Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Liverpool Mourns Passing of George Harrison

Aired December 01, 2001 - 16:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Two days after George Harrison's passing, legions of fans continue to show their devotion to the man that many knew as "the quiet Beatle." You're looking now live in New York, Strawberry Fields, in New York's Central Park. It's become a shrine now to two Beatles: Harrison and John Lennon. Lennon, incidentally, had doubts about letting George into the band. Those doubts melted away when Harrison picked up his guitar.

And in Liverpool today, the grief is especially acute. And CNN's Diana Muriel is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Flags fly at half staff in Liverpool, as the city continues its official mourning for one of its greatest sons, George Harrison. They've come to pay their respects, laying flowers at the cavern club where the Beatles first made their name as a local band. The club has been inundated with fans.

STEVE MARSH, CAVERN CLUB MANAGER: People bringing cards down, bringing albums down, asking us to play their favorite George Harrison tracks, people phoning up from all over the world, making personal tributes on the phone, several hundred e-mails from people across the globe as well.

MURIEL: Fans have also come to sign the books of condolence at the city hall and here at the Beatles Museum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just like John Lennon dying again. When you've lived through it, and we've come down from Carlisle today, it's nice to be here. Pleased to be here. Sad but, you know, I mean, they'll still always be the Beatles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel sad because it brings me back lots of memories, you know. I'm 50-odd years. And more or less they are my time, you know. I feel sad.

MURIEL: Tourists, taking the city's magical mystery tour of the Beatle's early history in Liverpool were in somber mood.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE I opened the paper and found out that George Harrison had died. It's a pretty amazing weekend to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The tragic, you know, death of George. So it means a lot to us.

MURIEL: Tour guide Eddie Porter played on the same billing as the Beatles in their early days and knows them well.

EDDIE PORTER: We've lost someone who gave us so much. And yesterday, the day I got the news and I had to work yesterday, it was the hardest day. And I've been a tour guide for 20 years.

MURIEL: He led a minute's silence outside the house where George Harrison was born, in remembrance of his old friend.

(on camera): The Beatles are synonymous with Liverpool. The city is littered with landmarks which first found fame in their songs. Here at Strawberry Fields, as in the rest of Liverpool, George Harrison will be remembered forever.

Diana Muriel, CNN, Liverpool.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com