How George Harrison Reacted to the Death of John Lennon’s Mother

At the finish of George Harrison‘s life, he knew how he wanted to leave his body. He’d ready himself for the second of loss of life for years by way of Hinduism teachings. When John Lennon was murdered in 1980, George was upset that John didn’t go away his physique the proper approach. Coincidentally, it was by way of John that George had his first brush with loss of life. Years earlier than John died, his mom, Julia, was killed after being struck by a automobile, and her loss of life shook George to his core.

George Harrison and John Lennon | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs

Months after George Harrison met John Lennon, Julia Lennon died

John requested George to be a part of The Quarrymen in February 1958. Nonetheless, George had to show himself to John, who noticed him as a child. George was a child. At simply 15 years outdated, he’d unknowingly joined what would turn into one of the most well-known rock bands in music historical past.

George admired John. He was older and, subsequently, extra skilled in numerous issues like girls and performing. However George was a approach higher musician than the bandleader at the time. He taught John chords and advised him his guitar wanted extra strings.

Goerge, John, and Paul McCartney would go to one another’s homes and observe their music. After they went to John’s aunt Mimi’s home, she eyed George and advised John, “You always seem to like the lower-class types, don’t you, John?” John yelled at his aunt. Nonetheless, John’s mom, who’d given John up to her sister when he was a toddler, was a lot nicer. She let the band observe in her toilet.

Nonetheless, tragedy struck when Julia was struck and killed in the avenue by an off-duty policeman that July. Opposite to standard perception, Eric Clague was not drunk, however he was studying to drive. She was the first individual George knew to die.

George was involved for his personal mom after Julia died

In accordance to Joshua Greene’s Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison, George was shocked by Julia’s loss of life. It was his first encounter with loss of life, and he was so “shook” that he began to get scared about his personal mom.

“George was terrified that I was going to die next,” George’s mom, Louise Harrison, mentioned. “He’d watch me carefully all the time. I told him not to be so silly. I wasn’t going to die.”

George’s response to Julia’s loss of life is comprehensible. He’d by no means skilled something prefer it earlier than. He handed alongside his condolences to John and his household, but it surely nonetheless felt unusual. Greene factors out that George is the solely Beatle to develop up with out divorce or early loss of life.

Paul’s mom Mary died of most cancers in 1956, and Ringo’s mom divorced his father when he was three. George got here from a steady household and a big one. His mom’s Irish family members visited usually, and he’d carry out for them. However similar to in The Beatles, George was the child. His household may need given him extra consideration as the youngest, however George was going to have to work a bit of more durable being the youngest Beatle.

George initially had to show his value

Paul and John’s friendship was already robust by the time George entered the band. However Julia’s loss of life solely introduced them collectively much more. They bonded over having each misplaced their moms, one thing George couldn’t relate. In accordance to John’s sister, Julia, Paul and John grew just about inseparable throughout this time and virtually “grew into each other’s pockets.”

So being the youngest and the just one who hadn’t had a tough childhood, George was, in some ways, the outsider who had to work particularly laborious to slot in. Nonetheless, Greene writes that regardless of Paul and John’s “unique bond,” there was “no mistaking their cohesiveness.” Even then, John and Paul helped a 15-year-old George get into theaters round Liverpool, which solely admitted youngsters over 16.

Throughout these early days in the band, George, John, and Paul actually bonded as bandmates, and in a approach, Julia’s loss of life helped solidify that bond.

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