#433 - George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970)
MUSIC HISTORY WRITTEN BY HEAD WRITER DJ MORTY COYLE:
Released on November 27th, 1970 and co-produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector, “All Things Must Pass” is the first solo album release by the former Beatles guitarist/vocalist after the band’s break up.
George had actually been the first Beatle to release a solo album during their career in 1968 with the mostly Indian-inspired instrumental “Wonderwall Music”. He followed it up the next year with “Electronic Sound”, an experimental excursion into the then-new Moog (Moge) synthesizer.
By 1969 the personalities both in The Beatles and in their periphery plus the years of being a Beatle at such a grueling pace had taken its toll on the band.
After aborting much of their work on the troubled sessions for the album to be called, “Get Back” that would posthumously become the Phil Spector-produced “Let It Be” they rallied as a band to make their intended final album, “Abbey Road” with original producer George Martin.
It contained two of George’s most beloved Beatles’-era songs,”Something” and “Here Comes the Sun”.
But after years of being a supporting musician and the third best songwriter behind the two most popular songwriters in history, and as a result only getting limited exposure on each album, he was ready for the next move.
Phil Spector met with George at his home in early 1970 and was blown away at not just the quantity of his unreleased compositions but also of the quality.
So many of George’s songs were rejected or passed over by Lennon and McCartney for inclusion on Beatles’ albums that he later referred to this project as, “…going to the bathroom and letting it out.”
Since about 1968 Harrison had established working musical relationships outside of The Beatles with artists like Delaney and Bonnie, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and The Band, and these influences contributed to what would become “All Things Must Pass” as well as his faith in the Hare Krishna movement which he embraced in 1966.
This is also the album that introduced Harrison’s unique slide guitar sound that became a trademark of his work for the rest of his career.
There are too many contributing musicians on this to name right now but some of the notables are Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton, Ginger Baker, Gary Wright, Klaus Voorman, the members of Badfinger, Billy Preston, Dave Mason, Eric Clapton, and even a young Phil Collins.
Utilizing Spector’s “Wall of Sound” production techniques with over twenty five players and over fifty songs to choose from, “All Things Must Pass” was ultimately released as eighteen songs over two records with a third record mostly dedicated to extra instrumental tracks that was titled, “Apple Jam”, a wink to his record company.
It was an instant critical and commercial success, topping many charts worldwide, reinforcing the glimpses of talent George Harrison showed in The Beatles as well as flexing his independence and freedom from the constraints of being in the band.
Even today it is considered one of, if not the best, solo release by any Beatle.
It was such a monumental album that George spent many of his final years working on a 30th anniversary re-release with re-recordings, remixes, extra tracks, and out-takes.
Tragically George Harrison passed away on November 29th, 2001 after a long bout with cancer.
His musical legacy is immeasurable and his personal humanitarian efforts were legendary.
Eric Idle, one of George’s closest friends and founding member of the British comedy troupe Monty Python, whose 1979 hit movie, “Life of Brian” George financed by mortgaging his home, described him as “…one of the few morally good people that rock and roll has produced.”