Listening to “I me mine”...

We often hear songs without listening closely to their lyrics, as if they were some kind of mental “chewing-gum” to us, and this state of ignorance can last for a long time, if not forever. 

Yet, sometimes, some kind of trigger happens that finally makes us pay attention. Recently, I watched “George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison”, which was filmed on September 28th, 2014 at the The Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. 

Among Harrison’s songs covered by a large number of modern artists was “I Me Mine” which was released in the 1970 “Let It Be” album and whose lyrics I never really paid any attention to. This time they hit me as they should have a long time ago. 

The song is about humanity’s selfishness, the world's biggest problem. The needs of the ego and perhaps a reflection of George's frustration with people around him being so self-centered. He was also well aware of the universal meaning in the words in his song, especially given his fondness for Buddhism. 

It could also be that when that song was written the times were changing, turning hippy love to more greed and materialism ushering in the “me decade” of the 70s. 

Finally there could be the breaking up of the Beatles. There was tiredness among the four who were looking forward to doing their own things; hence that fitting, if not depressing ending song about selfishness and how it amasses material things yet destroys spiritual values…