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Deciphering The Beatles ........Twelve...........The Inner Light - gryphon - 04-08-2011
Deciphering The Beatles ........Twelve...........The Inner Light
Without going out of my door
I can know all things on earth
Without looking out of my window
I could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
Without going out of your door
You can know all things of earth
Without looking out of your window
You could know the ways of heaven
The farther one travels
The less one knows
The less one really knows
Arrive without travelling
See all without looking
Do all without doing
I believe that this track reflects Georgeâs growing interest in Indian religion and culture.......
He was studying all things Indian and learning to play The sitar .............via Ravi Shanker . Ravi was introducing George to many people and thins to do with Indian culture........
One of those things was âTao Te Chingâ or The Chinese book of Taoism...............Now I am not a speaker of the language it is written in so I must take the following on trust but here is a section which reads.............
Without going out of my door
I can know all things on earth.
Without looking out of my window
I can know the ways of heaven.
For the farther one travels,
The less one knows.
The sage therefore
Arrives without travelling,
Sees all without looking,
Does all without doing.
Now , the ideas here seem family and with a quick tweak here and there we have the basis of the lyrics............
I think the rest is Georgeâs ..................
He is clearly looking at the modern world and judging its values and how different they are from a culture that seems to have found inner piece.
I have mentioned before Georgeâs style of matching opposites in his lyrics and this he does here more or less.........................
AS to the recording ...............again this is George only and a group of Indian session .....musicians.........
Songfacts says George Harrison had originally recorded this for the Wonderwall soundtrack in January, 1968. When the Beatles got together for recording sessions shortly before their trip to India, John and Paul added harmonies to the final line, "Do all without doing."
From interviews I know that George Martin was involving in the Production and in one interview George M remarks on how beautiful the melody is here and that many people would appreciate it more if it had been played on Western instruments.....................
This track was one of the few that remained issued only in Mono for many years until the reissue of Beatles EPs and then it was available in Stereo.
Song facts says :The original release was in mono; a stereo version was mixed in 1970 and used on the Past Masters ( I think they are wrong.....The Reissue of The EP collection preceded Past Masters ) compilation. The mono mix features an extra Indian instrument in the intro that did not make it to the stereo version.
I think it is a mark of how little regard there as for Georgeâs music there was in the lifetime of the Beatles.......because clearly a stereo mix could have been made , if anyone could have been bothered. .....................George Martin says that in later years he regrets not spending more time with George and his work..............he thinks that George could have been a greater force within the Beatles if he had.:nod:
Deciphering The Beatles ........Twelve...........The Inner Light - SteveO - 04-08-2011
Yes I agree , George was far more talented I believe than he was allowed to show ! He was a greatly maligned musician and a very underated guitar player ! If Martin, Paul and John had concentrated more on George I think everyone would have had a pleasant surprise...guitar players are very creative...they have to be..it's in their nature !
Thanks for the insight into The Inner Light, Gryph ! Well done and very appreciated !