After weeks of nagging I finally broke down and got Rob Sheffield’s new book Dreaming the Beatles. I haven’t had time to read it yet, but I did look to see what he had to say about “It’s All Too Much,” which he considers “the great lost Beatles song.”

I’m not sure I agree, but his take is interesting:

It’s a psychedelic love song, with George dazed by the hippie minx on his futon. More than any other George song, it sounds like his tribute to Patti Boyd, the puffy-lipped sex priestess he married.

Patti (later known as “Pattie”), as we all know, would later leave George for his good friend Eric Clapton. Sheffield adds,

When Patti and Clapton got married in May 1979, George, Paul, and Ringo jammed at the wedding, playing “Get Back” and “Sgt. Pepper.” John called to complain he hadn’t been invited.

It’s strange how George was always a little stingy with the love songs. When you’ve got Patti sharing your stash box and leaving her sandals under your bed, yet you’d rather write all your songs about Lord Krishna, you can’t blame the girl for getting restless – it’s understandable she would upgrade her muse glimmer with some other rock star, preferably your best friend. No doubt Patti did it all for the songs. We owe her so much.

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