GEORGE HARRISON - CHEER DOWN

Released: August 22, 1989 (US)  November 27, 1989 (UK)

"Cheer Down" is a song by George Harrison released in 1989 as part of the soundtrack for the film Lethal Weapon 2. Co-written with Tom Petty, it also became a single and is featured on Harrison's compilation albums. Additionally, a live version with Eric Clapton can be found on Harrison's 1992 album Live in Japan. "Cheer Down" gets its title from a phrase George Harrison's wife, Olivia, used when calming him down. The song was finalized at George Harrison's FPSHOT studio in March 1989.

"Cheer Down" was initially earmarked for a subsequent solo album following George Harrison's well-received "Cloud Nine" from 1987. In collaboration with co-producers Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, they were in the process of recording tracks for this unnamed album. However, during their California recording sessions with friends, the idea shifted, leading to the formation of the Traveling Wilburys. 

Although Harrison offered the song to Eric Clapton for his album "Journeyman," it ended up being featured in the Lethal Weapon 2 soundtrack. George decided to set aside the solo project and repurposed the existing tracks for a "Best Of" album at Warner Brothers, incorporating selections from his other Dark Horse/Warner Brothers albums.

George Harrison included "Cheer Down" in his 1991 Japanese tour with Eric Clapton, marking his first tour since 1974. This song, one of the more recent additions to Harrison's set list, stood out for featuring his slide guitar playing, a role he often delegated to Andy Fairweather-Low, Clapton's guitarist. During the concerts, Harrison humorously introduced it as a song from the musical "South Pacific". A live version of "Cheer Down" from the Tokyo Dome concert on December 15, 1991, was later featured on Harrison's 1992 double album "Live in Japan."