MAY 20

Sour Milk Sea

Written by: Harrison
Recorded: May 1968

Released: 28 October 1996

Available on:
The Beatles (White Album) 50th anniversary box set

Personnel

George Harrison: vocals, acoustic guitar
Paul McCartney: bass
Ringo Starr: tambourine

‘Sour Milk Sea’ was one of the demo songs recorded in May 1968. Although it was an early contender for the White Album, it was eventually given to Apple recording artist Jackie Lomax.

The song was written by George Harrison. Although not explicitly mentioned, the song contains clear references to Transcendental Meditation, the “very simple process” which takes “no time at all”. Although the connection has never been acknowledged by the group, the refrain of “Get back to where you should be” bears a similarity to the chorus of The Beatles’ 1969 hit ‘Get Back’.

I wrote ‘Sour Milk Sea’ in Rishikesh, India. I never actually recorded the song – it was done by Jackie Lomax on his album Is This What You Want? Anyway, it’s based on Vishvasara Tantra, from Tantric art. ‘What is here is elsewhere, what is not here is nowhere’. It’s a picture, and the picture is called ‘Sour Milk Sea’ – Kalladadi Samudra in Sanskrit. I used Sour Milk Sea as the idea of – if you’re in the shit, don’t go around moaning about it: do something about it.

George Harrison
I Me Mine

The Beatles taped a version at Kinfauns, Harrison’s bungalow in Esher, Surrey, prior to the sessions for the White Album. They recorded 23 demos on his Ampex four-track machine. The demo of ‘Sour Milk Sea’ remains unreleased, and is only available on unofficial bootleg recordings.

The Beatles never attempted a studio version of ‘Sour Milk Sea’. It was taped by Lomax at Abbey Road on 24, 25 and 26 June 1968; Harrison produced the song, with Paul McCartney on bass, Paul McCartney on drums, Eric Clapton on guitar, and Nicky Hopkins on piano.

Lomax was the first artist to sign to The Beatles’ Apple label. ‘Sour Milk Sea’ was released as a single in August 1968, with the catalogue number Apple 3. It was part of Apple’s “Our first four” set of singles, which also included The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’, Mary Hopkin’s ‘Those Were The Days’, and the Black Dyke Mills Band’s ‘Thingumybob’.

The song also appeared on Lomax’s debut album, Is This What You Want?, released by Apple in March 1969.

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