GEORGE: 'THIS GUITAR (Can't Keep From Crying)' (w/DHANI & RINGO)

George's first six solo albums are being reissued as a box set called George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968-75. The albums, from label Apple Records:Wonderwall Music, Electronic Sound, All Things Must Pass, Living in the Material World, Dark Horse and Extra Texture (Read All About It). The first half-dozen records to be a window into a famous guitar player and songwriter we hardly knew.

Those first two albums, which he did while still a Beatle, were like very few albums out there in the world of pop in the late 1960s. Wonderwall, released in 1968, was a soundtrack album, the first album on Apple Records, and was a response to George's time in Bombay. Electronic Sound was his explorations on a Moog synthesizer. All Things Must Pass is his masterpiece and highlighted George as a prolific emotional songwriter.

Listen to the 'This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying) ... HERE.

His final three records on Apple were all strong. Today we have a bonus track from the reissue of Extra Texture (Read All About It), an alternate version of one of my favorite songs from that album, "This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying)." The recording was done in 1992 as a demo for Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, who recorded electric guitar on it at the time. The song itself is a sequel of sorts to Harrison's masterful tune "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," a song recorded with The Beatles that featured a brilliant guitar solo.

Learned to get up when I fall
Can even climb rolling stone walls
But this guitar can't keep from crying
This here guitar can feel quite sad
Can be high strung, sometimes get mad
Can't understand or deal with hate
Responds much better to love

For the reissue, this version of the song got overdubs from George's son Dhani Harrison on guitar, Ringo Starr on drums and Kara DioGuardi on vocals. Dhani Harrison also oversaw the reissues. All of the records have been remastered from the original analog tapes and feature bonus tracks, booklets and a DVD. The box set comes out on Sept. 23, but you can pre-order here.