Save the World

"Save the World" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released as the final track of his 1981 album Somewhere in England. It was also the B-side of "Teardrops", which was the second single off the album. An environmental protest song, "Save the World" was Harrison's first composition to directly address topical issues such as the nuclear arms race, rainforest and wildlife devastation, and the ecologically irresponsible practices of corporate concerns. Musically, the song partly recalls the style of the comedy troupe Monty Python. Harrison recorded "Save the World" at his Friar Park studio in England in 1980. The recording includes sound effects that support the song's message of a world heading towards self-destruction, including bombs falling, a cash register, a street demonstration, and a nuclear explosion. In 1985, Harrison contributed a version of the song with amended lyrics to Greenpeace's self-titled fundraising album. "Save the World" also appeared on the home video Greenpeace: Non-Toxic Video Hits. Since its release, the song has had a mixed reception from several music critics and biographers. While some writers recognise the track as imaginative and sincere, others highlight the disparity between the serious message and the quirky musical backing, or find it heavy-handed. In line with Harrison's wishes, a demo of "Save the World" appeared as the sole bonus track on the posthumously reissued Somewhere in England in 2004. Background and inspiration As reproduced in the 2017 book I, Me, Mine – The Extended Edition, George Harrison dated the lyrics of "Save the World" to 24 February 1978, with Hana, Maui as the location. During that visit to Hawaii, Harrison completed the writing for his 1979 album George Harrison, which, as with its predecessor, Thirty Three & 1/3, reflected a light-heartedness that had been lacking in much of his work. He returned to the song when working on his album Somewhere in England, most of which was written between mid 1979 and the early part of 1980. As with a track Harrison wrote for Somewhere in England, "Tears of the World", "Save the World" conveys his disapproval at the ecological issues and political machinations threatening the world in the early 1980s.