George Harrison And Bob Dylan – “If Not For You”

The Concert For Bangladesh Rehearsals

Wow – that’s all I can say about the combination of these two musical icons! Bob Dylan joined forces with former Beatle George Harrison in 1971 for The Concert For Bangladesh, the two benefit concerts organized by Harrison and Ravi Shankar to raise international awareness and fund relief efforts for refugees from Bangladesh.

Fun Fact: Dylan performed ‘If Not for You’ with George Harrison during rehearsals for the Concert for Bangladesh in New York in 1971, but did not perform the song at the concert itself.

The duo performed the iconic ‘If Not For You’, written by Dylan in 1970 and covered by Harrison a year later in 1971, and the ensuing result was absolutely beautiful. This exclusive video features footage of both Bob and George rehearsing for their performance, and I had no idea it was possible to sound that good in rehearsals!

+ If Not For You lyrics +

If not for you
Babe, I couldn’t even find the door
I couldn’t even see the floor
I’d be sad and blue, if not for you

If not for you
Babe, the night would see me wide awake
The day would surely have to break
It would not be new, if not for you

If not for you, my sky would fall
Rain would gather, too
Without your love I’d be nowhere at all
I’d be lost, if not for you

If not for you
The winter would hold no spring
Couldn’t hear a robin sing
I just wouldn’t have a clue, if not for you

If not for you, my sky would fall
Rain would gather, too
Without your love I’d be nowhere at all
I’d be lost, if not for you

If not for you
The winter would hold no spring
Couldn’t hear a robin sing
I just wouldn’t have a clue, if not for you

If not for you