Religious Thought as Manifested in the Musical Content of George Harrison’s Brainwashed

In an article published in this journal in 2004, Michael Gilmour studied George Harrison’s Brainwashed but left the album’s music unexplored. This article builds on Gilmour’s work by focusing on three of the album’s tracks and analyzing their harmonic and melodic structures. This examination reveals musical parallels to the religious themes of the album, strengthening Gilmour’s conclusion that Harrison was inspired by the Bhagavad Gita. In addition, the analysis illuminates aspects of Harrison’s personal spiritual beliefs. Throughout, the article advocates an interdisciplinary approach is necessary for understanding the entirety of the album’s musical and religious content.