Not Banned, But Silenced: How George Harrison Fought to Be Heard in the Shadow of Lennon-McCartney

It’s painful to say as a fan, but yes — George Harrison’s songwriting was often sidelined within The Beatles, especially during their peak years. While “banned” might be too strong a word, George was routinely discouraged, underappreciated, and left fighting for space alongside the Lennon-McCartney juggernaut.

In the early days, George wasn’t writing much, so John and Paul naturally took the lead. But by the time of Rubber Soul and Revolver, his compositions had matured — “If I Needed Someone,” “Taxman,” and “Love You To” showed depth and originality. Yet still, George was usually allowed only one or two songs per album.

During the White Album sessions, tensions peaked. George brought in multiple songs — “Not Guilty,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Sour Milk Sea” — but several were flatly rejected or ignored. “Not Guilty” was recorded over 100 times and still didn’t make the cut. George later said, “They didn’t want to hear what I had to say.”

It wasn’t personal hatred — it was structure. Lennon-McCartney had an unspoken dominance, and even as George’s songs grew stronger, the system didn’t evolve. When Abbey Road finally featured “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun,” it felt like a breakthrough. But by then, it was too late. George had already stored years of frustration — and turned it into All Things Must Pass.

He wasn’t “banned.” But in a band that should have celebrated all four voices equally, George often felt silenced.