George Harrison and "Here Comes The Sun"

The nice thing about having a lot of blog posts to write about one subject is that I can do them in any order I want. The first blog was about the entire trip and the second one is about the end of the trip.

The day before our trip ended was Tuesday and my wife and I were talking and there was music on as I was driving.  She said, "Aren't you tired of hearing, "Here Comes The Sun?" I told her I wasn't, because I really don't hear it too often.  I do have Sirius radio and I listen to the Beatle station when I'm Ubering, so I do hear it more than I used to, but it's a great song.

My wife said it was a good song, but I always sing it when we're traveling and the sun comes up.  She really meant that I sing it when the sun comes out. She's almost always sleeping at sunrise. But, it's my fault and I'm ruining the song for her.

George Harrison wrote "Here Comes The Sun," in 1969 and it is the one song that he is most identified with.  The Beatle's song, "Yesterday" has been covered the most by other singers, and  "Hey Jude" many recognize as the Beatle's best song. However, "Here Comes The Sun" is the most streamed Beatles song and has always been recognized as one of their best. I think it's the simplicity and the optimism in the song.  The sun comes out to brighten the day or to start the spring season, anyone can sing it. (Even me)

Later that day, I was driving down Rt. 57 on a highway alongside the small town of  Benton, Illinois.  I glanced over to my right and saw this alongside the highway.  It was so quick I thought it was John Lennon at first, but I couldn't figure out what I saw.

 

When I got home, I discovered that this 3-D mural was put up in 2017 and it cost $20,000.  It shows George Harrison and his adoring fans.  In 1963, only months before Beatlemania hit and he became famous, he visited his sister who lived there. The story of his visit was told to artist John Cerney, who made this out of plywood.

The next morning we walked out of our final hotel at 5 am.  My wife was getting everything ready in the car and suddenly said, "I have to get my sun glasses." On the radio was a female singer who was singing, "Here Comes The Sun."

As I drove down the highway with the sun coming up a half hour past Nashville, Tennessee, I was sure I heard George singing the last four words of his song to my sleeping wife, "It's alright, It's alright."