George Harrison Quotes in Birth of the Beatles (1979)

Paul McCartney: Hey, when you're rich and famous, what are you gonna be?

George Harrison: A millionaire.

Paul McCartney: And do what?

George Harrison: Buy a bus for me dad! He's putting his foot down. Wants me working.

John Lennon: Don't be thick! People die here... never knowing if they've ever lived. Well, you won't find me working 9 to 5.

Paul McCartney: Y'know, I've been thinking.

George Harrison: Well, there you go! I bet you didn't know he could think, did you John?

John Lennon: No.

George Harrison: What about, then?

Paul McCartney: About uh... changes.

John Lennon: Like what, Paul?

Paul McCartney: Like, maybe a change in leadership.

John Lennon: And are you nominating yourself?

Paul McCartney: You see, I reckon the fella who writes most of the songs should be the one who says what's what and when.

John Lennon: I reckon you should get stuffed.

Paul McCartney: Thank you.

John Lennon: Or maybe we should put into the vote, don't you agree George?

Brian Epstein: This may come as a surprise. It surprises even me, but I'd like to be your manager. I'm organized, very methodical, but I'm also human. No doubt I'll make mistakes, but you're an incredible group. I'm sure I can help you. What you need is an English record contract. Through my contacts, that could be arranged. What are you earning now?

Pete Best: Seventy-five pounds a week.

George Harrison: Each.

Brian Epstein: No, no, you're making fifteen pounds a night, if and when you play. But I can do better. Naturally, I'd only take commissions on my bookings, which would be twenty-five percent per gross.

Paul McCartney: Why not twenty?

Brian Epstein: Well, I assume there'll be considerable costs before I see any profit. But I understand you don't have photographs. Well, besides publicity, there's...

Pete Best: We need a van.

Brian Epstein: That's four or five hundred pounds. And there'll be changes. Not in your music. In the sense of... professionalism to get you on the radio, the telly. Well, if this is all agreeable... we'll have contracts properly drawn.

John Lennon: We're not too crazy about changes. What kind do you have in mind?

Brian Epstein: Your appearance needs work.

John Lennon: You'll be wanting us to dress like you?

Brian Epstein: There'll just be some tidying up here and there, smoothing out the rough edges.

John Lennon: Well, I'm ashamed about rough edges, Mr. Epstein.

Brian Epstein: I'm not saying you should be ashamed. These changes are not to remake you, just to bring out what I see as your potential.

Paul McCartney: And just what experience exactly do you have in this line? I mean, how many groups are you directing at the moment?

Brian Epstein: None.

Paul McCartney: None?

John Lennon: So we'll be your guinea pigs? A new toy to play with and then toss away when you're tired of us?

Brian Epstein: That's not the way I work. Look, you need me. You'll be going nowhere now. Non-conformity is fine, but unless you adapt, you'll never get anywhere.

John Lennon: But we don't want to go anywhere. It's only people like you who have to go somewhere. We're happy, go-lucky, shiftless working-class lads. That's why we play the Negro music without a care in the world. Tell me, do you have a car?

Brian Epstein: Yes.

John Lennon: What kind?

Brian Epstein: A Ford... Zodiac.

John Lennon: Well now, in that case... you need our help. I'll sign with you, Eppie, 'cause I think we can help you.

John Lennon: Where are we going, fellas?

Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe: To the top!

John Lennon: What top?

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe: To the Very Top!

[Dewey meditating with the Maharishi and The Beatles]

The Maharishi: Only through meditation can we begin to understand our role.

Paul McCartney: We're nothing but... grains of sand.

Dewey Cox: That was freakin' transcendental, Paul McCartney. Don't you agree, John Lennon?

John Lennon: Yes, Dewey Cox. With meditation there's no limit to what we can...

[glares at the camera]

John Lennon: *imagine*.

Dewey Cox: What do you think, George Harrison of The Beatles?

George Harrison: I don't know. You know? I'm just trying to get more songs on the album.

Ringo Starr: And as Ringo Starr, I'm not so interested in meditation, I just like to have fun.

[holds up peace sign]

Dewey Cox: [laughs] I like the little one.

George Harrison: I just sit here while my guitar quietly wimpers.

Paul McCartney: Well you are the quiet one, so why don't you shut the fuck up?

Ringo Starr: I've got a song about an octopus.

John Lennon: Jam it up your ass. You're lucky we still let you play drums!

George Harrison: [high on LSD with Dewey as a cartoon] Just keep thinking happy thoughts, Dewey. I'd hate for this to turn into a bad trip.

Dewey Cox: [scary music plays] Uh-oh!

John Lennon, Paul McCartney: 'Uh-oh'?

George Harrison: What's that scary music?

Dewey Cox: I had an unhappy thought!

George Harrison: It's a bad trip.

Paul McCartney: Bad trip, bad trip!

Dewey Cox: [a machete walks up to him] Help! Trippy machete!

[the machete cuts him in half]

Dewey Cox: Aw, fuck me! I can see my large colon!

Dewey Cox: [wakes up frightened] Ahh! I guess I do got some demons!

George Harrison: You alright Cox?

Dewey Cox: [frightened] I don't know!

Ringo Starr: Do you want some more LSD?

Dewey Cox: [excited] Yeah, I think I do!

[laughs hysterically]

Theo: Which one of y'all writes which song?

John Lennon: All the good ones are mine... He does the ones that are shit.

Paul McCartney: [laughing] Hilarious! "Number nine", really great.

John Lennon: "Yesterday"...

[Mumbling/singing/imitating Paul]

Paul McCartney: He writes the ones that are "Oh, there's no God, I'm a fucking asshole", and I write the ones that are beautiful and great, and he'll jump in with the "yeah, yeah, yeah"-

[Blows raspberry]

John Lennon: I write songs about peace and love, you write Sussudio.

Paul McCartney: [singing, imitating John] "Communism is the best, I'm a Commie"... that's his song.

George Harrison: Keep in mind, I wrote "Taxman".