Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison

by Joshua M. Greene

'The soundtrack of [Harrison's] spiritual journey begins with the explosions of battle and ends, fifty-eight years later with the harmonies of eternal peace. And like all good stories, this one starts when the hero was just a child.' In Here Comes the Sun Joshua Greene sheds new light on the most mysterious of the Beatles, George Harrison, and provides a unique portrait of the man through his music and his spiritual quest. As Greene looks back at Harrison's early life and the years he spent growing up in an impoverished, post-war Liverpool, he follows the path taken by the quietly rebellious teenage, the experiences and friendships that helped to shape his destiny and, of course, explores Harrison's rollercoaster ride to fame as a member of the legendary Beatles. He also draws on scores of previously unpublished transcripts of recorded conversations, first-hand accounts and fresh anecdotes about Harrison and other musical greats such as Dylan and Presley. Poignant, insightful, and written with an immediacy that captures the very essence of the 'quiet one', Here Comes the Sun gives us an unprecedented close-up of Harrison's often underrated contribution to the Beatles' legacy, and his spiritual awakening through Indian music, mysticism and meditation.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, History, Biography Memoir

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Joshua M. Greene earned his M.A. at Hofstra University, where he taught Hinduism and Holocaust history until his retirement in 2013. His books on war crimes trials and survivor testimony have been published in six languages. He has spoken at the Pentagon, the Judge Advocates College, the New York Public Library Distinguished Author series, and lectures frequently before state bar associations. In 1969, he was initiated as Yogesvara Das by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and spent 13 years in Krishna temples, serving as director of ISKCON’s European publishing office. His books on spirituality include Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison and Gita Wisdom: An Introduction to India’s Essential Yoga Text. His most recent book is a biography of Srila Prabhupada, titled Swami in a Strange Land: How Krishna Came to the West. Greene is also a filmmaker whose Holocaust documentaries have aired on PBS, The Disney Channel, and Discovery.

Reviews

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Way OUT Is IN ~~ George Harrison
Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison ~~~ Joshua M. Greene



My Aunt Jerilyn was crazy about the Beatles. When I was a baby, she would say to me, What do the Beatles say? On cue I would say YEAH, YEAH, YEAH! Everyone would laugh at how clever I was.

Aunt Jerilyn's favorite Beatle was George Harrison. And, George Harrison turned out to be my favorite Beatle as well. I don't know if she influenced me on this or not, but I like to think she did.

As I grew older my spiritual path took me to Hinduism, and while I may not be a Hindu, my spiritual beliefs are still heavily influence by Hinduism. Since my early 20s, I have considered George Harrison to be one of my greatest spiritual teachers, a Guru to me actually.



This is the book for anyone who wants to understand something meaningful about George Harrison's spiritual journey. It recounts his days as a Beatle ~~ like other biographies do ~~ but it does so within the larger context of the spiritual journey he began when in his very early twenties. Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison goes on to explore that journey with the wisdom and knowledge of an author, Joshua M. Greene, who walks the same devotional path as part of that community, and who therefore knows the ins and outs of Hinduism ~~ the people and events, and the belief systems of that path. It makes all the difference in the world.



Further, Joshua M. Greene's being part of that spiritual community contributes to the book by being able to provide details of events related to Harrison's trips to India, the seeds he sowed into a number of his albums to suggest a path of enlightenment to listeners, and the relationships he shared with spiritual friends who were also devotees of Hindu traditions.



This is the first biography of George Harrison I think he'd have approved and probably even been very pleased by. Joshua M. Greene is an excellent writer, and addresses his subjects with deeply moving yet simple prose. The last few chapters and the epilogue, about Harrison's death and what he brought to the world, are absolutely beautiful.



OM Kriya Georgeji Namah OM.
OM Namah Shivaya.

[Elle Druskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a child of the sixties, anything that looks like a good read and not just cashing in on The Beatles, is something that attracts me. Placed in a context of a spiritual journey, it explains an important facet of George Harrison, as much as any outsider can understand. What I found interesting is that the fundamental ideas expressed are analogous to many religions and not exclusive to the Eastern philosophies and beliefs. I read this after reading Pattie Boyd's Wonderful Tonight and while that is not necessarily as well written, they work well together because each one provides some narrative on the evolving character of George Harrison admirably without necessarily bad-mouthing when it could have been easy to do so.
Who could forget the young George, remembering how very young he was when he achieved world wide fame? It's not surprising at that age to accept that his character wasn't completely formed; it takes a long time to become a person and this book helps appreciate the person he was to the one he became. How we miss his music!

[James M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never found a Beatles book that I didn't like. I take that back. Peter Brown's "The Love You Make" was pretty dreadful. But Greene's book is a fairly interesting look into the spiritual development of George while also explaining his influences, gurus, as well as those parts of of the Gita and other texts which moved him toward his ultimate goal of enlightenment. And, I actually learned a few things and found some fascinating music along the way so, all in all, it was worth the read.

[Theo Cage · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main interest in picking up this book was to learn more about the process George went through to write great songs like Something and Here Comes The Sun - unfortunately, the book dwells almost exclusively on his spiritual journey. Final analysis: the book is 95% Spiritual and 5% Musical. Too bad. Harrison was a gifted song writer.

[Mary Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pretty picky about biographies, especially ones written about musicians, simply because I want someone who knows the person they are writing about, rather than a 'fan' who takes interviews by reporters and then put them together to try to create a 'history' of the artist. This one is well written, someone who KNEW George Harrison, interviewed family members, friends and other musicians (with indexed footnotes, showing he knew what he was doing when he wrote this!) to come up with a well rounded history of George Harrison, as understood by people who knew him!

The spirituality and his interest is well put together to 'get into George Harrison's understanding' as well as those involved in his life; well done!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening and inspiring. It definitely gave me a different perspective of George as a person. He is the most straightforward and honest of all of the Beatles and is the one I more closely identify with - much more so than a few years ago when John was my favorite. Now it is George :)

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written an engaging book about George Harrison's spiritual quest. His music is also discussed but it is his desire for God-Consciousness was the driving force in his life. This message comes though clearly in his music.

[Debbie Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joshua Greene does an admirable job of tracing George Harrison's spiritual development. For the most part, he does an admirable job in presenting Harrison as a complex individual who strives for creativity and spirituality in spite of all the trappings of fame. Greene's real accomplishment is making Harrison come off as the most interesting Beatle -- the one who searches for his own identity and sense of spirituality in spite of the group's success. He emerges from the shadows to have some of the Beatles most successful songs.

[Anfrbr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was definitelly amazing

[Jim Lavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so moved by George Harrison journey, musical and spiritual. One thing that surprised me about the Beatles was originally none of them knew how to read music. In addition, George was the first one who wanted to quit the band back in 1966. It seems that Paul and John controlled who wrote the songs they sang, and George didn’t get an equal amount of opportunities to contribute his song writing talents to the Beatles collection of songs.

George needed more in his life, and struggled with the superficiality of being a Beatle. He was burned out and needed a group of friends that embraced a deeper consciousness of life’s choices. George met people and had experiences that introduced him to the philosophy of being self-realized.

George wasn’t much of a reader, but he embraced this philosophy and started to read everything he could find and all this started his quest for enlightenment. He was only 22 years of age, and he went to India and that was the trip that changed his life forever.

I never realize that George Harrison was such a committed devotee to the Hare Krishna faith. He practiced chanting and mediation on a daily basis and the Hare Krishna faith became the center piece of his life till the day that he died.

George was very generous and supported his faith in many ways. He purchased a mansion outside of London to be transformed into a Krishna temple, and he coordinated the production of the Bangladesh concert that raised millions of dollars for refugees from Pakistan and other charitable causes.

In August 1966, a reporter had asked George to describe his personal goal. “To do as well as I can do,” he replied, “whatever I attempt, and someday to die with a peaceful mind.” He was twenty-three years old when he set that goal for himself. He never gave up. He said, “I want to be self-realized. I want to find God.”

There is so much in this book that touches my heart, but I do need to make one disclosure. I too have had experiences of traveling to India and spending time in Vrindavan with devotees of the Hare Krishna faith, so like George, I cherish those relationships and experiences and consider them the most life changing experiences of my life.

I wish I had the privilege of meeting George Harrison; he was like no other.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read a beatles biography before, so alot of the complaints I read regarding the first hundred pages of this book fell on blind eyes. In that respect, I found alot of Harrison's earlier years with the Beatles intriguing. The author doesn't explain it as if he's some rabid fan who's been given the opportunity to share this legend's life with the masses, like he's "not worthy" or something--which is a typical concern I usually have when reading any kind of biography about an artist who's, in most respects, guarded. Elvis Costello and Morrisey of the Smiths seemed to instill that kind of gittiness in the authors of their biographies as well, just to name a couple of examples. Harrison's disappointment with the fact that many people never forgot that he was Beatle is one of the primary themes throughout this book. At times his spiritual journies seemed like a contrived effort to run from the overexposure that was the Beatles. As much as he tried to escape and find peace with various forms of meditation and philosophy, he became anxious and uncomfortable with his status as a pop star--which was a shame because he seemed like such an incredible individual with sincere aspirations and goals that remain unparalleled to this day when you consider the people who constantly make headlines in rags like US weekly or People Magazine.

[Janavi Held · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and engaging.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My goal was to learn more about the moment of his death after hearing it described by his wife Olivia in the Scorsese documentary. That’s not here, but it is still a deep dive into a spiritual journey that began when he in his early 20s. My revelations from this book are that the Beatles were such a short-lived, dark and damaging part of his life, and that his spiritual journey started when he was so young. It is fascinating to think about how that early, quick and immense material success shaped that journey. The book is well-written for easy reading. I cried throughout the final chapter.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful birthday present from my friend, and I read it slowly and joyfully. I am a great Beatles fan and George has always been my favorite, however, I knew nothing of their non-Beatle life. Greene's book is very delicate in guiding us along George's existential dillemas, and I was able to relate to it many times. The author attempts to be careful not to demonstrate his own preference (as he is a devotee) for the Hare Krishna movement - I think this is a good aspect. He also explains relevant information about the religion, so that anyone can understand its importance and its beliefs, in a very clear, clean manner. However, it seems that the darkest times in George's life are also mildly hidden: the drugs and addictions don't seem to appear so often and I wonder whether he was really so clean - or not. Anyways, it is beautifully narrated and organized. I cried in the end - which is hard in books, especially when you know what happens! A (In Portuguese, the version I read, the translation sounded sometimes too literal.) A beautiful journey that makes you feel you actually travelled with George all along.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chronicling the spiritual journey of guitarist George Harrison as well as the musical one, Here Comes The Sun is the first biography that I have read about the ex-Beatle.

It is one of my favourite books that I have read recently because it is a side of Harrison which is not often explored. I am not particularly interested in the religion or its practises which George Harrison followed, but I did find it interesting to learn about how the culture came across within his music.

However, at times it seemed too far fetched. I want to raise the question of how does author Joshua Greene know exactly what was said, or when George paused to take a breath whilst talking to a follower of Krishna? He does not. In the preface of his work, Greene does admit that he has had to embellish certain things in the book to make it interesting to the reader.

I wish it were more clear which parts were embellished and which were not, but nevertheless the book is enjoyable overall. As mentioned, it is a side which is not often explored in the life of Harrison, or indeed in any other artist or musician who has shown an interest in the Indian culture, religion and/or lifestyle.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very first time I saw the Beatles at 12 years old, George was my favorite, and he still is. When he began his spiritual quest, I appreciated that George recognized the need for more than fame and fortune in his life. I also appreciated his willingness to share his beliefs through his music and his life, even when it was not a "cool" thing to do. This book takes you along on George's journey. I liked that in the process the author explained the philosophies and beliefs that George accepted and sometimes struggled with. I came away understanding and appreciating the Hare Krishna movement more, even though I identify as Christian. We can find truth in many places if we are willing to see. I also came away understanding and appreciating George and his music more. My life has been blessed by the music of George Harrison. After reading this book, I understand why I have been so touched by it. He was a seeker who cared enough to share the joy of what he had found. Thank you George and thank you Joshua Greene. God Bless!

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read, going deep into George Harrison's spiritual journey. I consider myself a big Beatles/Harrison fan and thought I knew a decent amount about his interests in eastern religions, but I didn't know how strongly he was committed to this and how much it permeated his music (e.g., I can now hear things in his songs that I hadn't recognized before). The book covers his whole life, including lots on his time as Beatle George and interactions with the other Beatles, and it was very interesting to read how his spiritualism evolved and how his music was built around that. The book is very engaging. It also makes you feel like you had better focus a bit more on your spiritual life! Highly recommended to all my friends who are Beatles/Harrison fans!

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pretty picky about biographies, especially ones written about musicians, simply because I want someone who knows the person they are writing about, rather than a 'fan' who takes interviews by reporters and then puts them together to try to create a 'history' of the artist. This one is well written, someone who KNEW George Harrison, interviewed family members, friends, and other musicians (with indexed footnotes, showing he knew what he was doing when he wrote this!) to come up with a well-rounded history of George Harrison, as understood by people who knew him!

The spirituality and his interest are well put together to 'get into George Harrison's understanding' as well as those involved in his life; well done!

[Heidi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after ‘Living In The Material World’ and I highly recommend this one more so than the other if you’re looking for detailed insight into Harrison’s spiritual journey- there is far much more to be found in here and fantastic narration.

Harrison is highly relatable to me as a Western spiritual seeker with a penchant for Indian philosophies and so I’m grateful that this was written so we can really take a closer look into the sincerity of his path. It’s very evident to me that his pursuit was genuine and he is without a doubt, my favourite Beatle (albeit I’ve never been a huge fan of the band- he has sparked my interest for the reasons above). 🙏

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greene presents the development of George Harrison in his music and spiritual life as an intertwined maturation. The book relies on quotes and reminisces of George, reflections on being a Beatle and the difficulty of leaving that part of his life behind while so many kept bringing the Beatle era back --Beatlemania continuially being reinvented. The book is rounded out with quotes and reminisces of those who knew and worked with George. The narrative details are very descriptive and give life to the biography. But since these details are not quotes, it is unclear where such details originate.

Overall, a delightful, compelling, and engaging account.

Highly recommended.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who grew up listening to the Beatles, and enjoys chanting to Krishna, I was fascinated to discover that George Harrison had a deep love of Krishna and Indian spirituality. Like everyone else, when in Rishikesh, I went to the "Beatles ashram," but this book truly paints a picture of what spirituality was to Beatles George Harrison, how music shaped his life, and a keen understanding of who he was as a person. Fascinating.

[pauline high · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Such an amazing story of a man and his spiritual journey which transformed his life. I admire him and am also slightly envious of his spiritual awakening, growth and view of life. He did not fear death for he believed we are connected through the universe. I think he really was one in a million, although I may be biased, but he will from now always be my favorite Beatle.

[Malene Baumgardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a wonderful timeline. Especially if it is part of the time you have been alive yourself. It is almost as if Joshua M. Greene has become the Supersoul in the sense as the witness to the inner life and the spiritual journey of George Harrison. One of the book that is read in just a few days and you feel happy and inspired after you read it!

[Guilherme Tourinho · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the title, I believed it would be a book that would explore only about George's religion, but in fact we have faithful chapters of the history of the band's guitarist, from his childhood, to Beatles and going through All Things Must Pass. As a George fan, I couldn't be happier to read such a dignified and beautiful work. It is a must-read for anyone who loves music and especially life.

[Brian Holmsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a portrait of “The Quiet Beatle.” So far ahead of his time in his search for, and belief in, a higher spiritual plane and power. Any fan of George will smile and feel the love even more when listening to his music after reading this book. And some may be inspired to seek their own spiritual path because of him.

[Stuart]

I listened to about half this book a year back when I came upon it on Spotify. When it disappeared from Spotify I waited about a year before seeing that it’s on Hoopla.
All in all it was enjoyable and interesting although I wished it focused more on his music and less on his faith journey.

[Jules Iavarone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! While you learn about George’s life you also gain insight to his spiritual life! I really enjoyed this book! I highly recommend! Another reviewer says, it’s 95% a spiritual book, & 5% a musical book. I have to agree and that’s probably why I loved it that much more!

[Paul Triller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always thought George was more interesting a man than just being a Beatle.
This book shows how George's depth of faith influence his music, his life, and the lives of many others in so many creative ways.

[Anne Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

George Harrison my favorite Beatle. THis book gives you a look into his mind and heart. He was not so quiet after all.

[Debi Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sub-title says it all: "The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison".