Here Comes the Sun

"Here Comes the Sun" is a song by George Harrison from The Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road.

"Here Comes the Sun"
Song by The Beatles
from the album Abbey Road
Released	26 September 1969
Recorded	7 July-19 August 1969
Genre	Folk rock, progressive rock
Length	3:05
Label	Apple Records
Songwriter(s)	George Harrison
Producer(s)	George Martin
Abbey Road track listing
17 songs Side one "Come Together" "Something" "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" "Oh! Darling" "Octopus's Garden" "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" Side two "Here Comes the Sun" "Because" "You Never Give Me Your Money" "Sun King" "Mean Mr. Mustard" "Polythene Pam" "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" "Golden Slumbers" "Carry That Weight" "The End" "Her Majesty"

Origin

Harrison stated in The Beatles Anthology:

"Here Comes the Sun" was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: 'Sign this' and 'sign that'. Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes the Sun".^[1]

Recording

Harrison, McCartney and Starr recorded the song in 13 takes on July 7, 1969. John Lennon did not contribute to the song as he was recovering from a car crash.^[2] Towards the end of the session, Harrison spent an hour re-recording his acoustic guitar part. Harrison capoed his guitar on the 7th fret, resulting the final key of A major. He also used the same technique on his 1965 song "If I Needed Someone," which shares a similar melodic pattern. The following day he taped his lead vocals, and he and McCartney recorded their backing vocals twice to give a fuller sound.

A harmonium and handclaps were added on July 16. Harrison's guitar solo was overdubbed on 6 August, and the orchestral parts were added on 15 August. "Here Comes the Sun" was completed four days later with the addition of Harrison's Moog synthesizer part.^[3]

Personnel

• George Harrison – vocal, backing vocal, acoustic guitar, Moog synthesizer, handclaps
• Paul McCartney – backing vocal, bass, handclaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, handclaps
• Uncredited – four violas, four cellos, double bass, two piccolos, two flutes, two alto flutes, two clarinets

Personnel per Ian MacDonald^[2]