Artist: George Harrison
Album: All Things Must Pass
Released: November 27, 1970
Length: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Vinyl Discs: 3
Might as well start with a doozy, right? 2 hours. 3 LP's. Whew.
And… he put them all . . . all . . . all on this record! All of them! Include some Sides E and F sludge. Man.
George was in a truly spiritual frame of mind in the late 60’s. He was hanging with Norah Jones’ dad and meditating and taking some acid and most relevantly, incorporating a sitar and other Indian classical instruments into rock and roll. It wasn't just the sound of it, though. He was imbued with religion and Hare Krishna and peace on earth.
The lyrics of All Things Must Pass are mostly about: God, loving God, praying, and really loving God. You hear a song and start to think it’s an ode to a gal, and ah yeah, it’s instead a paean to a god. Which is obviously perfectly fine. There just isn’t a ton of complex lyrical content. All Things Must Pass is really about one thing. Dear lord.
When you’re a Beatle (you’re a Beatle all the way?), you have lots of things:
Talent.
Money.
Fame.
Wives.
Gold records.
Access to famous recording studios and producers.
But also really gifted friends. Ones who will oblige you and play on your records. This album is star-studded, to include:
- his future wife-swipin' buddy Eric Clapton
- 5th Beatle Billy Preston
- 4th Beatle Ringo Starr
- Gary Wright ("Dream Weaver," "Love Is Alive")
- Klaus Voormann, German bassman extraordinaire
- Jim Gordon, stud drummer til he lost his fucking shit
- Peter Frampton, age 20
- Pete Drake, pedal steel (played on "Lay Lady Lay," "Stand By Your Man" so many more)
- Badfinger dudes
- Bobby Keys, super sax man on Exile and 100 others
Hell, it goes on, see here -- to the point where Dave Mason said he doesn't know what tracks he's on because "there were so many people in the studio." So they all got together in London town and pumped out a plethora of rock music.
My story: I never really listened to this album before this year. Everyone knows “My Sweet Lord,” and a few of you know about the landmark lawsuit that the Chiffons’ levied at George for ripping off their hit “He’s So Fine.” Score 1 for ABKCO, later seen destroying The Verve.
Other tracks you know from this solo debut include the title track and especially the stellar “What Is Life" -- my favorite all-time George-solo tune and one immortalized in Goodfellas.
I am mostly a post-Beatles fan of Paul and Wings, even with some of his slight fare and silly love songs (actually love that one). Over the last couple of years, I have honed in on Lennon's work before and after his "Long Weekend" and Hollywood Vampires stint and A Toot and a Snore in '74 sagas -- a chapter of Whitneypedia worth mining another time.
And Ringo is just Ringo, god bless 'im. You can hear everything worthy he's done since 1970 in 14 good minutes. ("Photograph" is outstanding, albeit footnoted with Harrison's co-write.)
George? I never gave him the time. Even though his name is G(h)eorg(h)e. I know.
Until this project. And I'm glad I dug in. Here we go, with a newly re-arranged and massively truncated album that rivals any Après-Beatle offering.
George Harrison, All Things Must Pass as a Single LP
Side A (22:12)
1. What Is Life
This song just seems like a killer album opener to me. And so it is now.
2. I Live for You
I follow it up with… an outtake? Yep, good shit. Pete Drake pedal steel. Get some.
3. My Sweet Lord
At #3, we go with the big hit. Hare Hare Krishna Krishna, the thing about the Lord, he’s so fine.
4. Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
My favorite discovery on this little journey! Frank Crisp, a “microscopist,” and the original owner of Harrison’s London home. Now that is lyrical fun! Love this tune. Let it roll, indeed.
5. Run of the Mill
Now this one really deviates from the peace and love! A nifty little tune with some brass, it sounds pretty Beatles-y. Maybe because it was written when the Fab Four were breaking up; it’s a major slap squarely at Paul. Love it. You go, George.
6. Awaiting on You All
Okay, let’s hustle back to the pew. A rocking little number. Lyrics remind me of our pal Hightower’s ex-gal Allison, who’d joined a cult and shaved her head in the late 1990’s. He went to see her and was catching up, and he told her he was a schoolteacher. She replied curtly, “Okay, but wouldn’t it be better if you were teaching people to chant to God?”
Side B (20:19)
1. Isn't It a Pity (Version 1)
A lovely song. A long song. A Phil Spector-long song. It’s 7:11. You know, like they were recording so long, so late at night, they had to go get Twinkies and burritos and Cokes and then made the song that runtime. Ringo, Billy Preston, Gary Wright. Version 2 is shorter and has Clapton. Eh, I like this one.
2. If Not for You
A cover of a Dylan tune. Is it a cover if it’s by your friend and he only released it one month prior? I don’t know. I like George’s version way better. A toe tapper, and his slide sounds great. Listen for a young Peter Frampton on acoustic guitar. (If you can.)
3. Hear Me Lord
Really enjoy this one. This is a beautiful spiritual with killer keys (piano, keyboard, and amazing organ) and some electric licks from E.C. A great cut.
4. All Things Must Pass
Closing it out with the title track. I wish I loved this song more than I do, but it’s integral to the album and a good message for today.
Wow. What a tight little banger. Wait, what? Seriously, though, it's too bad Sir Martin, a gheorghe in his own right, didn't stop by Abbey Road Studios in the summer of '70 and hack away at the scraps to make this sharp piece of British steel. 42 minutes and 31 seconds lean.
Listen away until the next time. Let it roll.
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