Music Blog

It’s Two, By George!

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Today in Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday post
entitled ‘Quasimodo Rang The Bell’, he has asked us
to write about a song that mentions a bell, buzzer,
chime, gong, horn, siren or whistle. Written for
Song Lyric Sunday, here’s my selection.

As I like to say, “There’s not a single thing wrong with a George Harrisong”.

Today for Jim’s Song Lyric Sunday challenge I have chosen two songs by George Harrison …. one with the word ‘buzz’ and another with the word “bell’. These aren’t the most popular George songs we hear played on the radio; they’re a little off the beaten path, which is why I chose them. In the highly unlikely event that you have just woken up from a 60-year-long coma and are not sure who George Harrison is, you can read about him here.

The first song I would like to share with you is “When We Was Fab” with a clever video featuring fellow Beatle, Ringo Starr.

“When We Was Fab” was released on George’s 1987 album, Cloud Nine. The lyrics serve as a nostalgic reflection on the days of Beatlemania during the 1960s when the Beatles were first referred to as “The Fab Four”. George co-wrote this song with Jeff Lynne – friend, fellow Traveling Wilbury’s member and founder of ELO – who also co-produced the track. George wrote “When We Was Fab” to reflect a time when he and his friends came from nothing, transforming their status into the biggest band on the planet, a meteoric rise which left him with the most incredible memories. The recording references the psychedelic sound that the Beatles helped popularize in 1967, through the use of backwards-played music and lyrics, sitar, and cello. “When We Was Fab” has appeared on the compilations Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989 and Let it Roll (2009).

This is “When We Was Fab” by George Harrison

 
LYRICS

One! Two!

Back then long time ago when grass was green
Woke up in a daze
Arrived like strangers in the night
(Fab! Doot, doot, doot doo)

Long time ago when we was fab (Fab!)

Back when income tax was all we had
Caressers fleeced you in the morning light
Casualties at dawn
And we did it all
(Fab! Doot, doot, doot doo)

Long time ago when we was fab (Fab)

In my world you are my only love
And while you're in this world
The fuzz gonna come and claim you
But you mo better wise
When the buzz gonna come and take you away
Take you away. Take you away.

The microscopes that magnified the tears
Studied warts and all
Still the life flowed on and on
(Fab! Doot, doot, doot, Gear!)

Long time ago when we was fab (Fab)

But it's all over now, baby blue
(Oo! Doot, doot doot. Fab!)

Long time ago when we was fab
(Fab!) Like this pullover you sent me
(Fab! Doot, doot, doot. Gear!)

And you really got a hold on me
(Fab! Doot, doot, doot. Gear!)

Written by: George Harrison/Jeff Lynne
Lyrics©Concord Music Publishing LLC,Sony/ATV
Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

This next song by George always makes me smile. There are a couple of different versions but I’m sharing with you my favorite one which features George’s contagious laughter; it’s impossible not to get a kick out of this delightful tune. The song is “Miss O’Dell”, the B side of the 1973 single “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)”.

A friend of George and his wife, Pattie, Chris O’Dell had worked for the Beatles at Apple Corps in London. George composed the song in April 1971 in Los Angeles while waiting for O’Dell to visit him at his rented home in Malibu. O’Dell was delighted by the invitation to visit George but kept putting it off, paranoid about being seen entering his house alone at night. She was also battling a burgeoning cocaine and barbiturate habit and the drugs made her listless and unmotivated. She eventually relented and visited him after he called twice more and left a message asking her to come over. During Chris’ visit, George played a song for her as a surprise; that song was the one you’re about to hear .… “Miss O’Dell”. There’s a lot of speculation as to just how close Chris O’Dell was to George and the other Beatles; if you’d like to read her story in her words, you’ll find it here. BTW, the phone number at the end of the song was Paul McCartney’s private line.

If you’re easily reduced to fits of laughter, like me, you’ll enjoy this endearing and cheerful song. George had a great sense of humor and there is some amusing additional footage after the song; I hope you’ll continue watching through to the end.

This is “Miss O’Dell” by George Harrison.


Lyrics

I’m the only one down here
Who’s got nothing to say
About the war
Or the rice
That keeps going astray on its way to Bombay.
And the smog that keeps polluting up our shores
Is boring me to tears.

Why don’t you call me, Miss O’Dell?

I’m the only one down here
Who’s got nothing to fear
From the waves
Or the night
That keeps rolling on right up to my front porch.
The record player’s broken on the floor,
And Ben, he can’t restore it,
Miss O’Dell.

I can tell you
Nothing new
Has happened since I last saw you.

And I’m the only one down here
Who’s got nothing to say
About the hip
Or the dope
Or the cat with the most hope to fill the Fillmore.
And you’re pushing, shoving, ringing on my bell
Is not for me tonight.

So, won’t you call me, Miss O’Dell?

Won’t you call me, Miss O’Dell

Garston, six-nine, double two

Written by: George Harrison
Lyrics©Concord Music Publishing LLCLyrics
Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


















Quasimodo Rang the Bell







Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.





Thanks for stopping by and listening to some tunes.





See you on the flip side. 😎





NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy ~ The Sicilian Storyteller, Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

		


			
		
	




	



			

			38 thoughts on “It’s Two, By George!”		


		
		
    
					
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          No, it’s difficult to believe so much time has gone by. I’m delighted to find so many people who love George and appreciate him for the great artist he is. It’s a privilege for me to share his music here on my blogs. As long as his music lives on, so does he.
          

          Thanks for your comments, Christian.
          

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    Two good ones Nancy.  I loved the Monty Pythonesque opening to Miss O’Dell.  To me George was at his most handsome with that beautiful long hair and full beard.  Oh and to hear him laugh!  We lost him way too soon didn’t we? 😢
    

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      Well, I’m sure you know that George was a great lover of Monty Python and performed with them on occasion. When the crew was facing difficulty getting Life of Brian off the ground, George mortgaged his fabulous home to raise money for the production. He was a man of great beauty, inside and out. His sense of humor was phenomenal and he possessed a true spirituality and remarkable sense of acceptance. We did indeed lose him too soon. I miss him. I would have loved seeing what he accomplished later in life. ♡
      

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      Haha! Isn’t that fun? I wanted something with a bell or a buzzer but when I saw that, I knew it was the one.
      

      Thanks so much for stopping by and giving my post a read. I appreciate you commenting on the graphic; the only time that happens is when I’m responding to a photo prompt.
      

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    I liked the way these tidbits of other songs “like strangers in the night” and “it’s all over now, baby blue” were weaves into ‘When We Was Fab’.  ‘Miss O’Dell; was new to me and I don’t think that I have been in a coma for the last 60 years, but I liked the song and the story that you told along with it, Nancy.
    

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      Excellent point, Jim; there’s also my favorite reference to ‘you really got a hold on me’. I’m glad you pointed them out. 
      The coma remark was for those who don’t know George Harrison. I’m sure you’re not the only one who never heard of Miss O’Dell. I know it because I’m not just a Beatlemaniac; I’m a Georgy Girl! 
      Thanks for another great theme at SLS!
      

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    Adfab my dear Sis two of my favourite George songs especially When we was fab because there is so much of my early teen memories trapped therin. 
    

    Beautiful Video  with Miss O’Dell 🌞🌞💜💗💗💗
    

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    I love everything off a Cloud Nine, but especially when we was fab. I’m a huge Beatles fan both during and after of all the members, especially John Paul and George Ringo tube that John Paul and George after the Beatles were especially good too.
    

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