Harrison wrote " Simply Shady " in Bombay in early 1974 during his first visit to India since 1968 , when he and his Beatles bandmates had studied Transcendental Meditation at Rishikesh . In his lyrics , he reflects on the karmic consequences of his lifestyle in England and references John Lennon 's " Sexy Sadie " , a song inspired by the Beatles ' time in Rishikesh . Harrison recorded the track at an impromptu session held at his Friar Park home studio with the L.A. Express , who were touring Britain as Joni Mitchell 's backing band at the time . Two of the musicians , Tom Scott and Robben Ford , subsequently played with Harrison on his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar
1974 North American tour
George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour
Simply Shady