McCartney Times

Revisit how “the quiet Beatle” stepped into the spotlight to create his most ambitious and enduring work

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

In November 1970, a mere seven months after the Beatles officially called it quits, George Harrison released his third, and most ambitious, solo album, All Things Must Pass.

Co-produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, All Things Must Pass exposed a more personal side of “the quiet Beatle” backdropped by the “wall of sound” recording approach for which Spector had become famous. Harrison and Spector would work together again on the Concert For Bangladesh, which spawned a recording that won Album Of The Year the following year at the 15th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Recorded between May and October of 1970, Harrison called upon an all-star cast of supporting musicians during the album’s recording sessions, including guitarists Eric Clapton and Dave Mason, keyboardists Billy Preston and Bobby Whitlock, members of Badfinger and Delaney & Bonnie, and his pal Ringo Starr and Jim Gordon on drums.

Harrison also co-wrote the album opener, “I’d Have You Anytime,” with Bob Dylan and included his own version of Dylan’s “If Not For You” on All Things Must Pass. As a guitar player, Harrison leaned into his slide playing and further explored Eastern influences on songs such as “Isn’t It A Pity, a sound that he had hinted at on prior Beatles recordings such as “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).”

 

The triple album that resulted from this blending of personnel and influences equaled some of the richest and most beloved material of Harrison’s career.

All Things Must Pass was well received by critics and fans alike, with two cuts from the triple album landing at No. 1 on the U.K. Charts and yielding two Top 10 hits in “What Is Life,” which peaked at No. 10, and “My Sweet Lord,” which hit No. 1, making Harrison the first Beatle to have a solo No. 1 single on both the U.K. and U.S. charts.

The project went on to earn a nomination for Album Of The Year at the 14th Annual GRAMMY Awards, sell more than 6 million copies, and eventually landed in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014.

For The Record: Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’

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For The Record: Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’

For The Record: Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’

For The Record: Bee Gees’ ‘Saturday Night Fever’

For The Record: Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”

For The Record: Michael Jackson

For The Record: Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony

For The Record: Calle 13

For The Record: Juan Gabriel

For The Record: Shakira

For The Record: Carlos Santana

For The Record: Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’

For The Record: Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’

For The Record: Bee Gees’ ‘Saturday Night Fever’

For The Record: Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”

For The Record: Michael Jackson

For The Record: Jennifer Lopez And Marc Anthony

For The Record: Calle 13

For The Record: Juan Gabriel

For The Record: Shakira

For The Record: Carlos Santana

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’: For The Record

Source: For The Record: Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ | GRAMMY.com