George Harrison facts

George Harrison’s birthday is today, so in his honor I present you with a list of facts about my favorite Beatle.

1. Well, his birthday is widely believed to be February 25. Later in life he discovered a possible clerical error which suggested he may have been born at 11:50 on the 24th.
2. “The Quiet one” denied being quiet as a clever way to pick up chicks.
3. George was too young to even get into a lot of the clubs where the Beatles performed early in their career. Didn’t stop him of course. When they found out, Germany had him deported. Also, he lost his virginity to a German prostitute while the rest of the Beatles secretly watched.
4. The Star Trek: TNG episode “The Inner Light” (the one where Picard lives an entire lifetime, also gets a sweet flute) was named after George’s song, which was originally released as the B-side to Lady Madonna. The song is in the playlist below.
   “Arrive without travelling
   See all without looking
   Do all without doing”
5. He played 26 instruments and brought the sitar to western popular music. His friendship with Ravi Shankar led to the Concert for Bangladesh, which is credited as being the first major benefit concert. 
   
6. While in the later years of the Beatles he wrote several great songs which didn’t make the cut on group albums. So, in 1970, he released them all (and then some) in the triple album “All Things Must Pass.”
7. Wrote the song “Faster” for his friend Jackie Stewart the Formula One racing driver.
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMm4bhs6GYY
8. George met his first wife, Pattie Boyd, on the set of “A Hard Day’s Night.” Much later, Eric Clapton became obsessed with her, and penned the song “Layla” to win her over. Although Pattie and Eric eventually married, George remained friends with them.
9. Started the supergroup The Travelling Wilburys with his pals Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. Why? Because it seemed like fun.
   http://youtu.be/L8s9dmuAKvU
10. In 1999 some jackass broke into the Harrison home and stabbed George with a knife. Unimpressed with a punctured lung and several deep stab wounds, George got up off the floor and attacked the intruder who had since turned to his wife, Olivia. BAD. ASS.
11. In the mockumentary “All You Need is Cash” tells the story of fictional band  The Rutles  which is remarkably not unlike the Beatles’ story. George plays a news reporter in one scene in a movie that lampoons his major claim to fame. That’s one great sense of humor.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS6ertP_tys
12. Speaking of sense of humor, after the screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, George became friends with Eric Idle because he was basically a Python fanboy.
13. In 1978, EMI pulled funding for the  movie “Life of Brian”. George mortgaged his home to start HandMade Films, specifically to help fund the film. Eric Idle refers to it as the most anyone’s ever paid for a cinema ticket. As executive producer, he got a nice “Blink and you’ll miss it” cameo, too.

Here’s a playlist of some of his awesome songs and more stuff for you to enjoy: