“Here Comes The Sun” is a George Harrison song from The Beatles’ 1969 album Abbey Road. It opens side two and has become one of the band’s most-loved recordings thanks to its bright acoustic riff, uplifting lyric, and subtle studio craft.
An official session outtake, “Here Comes The Sun (Take 9)”, later appeared on the 2019 Abbey Road anniversary releases, giving listeners a clearer view of how the arrangement developed in the studio.
Key Facts
- Album Release: 26 September 1969
- Recorded: 7 July-19 August 1969
- Genre: Folk rock, pop rock
- Track Duration: 3:05
- Record Label: Apple
- Songwriter: George Harrison
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Phil McDonald
- Second Engineer: John Kurlander
- Album Position: Abbey Road track 7 (side two opener)
Performers And Instruments
- George Harrison: lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, harmonium, Moog synthesizer, also handclaps
- Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass guitar, handclaps
- Ringo Starr: drums, handclaps
Additional Musicians
- George Martin: orchestral arrangement and conducting
- Orchestra (uncredited): four violas, four cellos, double bass, two piccolos, two flutes, two alto flutes, two clarinets
Where To Find “Here Comes The Sun”
You can find “Here Comes The Sun” on the following releases:
- Abbey Road Album – the original 1969 master
- Abbey Road (2019 anniversary editions) – 2019 remix and “Here Comes The Sun (Take 9)”, depending on edition
- Love Album – “Here Comes The Sun / The Inner Light” remix
Love is a remix and mash-up project created for the Cirque du Soleil show. If you want the original 1969 recording, Abbey Road is the one to get.
Here Comes The Sun: Background
Harrison wrote “Here Comes The Sun” as a relief valve. In 1969, Apple business meetings and band politics were draining, and he stepped away from it for a day. He later described skipping Apple, going to Eric Clapton’s house, and writing the song while walking in the garden with an acoustic guitar.
That origin story matters because it matches what you hear: the lyric does not chase grandeur. It focuses on the simple emotional swing from weight and worry to warmth and light.
Songwriting And Sound
The hook is that instantly recognisable acoustic figure, but the arrangement is more adventurous than it first seems. Harrison uses several time signature changes (most noticeably in the “sun, sun, sun, here it comes” section), which gives the song its gently tumbling, forward-rolling feel without sounding complicated.
The Abbey Road recording also showcases Harrison’s early enthusiasm for the Moog synthesizer. Rather than turning it into a gimmick, he uses it as a soft colour that lifts the track in the later sections.
Recording Sessions
The Beatles began recording “Here Comes The Sun” on 7 July 1969 at EMI Studios in London and continued refining it until 19 August. The finished version grew gradually across those sessions, which is why such an apparently effortless song sounds so carefully balanced on the record.
The 2019 Abbey Road anniversary editions later opened that process up further by issuing “Here Comes The Sun (Take 9)”, giving listeners an official studio work-in-progress rather than just the polished album master.
Abbey Road Placement And Later Versions
On Abbey Road, “Here Comes The Sun” opens side two right after the heavy ending of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)“. That sequencing is part of the song’s impact: it feels like a deliberate exhale before the side-two medley begins.
On Love Album, the song appears as “Here Comes The Sun / The Inner Light”, a remix transition rather than a straight reissue of the Abbey Road master. It is a curiosity worth hearing, but Abbey Road remains the place to start for the original 1969 recording.
Legacy
“Here Comes The Sun” has become one of The Beatles’ defining late-era songs. In May 2023, it became the band’s first song to reach one billion streams on Spotify, showing how strongly it still connects with new listeners decades after release.
Take A Listen
Finally, give the song a spin and see if you like it. Then, make a comment in the Beatles Fan Club Forum.
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Sources And References
- The Beatles – Official song facts and track position
- The Beatles – 2019 remix and “Take 9”
- The Beatles – Love track listing and remix context
- The Beatles – One billion Spotify streams
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