Where's the Light Switch?

Today's post is a spur of the moment affair, which is the kind of affair I don't usually indulge in. My posts are more often given over to pain staking research and planning, and the resultant material verbose and some might say meandering in nature - to be kind to myself. But it occurred to me not five minutes ago that this is my blog, therefore I make the rules - and if I want to flaunt those rules by being impetuous then I'm damn well going to do so (after 500 posts I think I've earned it). The catalyst behind this mode of self-rebellion, was my listening to the George Harrison song 'Beware Of Darkness'. It's a song that has, over many years, offered me solace, and a compass of reason when the haze of self doubt, and the fog of depression blankets my mindscape. Everyone has at least one song that provides a sanctuary from whatever external, or internal, maelstrom is raging. 'Beware Of Darkness' is one such port in a storm for me.

The song is lifted from George Harrison's post-Beatles' opus, 'All Things Must Pass', which provided the vehicle via which Harrison emerged from the creative shadows of his former Fab-mates, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. Many would later cite the #1 album, 'All Things Must Pass' as the high watermark for George Harrison the ex-Beatle. Commercially, that's no doubt the case, but later albums such as 'Dark Horse', '33 1/3', and 'Cloud Nine', all stand up strongly to the rigours of post-Beatles carping by critics. Besides, to many, including myself, George Harrison became a creative and spiritual entity (and inspiration) far beyond his role as Beatle George. At any rate, on a triple album's worth of material - that featured the brilliance of 'My Sweet Lord' (charges of plagiarism aside), 'What Is Life', and another personal favourite 'Isn't It A Pity' - it is 'Beware Of Darkness' that still shines brightest for me.