Circles
From BeatlesWiki
Circles is a song originally intended to be on The Beatles' 1968 self-titled album. It was written by George Harrison, who later recorded a version as a solo artist in 1982.
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Writing
Like most of the songs inluded on or intended to be on The Beatles, Circles was written during The Beatles' trip to India from late winter to early spring 1968. Like many of Harrison's Beatles songs written from 1966 onward, Circles was very philisophical. It is lyrically similar to Harrison's other compositions The Inner Light and Within You Without You, though it views the changing world from more of a stationary stance, much like John Lennon's I'm Only Sleeping.
Recording
There is only one known recorded version from when The Beatles were still together. In May 1968, shortly after Lennon and Harrison's return from India in April, all four Beatles met at Kinfauns, George Harrison's bungalow in Esher. They recorded demos of twenty-seven songs, nineteen of which made it onto The Beatles. One of these unused songs was Circles, recorded apparently by only George Harrison. Speaking voices can be heard in the bacground, though this may just be a TV or a radio. The Beatles did not ever record Circles as a group. Like John Lennon's Child Of Nature, which also surfaced years later in a different form, this was not included on the 1996 collection Anthology 3.
George Harrison Version
George Harrison did eventually release a version of Circles as a solo artist for his 1982 album Gone Troppo. It was recorded by a full band this time, with Billy Preston on organ and piano. It's lyrics differed greatly to those of 1968.
Personnel (Beatles Version)
- Lead Vocals: George Harrison
- Backing Vocals: George Harrison
- Organ: George Harrison
Available Versions
The Beatles
George Harrison
- Master Take, 1982, (Gone Troppo)
Available On
Beatles Version
- Various Bootlegs
George Harrison Version
- Gone Troppo, 1982.
