Behind That Locked Door – George Harrison

Guest post by Michael J Roberts,
Author of “33 Great Songs 33 Great Songwriters”

Behind That Locked Door – George Harrison

After The Beatles officially broke up in 1970 George Harrison flowered for a time in ways no-one expected. The previously mildly productive song writer blossomed into a prolific writer and composer and the fruits of his labour were channelled into that rarest of rock and roll beasts, a triple album, the superb All Things Must Pass. George Harrison was at a creative peak, having contributed two classic songs to the final Beatles recorded album, Something and Here Comes The Sun. In a welter of fine tunes on the hit solo album, George produced this waltz time gem, a song that also has a quirky story behind it.

…..The tune is a gorgeous folk-pop confection played out across standard 1, 4, 5 and minor 6 chords (C F G Am), the key is C. The interesting thing about the progression is that it starts on the 4 chord (F) and never resolves to 1 (C), so it feels like it never finds ‘home’ which works perfectly with the restlessness of the main character. The part of the tune where the chord ‘rests’ is either on the 5 chord (G), which always suggests more movement or a minor 6 (Am), suggesting a melancholy that also musically supports the tone of the lyric.

George Harrison is one of 33 Great Songwriters featured in Vol 1.