Here comes the sun and I say/
It’s alright.

“Here Comes the Sun” is Beatles song written by George Harrison for the Abbey Road record. By this time, Harrison was beginning to establish himself as a peer with Lennon and McCartney. The origin of this song came about through his friendship with Eric Clapton.

He was hanging out with Clapton after dealing with The Beatles nonsense, and he felt a special camaraderie and new sense of excitement about music. That led him to write this simple but elegant song about the exciting days that are yet to come, and that the cold days of winter will soon be melting.

Though “Here Comes The Sun” sounds quite simple, there are a lot of moving pieces going on in the production. You have hand-clapping, electric keyboards, strings, flutes, percussion and of course guitars. This song foreshadows the work that Harrison would later do during his solo years: Songs like My Sweet Lord have a similar vibe to them. The feel is upbeat and spiritual, and the instrumentation is experimental.

Here Comes The Sun Lyrics

Here comes the sun, doo-dun-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right

Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here

Here comes the sun, doo-dun-doo-doo
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right

Little darling, the smile’s returning to their faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here

Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

written by George Harrison

I let my music take me where my heart wants to go.

Spirituality and religion were recurring themes in Cat Steven’s music long before he converted to Islam. “The Wind” appears on Teaser and the Firecat, more than five years before his conversion. He seems to be searching for Truth and has come to a place where he his content…at least temporarily.  Where will this journey take him? Who knows. But right now, he wants for nothing.

He attributes this newfound contentment to the changes he has made in his life. Whereas before he lived a crazy lifestyle (“I swam upon a Devil’s lake”) he thinks he has turned the page (“I’ll never make the same mistake.”)

The guitar intro to “The Wind” is simple, but also iconic, beautiful, and moving. There are actually two guitars being played here but most of the sound can be accomplished with one. Stevens voice is so soothing. He conveys emotion without varying the volume of his voice or adding much variety to the melody. That is hard to accomplish.

Lyrics The Wind

I listen to the wind
To the wind of my soul.
Where I’ll end up, well, I think
Only God really knows.

I’ve sat upon the setting sun.
But never, never, never, never,
I never wanted water once.
No, never, never, never.

I listen to my words
But they fall far below.
I let my music take me where
My heart wants to go.

I swam upon the devil’s lake.
But never, never, never, never,
I’ll never make the same mistake.
No, never, never, never.

written by Cat Stevens

And when I awoke and felt you warm and near/
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears.

Simon & Garfunkel’s “For Emily Wherever I May Find Her” tells a great story of the narrator’s crazy, wonderful dream. We know it is a dream–Simon tells us in the first line.  In the dream the narrator walks down empty streets and alleys with closed shops. The scene is picturesque. He hears cathedral bells in the distance. What is going on?

The streets turn into a frosty field an in it he sees his love, Emily. She is beautiful. She runs to him; they embrace, then hold hands as they walk through the fields. He has never been happier. But then he awakes!

He sits up and turns in bed. He sees Emily is sleeping beside him. His real life is better than his dream–as the woman he loves is sleeping next to him. A tear runs down his cheek as he gives her a kiss and tells Emily that he loves her.

It is amazing how dream-like Simon’s guitar intro sounds. The intro transports us into his dream. We walk the endless streets and see Emily. As he awakes the pace of the guitar quickens to the reveal. All of this is accomplished with just an acoustic guitar.  In this live version it is astonishing how much sound can be produced with just Simon’s acoustic guitar and Garfunkel’s voice.

Garfunkel’s vocals are spectacular. They are dynamic. They capture the sensitive dream-like state at the beginning of the song and erupt into the euphoria upon the reveal. Garfunkel has one of the best male voices.  For Emily Wherever I May Find Her is one of the best and most underrated love songs. This is Simon & Garfunkel at their best.

For Emily Wherever I May Find Her Lyrics

What I dream I had
Pressed in organdy.
Clothed in crinoline
Of smoky Burgundy,
Softer than the rain.

I wandered empty streets down,
past the shop displays.
I heard cathedral bells
Tripping down the alley ways.
As I walked on…

And when you ran to me
Your cheeks flushed with the night.
We walked on frosted fields
of juniper and lamplight.
I held your hand.

And when I awoke,
And felt you warm and near.
I kissed your honey hair
With my grateful tears.
Oh I love you girl.

Oh I love you!

written by Paul Simon