It took me a long time to realize I couldn't do both. And now I'm a snotty big adult. But you already knew that.
So please listen as George Harrison sings "Behind That Locked Door", from "All Things Must Pass":
We don't know much about the personnel on this track. But we do know about the personnel on the album. It was essentially George with his best friends and their bands. That means Eric Clapton with Jim Gordon, Carl Radle and Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominoes without Duane Allman). And John Lennon with Eric, Klaus Voorman, Alan White and of course Yoko (the Plastic Ono Band). Billy Preston was there, and so was Gary Wright, and in fact there was no musician in the world at the time (or ever!) who would slam down the phone if the voice on the other end said, "Hello. This is George Harrison. I'm recording with some of my friends and I wonder whether you'd do us the honour of playing with us."
We do know that George wrote the song and sang it and Pete Drake played the beautiful pedal steel part. The rhythm section sounds like Carl Radle or Klaus Voorman on bass and maybe Ringo or Jim Gordon or Alan White on drums. There's also an organ. That was probably played by Bobby Whitlock or perhaps Billy Preston or maybe Gary Wright. I don't hear John or Eric on this one. But that's OK. Somebody had to sit quietly sometime!
They weren't all there together, but all these brilliant musicians were in the studio with George at one point or another during the recording of this massive album. And nobody bothered to keep track of who was there, let alone who did what. Bobby seems to know more than anybody else but he doesn't remember all of it and nobody ever asks him anyway.
We know it was Pete Drake on pedal steel because he was the only pedal steel player who played on the album. And maybe that's the benefit of playing a really weird instrument.
Someday maybe I'll tell you about how I tried and failed to learn to play pedal steel. But not now. This song is sad enough.
Why are you still crying?
Your pain is now through
Please forget those teardrops
Let me take them from you
The love you are blessed with
This world's waiting for
So let out your heart, please, please
From behind that locked door
It's time we start smiling
What else should we do?
With only this short time
I'm gonna be here with you
And the tales you have told (taught?) me
From the things that you saw
Makes me want out your heart, please, please
From behind that locked door
And if ever my love goes
If I'm rich or I'm poor
Please let out my heart, please, please
From behind that locked door
From behind that locked door
