This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying) - George Harrison

Artist: George Harrison
Song: This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)
Year: 1975
Album: Extra Texture (Read All About It)

This song was the first Beatles solo single not to reach the charts. It had to happen sometime, but I'm surprised that this was the song to achieve that accomplishment. It's not a bad song, by any stretch of the imagination. The song is catchy and a sequel of sorts to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the White Album.

It just happened to be a contractual obligation album. Maybe the public sensed that. Maybe the public was fed up with four different solo projects and wanted the Beatles to reunite and combine their efforts. Whatever the reason, the song tanked and was rarely heard from again.

I kept hearing this song on the Sunday morning Beatles shows around the Chicago area. It would pop up on the playlist maybe twice a year. Sometimes less than that. I heard it enough to recognize the song when it started, but infrequent enough not to really know it. The shows had the Beatles catalogue, each member's solo efforts and covers to showcase. Some tracks were lucky to get played once a year.

I started collecting George Harrison's albums, when I could find them at a bargain at used record stores. He was the easiest Beatle to collect, because most of his releases were straightforward. I picked the Extra Texture album up in 2004. I was going to school for massage therapy in the evening and spending my days working as an assistant for an elderly, disabled man. My time to listen to music was in the car. I popped the CD in and by the time the third track was finished, I had a new favorite to add to the collection.

Lyrics:
(one, two, three, four)

Found myself out on a limb
But I'm happier than I've ever been
But this guitar can't keep from crying

Learned to get up when I fall
Can even climb Rolling Stone walls
But this guitar can't keep from crying

This here guitar can feel quite sad
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
Can't understand or deal with hate
Responds much better to love

I though by now you knew the score
But you missed the point just like before
And this guitar can't keep from crying

(This) guitar, it can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying

This here guitar can feel quite sad
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
It can't understand or deal with hate
Responds much better to love

While you attack, create offence
I'll put it down to your ignorance
But this guitar it can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying

This guitar can't keep from crying
This guitar can't keep from crying