to write down his song in Indian script so that the Indian musicians can play them."

With "Within You Without You", Harrison became the second Beatle to record a song credited to The Beatles but featuring no other members of the group (Paul McCartney had previously done so with "Yesterday").

Song Recorded: March 15 & 22, April 3 & 4, 1967

George Harrison – lead vocal, acoustic guitar, tambura, sitar
Neil Aspinall – tambura
Erich Gruenberg, Alan Loveday, Julien Gaillard, Paul Scherman, Ralph Elman, David Wolfsthal, Jack Rothstein, Jack Greene – violin
Reginald Kilbey, Allen Ford, Peter Beavan – cello
Unnamed Indian musicians – swarmandal, dilruba, tabla, tambura

Personnel per Ian MacDonald

[Klang]

I always felt that it fit in perfectly on the album, as the above stated, to add one more genre to the mix. And it was a great opener for side 2.

I can't quite understand why some dis it. Just not their cup of tea, I guess.

Probably my fave of the Indian tinged stuff.

[tkitna]

I hate it. I think Sgt. Peppers loses points as an album due to this song and 'When I'm 64'.  I will admit that it would be my choice out of all of Georges Indian shit but that's not saying much. A for sure pass for me.

[Dcazz]

I like it but I don't listen to it that much. I like the instrumental breaks intensity. I think it adds to the variety of the album and is better than say She's leaving Home. I'd rather see that one gone before WYWY.

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

WOW nimrod, you're always picking some of my very favorite songs in these threads!

I love the atmosphere of the song, with that prominent sitar and other Indian instruments. But the high point here is the lyrics, they can hardly be more spiritual. In fact here George seems to be citing Jesus Christ's words: "We were talking about the love that's gone so cold and the people who gain the world and lose their soul."

"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12)
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

I've read that Stephen Stills was so impressed with the lyrics that he carved them in a stone monument in his yard.

I like the three George's Indian songs he did with the Beatles, but this is easily the best one.

[nimrod]

WOW nimrod, you're always picking some of my very favorite songs in these threads!

I love the atmosphere of the song, with that prominent sitar and other Indian instruments. But the high point here is the lyrics, they can hardly be more spiritual. In fact here George seems to be citing Jesus Christ's words: "We were talking about the love that's gone so cold and the people who gain the world and lose their soul."

"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12)
"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

I've read that Stephen Stills was so impressed with the lyrics that he carved them in a stone monument in his yard.

I like the three George's Indian songs he did with the Beatles, but this is easily the best one.

as you say Hombre the lyrics are maybe even the best of any Beatle track (imo of course) I actually love it too, its makes Pepper more interesting and shows that the boys wernt afraid to take risks, they did what they wanted, one of Georges best in my view, great melody and atmosphere...................imagine being a musician on there and being listed as 'unkown' 

[Ovi]

Not exactly a favourite, but I can still remember the "Wow, so you can do that?" impression it got out of me upon the first listen. I also agree with Dcazz regaring the instrumental break being "intense".

[Brynjar]

I like the LOVE-version better. 

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

as you say Hombre the lyrics are maybe even the best of any Beatle track (imo of course) I actually love it too, its makes Pepper more interesting and shows that the boys wernt afraid to take risks, they did what they wanted, one of Georges best in my view, great melody and atmosphere...................imagine being a musician on there and being listed as 'unkown' 

Yeah, that was a great risk, but the result was wonderful. And it wasn't something easy to do.

Traffic also had their attempt at Indian music, but their result was not as good in my opinion, though I still enjoy it:

Traffic-Utterly simple(remastered version)

[Bobber]

Nice lyrics, but the song itself is a certain skip for me. Simply hate the Indian stuff.

[Hello Goodbye]

Within You Without You is still fun to listen too even though the trendy Raga Rock period has long since ended.  I like the ideas George expresses very much.  It was an era of enlightenment and this song fit the album in a unique way.  I guess the laughter at the end helped that.

[nimrod]

Yeah, that was a great risk, but the result was wonderful. And it wasn't something easy to do.

Traffic also had their attempt at Indian music, but their result was not as good in my opinion, though I still enjoy it:

Traffic-Utterly simple(remastered version)

I played Mr Fantasy last night and really enjoyed it, sounds like a real sitar, I know The yardbirds used a sitar guitar on Heart full Of Soul..

[Hombre_de_ningun_lugar]

I played Mr Fantasy last night and really enjoyed it, sounds like a real sitar, I know The yardbirds used a sitar guitar on Heart full Of Soul..

Yes, actually the Yardbirds originally used a real sitar on "Heart Full Of Soul", but the released version didn't include it and Jeff Beck used a fuzz box to get a sitar-like sound instead.

Traffic certainly used a real sitar in some songs from 1967, played by Dave Mason. "Utterly Simple" is their most Indian song, but they also used a sitar in other songs, for example, their debut single "Paper Sun".

[revenert]

Good song, but I thought it never fit in on the Sgt. Peppers album very well. Would have been great on the White album, replacing "Revolution Number 9".  Just my opinion.

[Kaleidoscope_Eyes]

Nice lyrics, but the song itself is a certain skip for me. Simply hate the Indian stuff.

Same here. Especially when he goes "if they only kneew-eew-eeew-eew-eew"

But I never knew the Jesus reference in the song - that's quite interesting!

The words are beautiful and meaningful but I had to read them as oppose to listen to them because I always skip the song.