From the first time I heard ‘Within You Without You’ I was drawn to it. I was barely a teen; indoctrinated in Catholicism, but somehow knowing there was more. I knew our journey had a spiritual core, but the concept of organized religion did not rest well with me, even at a young age. Little did I know, a deep track on ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ would help me articulate my feelings. All these years later ‘Within You Without You’ still offers a clear mantra that presents the fact that the answer exists within ourselves. Our conscience is a moral guide, and everything flows from this place, within us and without us, as a collective universe. It is when we truly recognize this reality, that we can and will move closer to self-actualization.
Here are the lyrics that remain almost hymn-like 55 years after ‘Within You Without You’ was initially recorded, on this day in 1967.
We were talking about the space between us all
George Harrison
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 realise 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”
The distinctive music certainly stood out too. I was infatuated by the Indian influence, most notably presented through the use of sitar, tambura, swarmandal, tabla and diruba.
As much as ‘Within You Without You’ was a satisfying composition for George Harrison, it took a bit of trial and error to create something that would be accepted by the rest of The Beatles and George Martin. Here is the brief story that describes how the song evolved in order to become an important track on this celebrated Beatles album.
In many ways ‘Within You Without You’ was the companion piece to ‘Love You Too’ which was both a love song to Pattie Boyd and a cynical look at the materialism that Harrison saw taking over all aspects of life around him. He was looking for harmony, where he perceived little existed beyond him.
In the fall of 1966, George and Pattie took a well-documented trip to India. At the time, Harrison felt detached from his role as a Beatle. Generally speaking, he was dissatisfied as a lesser light in the Fab four. Under the guidance of Ravi Shankar, George Harrison was captured by the physical and spiritual beauty of India. He was searching for a spiritual connection and in India he was able to find the answers that stayed with him for the rest of his life.
By the time he returned to the Abbey Road studio he was beginning to feel confined within his role as a Beatle. Being the ‘Quiet One’ was no longer fulfilling, nor was his place in the back seat watching John Lennon and Paul McCartney dominate the recording process.
A lot of the time … we weren’t allowed to play as a band so much. It became an assembly process – just little parts and then overdubbing… After [the India trip], 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.”
George Harrison
This sentiment was compounded by the fact he was manipulated into a business agreement with Northern Songs. This association became a major source of resentment. The publishing company was initially a venture for John Lennon and Paul McCartney that was arranged by Dick James. As George began to contribute more, he was encouraged to sign on as well. Northern Songs became publicly traded in 1965 and as the main songwriters John and Paul were named majority shareholders, receiving 15% royalties, while Harrison and Ringo Starr sat at a lowly .8%. Too summarize in one sentence, George Harrison did not own the copyright to his own music and as a result of the corporate structure John Lennon and Paul McCartney earned more from George Harrison’s compositions than George did himself. George channeled his frustration into ‘Only a Northern Song’ which he offered to The Beatles during the early days of the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ recording sessions.
Listen to the lyrics. This is classic George Harrison. He is being funny, while projecting his anger through his creativity. The therapeutic escape provided a gateway for George, and it became a turning point for the artist who emerged as Lennon and McCartney’s equal in the final years of The Beatles.
Back to the studio, and the process that saw the band gather to record what became ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in the early part of 1967. According to the notes related to the timeline that saw the album come together, Harrison unveiled his demo of ‘Only a Northern Song’ on February 13. George Martin is on record as saying that he “groaned inside” when he heard it, and declared it “the song I hated most of all.” Engineer, Geoff Emerick backed up this assessment saying it was “a weak track that we all winced at.” He followed up with the accurate assessment that George was not entirely happy with his place in the Beatle hierarchy. It was suggested that the song was not up to the standard of what was shaping up to be an album of quality material. Therefore, George was asked to come up with something better.
The seed for ‘Within You Without You’ was planted while Harrison visited the home of long- time friend and Beatle associate Klaus Voormann in early 1967. Over dinner, the pair became immersed in a discussion that spoke to the metaphysical space that prevents individuals from recognizing the natural forces that unite the world. This inspired the song’s opening line. In the Steve Turner book, ‘A Hard Day’s Write’ the dinner party that gave way to ‘Within You Without You’ was described in this way.
We were all on about the wall of illusion and the love that flowed between us, but none of us knew what we were talking about. We all developed these groovy voices. It was all a little bit ridiculous really. It was as if we were all sages all of a sudden. We felt we had glimpsed the meaning of the universe.”
George Harrison
While experimenting on Klaus Voorman’s pedal harmonium, George uttered the line that gave way to the rest of the song. He noted it along with the general melody and then went home and wrote the rest. Ultimately, the music existed as an homage to Ravi Shankar, based on a lengthy piece Harrison had heard on All-India Radio. He aimed to emulate Shankar’s stylings while sharing the basic tenets of Hinduism in the lyrical passage.
Where ‘Only a Northern Song’ was treated with disdain, ‘Within You Without You’ was warmly received, particularly by George Martin.
The tune struck me as a little bit of a dirge, but I found what George wanted to do with the song fascinating.”
George Martin
True to George Martin’s character he immediately set out to record the track. This is how members of the London Asian Music Circle came to be a part of the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ credits. In order to create the proper mood EMI’s Studio Two was covered with woven carpets, the lights were dimmed and candles lit. John Lennon remembers it this way.
George has done a great Indian one. We came along one night and he had about 400 Indian fellas playing there … it was a great swinging evening, as they say.”
John Lennon
The two Georges took complete control of the session. George Martin added a string score using Western instrumentation. It consisted of eight violins and three cellos. An enthused Harrison moved throughout the studio teaching each of the Music Circle participants their parts.
If you truly love George Harrison’s vision and enjoy the components that make up a song, this 25 minute breakdown of ‘Within You Without You’ makes for a fascinating insight into how the song came together.
The significance of ‘Within You Without You’ in Beatles lore is it represents the moment where George Harrison’s vision truly dominated a recording session. It was empowering. In the end, George Harrison was the only Beatle to perform on ‘Within You Without You’.
Here is John Lennon’s assessment of the completed track.
One of George’s best songs. One of my favourites of his, too. He’s clear on that song. His mind and his music are clear. There is his innate talent; he brought that sound together.”
John Lennon
For George Harrison, there is no doubt that it resides as one of his favourite pieces of music.
It’s quite complex, but I did learn this little piece, one of my exercises that I used to practice, that was in a 5/4 timing. So, I did the solo in ‘Within You Without You’ into a 5/4, just to show how clever I was.”
George Harrison
One other element to the final recording that should be noted is the laughter heard at the end of the track. Some thought this levity was a sign of mockery that caused some to suggest the band was reluctant to give it a slot on the album, but in fact it was quite the opposite. It was simply felt that the happy sounds would balance what was initially perceived as five minutes of prayerful, mournful music.
As it turns out, ‘Within You Without You’s legacy is that in terms of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ being seen as the flagship of the psychedelic era, this song may be the one on the album that is most emblematic of that period.
Set within the dynamic of the song’s evolution this stands as not only ironic, but it speaks to the theme of karma that George Harrison was attempting to convey when he wrote the masterful piece. Above all, this becomes the lasting message.
When you’ve seen beyond yourself then you may find
George Harrison
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”
Like so many songs by The Beatles, finding cover songs is not at all a challenge. The trick is always in narrowing it down to the best ones to share. As is so often the case the diversity of acts become almost as intriguing as the cover versions themselves.
Let’s begin with Sonic Youth and their recording in 1988. This recording was part of the deluxe edition of their album ‘Daydream Nation’.
As part of a 40th anniversary celebration of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in 2007 Patti Smith recorded a solid version of ‘Within You Without You’. Another intriguing cover because it combines The Beatles, psychedelia and one of the most integral artists of the New York punk movement.
Here is another 40th anniversary celebration. This time it is presented by Firefall in an acoustic rendition by Rick Roberts and Mark Andes.
In 2009 Cheap Trick recorded a live interpretation of Sgt. Pepper’s. This Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act is well known for their adulation of all things Beatles. It shines through in their original material and in their carefully crafted cover versions.
Another fascinating act that has been open about their love of the Beatles is Flaming Lips. This cover is from 2014 and their album ‘With a Little Help from My Fwends’ which features Birdflower and Morgan Delt.
The final cover is offered by The Analogues. Fifty years after the original release this Dutch tribute act provides a very true rendition that combines George Harrison’s spiritual vision alongside the incredible traditional Indian music stylings. Just an incredible combination of musical ability and interpretation.
Part of the mission of today’s post is to take the listener back to a time and place where philosophy and music came together. Perhaps the most important legacy George Harrison left us with us is his ability to interpret the human condition.
I felt it was important to try and be precise, to tell them and let them know. You know, to come out of the closet and really tell them. Because once you realize something, then you can’t pretend you don’t know it any more. I figured this is the space age, with airplanes and everything. If everyone can go around the world on their holidays, there’s no reason why a mantra can’t go a few miles as well. So, the idea was to try to spiritually infiltrate society, so to speak.”
George Harrison
And herein lies the problem.
Most of the world is fooling about, especially the people who think they control the world and the community. The presidents, the politicians, the military, etc., are all jerking about, acting as if they are Lord over their own domains. That’s basically Problem One on the planet.”
George Harrison
We are living this today on so many levels.
Will we ever learn?
We need George Harrison more than ever, but we still have his words, and the message he was trying to impart on the people. Sadly, too few have bothered to pay attention.
Ted Tocks Covers 
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