Conan TBS

George Harrison Week

Simon performed “Here Comes the Sun” in a stripped-down, intimate style as a direct tribute to George Harrison. Coverage around the segment also noted the long connection between Simon and Harrison, including that they famously performed the song together on Saturday Night Live in 1976.

According to Paul Simon’s official site, the performance received a standing ovation from the studio audience.

The interview: the heart of the segment

Conan steers the conversation toward Simon’s relationship with Harrison and what made him memorable as a person. Simon describes Harrison as unusually down-to-earth and approachable—not just “a Beatle,” but someone you could genuinely hang out with, talk to, and laugh with.

Anecdote 1 — Ukuleles everywhere (instant jam vibe)

Simon recalls that at Friar Park (Harrison’s estate), there were ukuleles all over the place—you could simply pick one up and start playing. It paints a very “George” picture: no rock-star ceremony, just music always within reach.

Anecdote 2 — The “childhood” jukebox

Still at Friar Park, Simon remembers a jukebox stocked with records Harrison loved as a kid (and that overlapped with Simon’s tastes too—just with a distinctly British angle). It highlights how much they shared the same early musical roots and the simple pleasure of listening to old singles and talking about them.

Anecdote 3 — The huge stones prank… and Ringo as the target

This is the most sitcom-like story: Simon describes arriving at Friar Park and noticing massive stone blocks. He asks whether they’re natural or some kind of sculpture. Harrison explains they were moved and placed there. Later, when Ringo Starr visits and asks the same question, Harrison mischievously tells him that Paul (McCartney) sent them as a promotional idea, riffing on McCartney’s album Standing Stone. Simon tells it laughing—because it perfectly captures Harrison’s humor and his love of teasing Ringo.

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