In 1987, the former Beatle was putting the touches on his eleventh studio album, Cloud Nine, his first record since 1982’s Gone Troppo. Following that record, the guitarist had taken a step back from the music industry, swapping songs for comedy, as he invested in the comedy troupe Monty Python<\/a>, a band of creatives who he felt shared parallels with the Beatles.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Given Harrison\u2019s years out of the spotlight, Cloud Nine was a greatly anticipated record from a musician who seemed to thrive outside of the Beatles<\/a>. But he had one more commitment to fulfill.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Europe, they make 12-inch singles, and they usually like them to have an extra song,\u201d Harrison explained to Countdown in 1990. \u201cSo they asked me for an extra song, but I didn’t have one already recorded.<\/p>\n \u201cThe easiest thing to do was go into the studio the next day, write a song quickly, record it, mix it and give it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n His plan quickly became more interesting once he presented it to Lynne.<\/p>\n \u201cThat night, I had dinner with Jeff Lynne, who was having dinner with Roy Orbison,\u201d Harrison explains in the video. \u201cAnd I said, \u2018Well, tomorrow I’m going to find a studio and go in someplace, make a tune, and make this record.\u2019 So I said to Jeff, \u2018Do you want to come and help?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Lynne, who made his name with Electric Light Orchestra\u2019s rock-meets-classical fusion in the mid to late \u201970s, was more than happy to get involved.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Roy Orbison said, \u2018Oh, well, if you do something, call me. I’d like to come along and watch,\u2019\u201d Harrison continued.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n All that remained was to find a vacant studio and an engineer.<\/p>\n \u201cThen I thought, Well, Bob Dylan has a little studio in his garage,\u201d Harrison recalled. \u201dSo I called him and said, \u2018Do you mind if we come along tomorrow?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Like Lynne, Dylan was more than happy to participate. To round things off, the group-to-be\u2019s final member was recruited before the day was done.<\/p>\n \u201cI had to go to Tom Petty\u2019s house to pick up my guitar, which was around his house,\u201d Harrison says. \u201cHe said, \u2018Oh, good. I’ll come. I was wondering what I was going to do tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n The Traveling Wilburys – Handle With Care – YouTube Watch On <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe next morning, I started to write a song, and I thought, \u2018If Roy Orbison is going to come, it’s silly to have him sitting there,. He’s a better singer than everybody,\u2019\u201d Harrison adds. \u201cSo I wrote a part for Roy to sing, and Jeff thought that was a bit cheeky!\u201d<\/p>\n If we did that one song in one day, all we need is nine days to make an album.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 George Harrison<\/p>\n The half-finished song was completed in the studio, with Lynne taking the lead to make it complete.<\/p>\n As for the title \u2014 \u201cHandle With Care\u201d \u2014 it came from the words written on a box in Dylan\u2019s garage<\/p>\n It was only when the song was turned over to Harrison\u2019s label, Dark Horse, that it was deemed too good to be a mere B-side. The label had an idea for the hastily assembled group to make an entire album, figuring with so many great songwriters on hand, they could churn something out quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we did that one song in one day, all we need is nine days to make an album,\u201d Harrison explains.<\/p>\n As the band grew into the Traveling Wilburys, it also expanded its personnel. Yet, when Petty\u2019s right-hand guitarist Mike Campbell was drafted in to track an electric guitar<\/a> solo for the song, he requested Harrison cut his own take instead<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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