A named critical and biographical study of George Harrison's music by musicologist and journalist Simon Leng, first published in the UK by Firefly Publishing in 2003 and in the US by Hal Leonard in 2006. Its strength is a close reading of the musical and spiritual sources Harrison drew on across his catalogue, including "My Sweet Lord" specifically. Its characterization of the song as fusing gospel and Vedic devotional forms is cited here as Leng's own critical description, not stated here as settled fact.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Simon Leng's While My Guitar Gently Weeps, first published by Firefly Publishing in the UK in 2003 and by Hal Leonard in the US in 2006, the middle tier reflecting a named critical and biographical study by a musicologist and journalist rather than a peer reviewed academic press monograph, close reading the musical and spiritual sources Harrison drew on. Its characterization of "My Sweet Lord" as fusing gospel and Vedic devotional forms is cited here as Leng's own critical description, not stated here as settled fact. NotesA named published critical study (While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison, Firefly Publishing, 2003; Hal Leonard, 2006). Leng describes "My Sweet Lord" as fusing the vocabulary of Christian gospel music with Vedic devotional chant, quoting a fellow biographer's phrase, gospel incantation with a Vedic chant, and situates the song within Harrison's turn toward Krishna Consciousness under the Gaudiya Vaishnava teacher A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Citation
PublisherFirefly Publishing (UK, 2003); Hal Leonard (US, 2006)
Source Typeacademic biography
Claims Backed By This Source (10 claims)
This source backs 10 claims across the atlas. As facts: 7 well-attested. As cited relationships: 1 holds. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 5 claims: 5 well-attested.
- Musical Works, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Articles, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
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