Date of Release: November 27, 1970 Produced by: George Harrison and Phil Spector UK Chart Position: 4 US Chart Position: 1 6X Platinum Certification: March 7, 2001 Track List I'd Have You Any Time My Sweet Lord Wah-Wah Isn't it a Pity What is Life If Not For You Behind That Locked Door Let it Down Run of the Mill Beware of Darkness Apple Scruffs Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll) Awaiting on you All All Things Must Pass I Dig Love Art of Dying Isn't it a Pity (Version Two) Hear Me Lord It's Johnny's Birthday Plug Me In I Remember Jeep Thanks for the Peppreoni Out of the Blue
Hit Singles My Sweet Lord #1 US, #1 UK What is Life #10 US
Trivia All Things Must Pass was the first Beatles solo album to reach number 1 and contained the first solo single number 1 as well. Being a three record set, the album sold for double what normal albums sold for. George would later be sued for "unintentional plagerism" for the song My Sweet Lord. He would later write about the court case in his hit song This Song.
Tony's Thoughts Obviously, this is a must have for Beatles fans as much as it is for George fans. It was the first solo album to hit number 1 and it spawned two huge hits for the year with My Sweet Lord and What is Life. Since its release songs like Isn't it a Pity, All Things Must Pass, and Beware of Darkness have become classics in their own right. Many of the songs on this album were written during the final years of The Beatles and a good number were written out of his frustration with the breakup as well. Every song is a gem and offers something different to the album. My one criticism, and this will be a future update, is that Phil Spector's "wall of sound" production has aged this album unfairly and the current remaster, although an improvement in most respects, highlights the flaws in the production in many spots. I wouldn't recomend this be the first album you pick up by George, but it should be one of the first. Originaly a three disk set, the CD reissue has compiled it down to two and added a few bonus tracks (not listed on this track list). The cornerstone of all George Harrison collections, All Things Must Pass offers something for everybody.
Living in the Material World
Date of Release: May 29, 1973 Produced by: George Harrison (Try Some, Buy Some by George Harrison and Phil Spector) UK Chart Position: 2 US Chart Position: 1 Certified Gold: June 1, 1973
Track List Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) Sue Me, Sue You Blues The Light That Has Lighted the World Don't Let Me Wait Too Long Who Can See It Living in the Material World The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord) Be Here Now Try Some, Buy Some The Day the World Gets 'Round That is All
Hit Singles Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) #1 US, #8 UK
Trivia Try Some, Buy Some was actualy written for Ronnie Spector and failed to chart. George liked the song enough to include it here. Living In the Material World mentions John, Paul and "Ritchie" by name. On the back cover of the album you can learn how to join drummer Jim Keltner's fan club. Simply Jim Keltner fan club send a stamped undressed elephant to 5112, Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California and you're in!
Tony's Thoughts This album is All Things Must Pass without the horns and choirs. It receives a lot of flak for being "preachy" but I've always found that to be bogus. There are some spiritual songs and some preachy lyrics, but it never over powers the music and isn't it about the music? Sue Me, Sue You Blues, The Light That Has Lighted the World, and Living in the Material World all shed some light on George's thoughts following the Beatles breakup while Give Me Love, Don't Let Me Wait Too Long, and That is All signal a new chapter in George's life, a chapter filled with hope and happiness. This album did well in the charts, spawned a hit single and was certified gold but it often gets over shadowed by ATMP. I would suggest this as a great first album (it was mine) in your George collection because it's true Harrison all the way.
Date of Release: December 9, 1974 Produced by: George Harrison UK Chart Position: Did not chart US Chart Position: 4 Certified Gold: December 16, 1974
Track List Hari's on Tour (Express) Simply Shady So Sad Bye Bye Love Maya Love Ding Dong, Ding Dong Dark Horse Far East Man It is He (Jai Sri Krishna)
Hit Singles Dark Horse #15 US Ding Dong, Ding Dong #36 US, #38 UK
Trivia This album was quickly made to support his American tour. Because of his poor vocal quality at the time, this album has often been refered to as the Dark Hoarse album. The cover of Bye Bye Love, with altered words focused on Eric Clapton and Patti Harrison, actualy features Clapton on guitar.
Tony's Thoughts This album gets ripped to shreds by the press and I understand why. But understanding does not equal acceptance. I, for one, find this to be an enjoyable album despite the setbacks. First off, Harrison's voice is very hoarse through most of the album but on some songs it works. Second, if you can get past the gravel in his voice, you'll see that some of these songs are among his best. Simply Shady, So Sad, Maya Love, and Dark Horse stand among the finest songs in his catalogue. That being said, this album is not for first timers. The sour voice and the raw production value (this is his most bare album as far as orchestrations and musicians goes) give this album a different sound then what you're used to from Harrison but established Harrison fans will find plenty to enjoy on this album. In case you're wondering, that is the Bye Bye Love that you know already, but with altered lyrics directed at Eric Clapton and Patti Harrison. You'll listen to it once for novelty but the track gets real old, real fast.
Date of Release: September 9, 1975 Produced by: George Harrison UK Chart Position: 16 US Chart Position: 8 Certified Gold: November 11, 1975
Track List
You The Answer's at the End This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying) Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You) World of Stone A Bit More of You Can't Stop Thinking About You Tired of Midnight Blue Grey Cloudy Lies His Name is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)
Hit Singles You #20 US, #38 UK
Trivia This was Harrison's final Apple release. From here on out his albums would be released on the Dark Horse label. Tired of Midnight Blue was written in LA after George was out clubbing. The liner notes include a list of people not appearing on the album that includes Derek Taylor, Peter Sellers, Chuck Trammell, Dino Airali, Eric Idle, Dennis Killeen and Emil Richards. Although true, my name does not appear on that list.
Tony's Thoughts Before it was the name of my website, it was a pretty good record. My main complaint is in the production quality which sounds a bit too compressed and takes away from the live sound we're used to on Harrison records. Most of the songs are slow or midtempo tunes with the exception of You and His Name is Legs. Ooh Baby (You know That I Love You) reeks of mid seventies pop and This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying) pales in comparison to its brother While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The standout tracks come late on the album in Can't StopThinking About You, one of George's strongest love songs, and Tired of Midnight Blue, a funky chart with some great guitar work. There is plenty on this album that you will enjoy but it is definetly a moody album that you won't play unless your mood matches the record.
Date of Release: November 24, 1976 Produced by: George Harrison UK Chart Position: 35 US Chart Position: 11 Gold Certification: January 19, 1977
Track List Woman Don't You Cry for Me Dear One Beautiful Girl This Song See Yourself It's What You Value True Love Pure Smokey Crackerbox Palace Learning How to Love You
Hit Singles This Song #25 US Crackerbox Palace #19 US
Trivia This Song was written after the My Sweet Lord trial. In the video, Harrison can be seen in a court house singing from the witness stand. True Love is a Cole Porter standard that has since been featured in the move De'lovely. Beautiful Girl was actualy considered for the All Things Must Pass album. A bootleg of George presenting the song to Phil Spector on acoustic guitar is widly available.
Tony's Thoughts This is one of my favorite albums by any artist. The production is out of this world, the songs are catchy and clever and the musicianship is second to none. I could write a whole article on the intricate song writing (maybe I will) but all you need to do is listen to hear it. This album runs you through the ringer, opening with a funk tune and going through ballads, rockers and everything in between. Beautiful Girl, This Song, Crackerbox Palace, Learning How to Love You all feature Harrison in top form as a song writer and a guitarist. The production and music is mainstream enough to attract new fans but there's enough classic George to please the old fans. If you're just trying Harrison on for size, start with this album, you'll be an instant fan!
Date of Release: February 14, 1979 Produced by: George Harrison and Russ Titelman UK Chart Position: 39 US Chart Position: 14 Gold Certification: May 8, 1979
Track List Love Comes to Everyone Not Guilty Here Comes the Moon Soft-Hearted Hana Blow Away Faster Dark Sweet Lady Your Love is Forever Soft Touch If You Believe
Hit Singles Blow Away #16 US, #51 UK
Trivia This album features another Harrison sequel in Here Comes the Moon. Brilliantly, the lines that asscend in Here Comes the Sun are descending lines in Here Comes the Moon. Not Guilty was intended for the White Album and a completed track was featured on Anthology 3 after approximately 100 takes. Dark Sweet Lady was written for Olivia, his second wife, at her request that he write something with a spanish flair.
Tony's Thoughts This album is George at his most mellow. Even the uptempo songs have a real laid back feel that I find relaxing. This isn't a bad starter album for new Harrison fans. You may recognize Not Guilty from Anthology 3, but don't expect to hear the same rocker on this album, it is very mellow. There are a lot of gems and the two weakest songs are Love Comes to Everyone and Faster (both these songs appeared as the first song of their side) but even those songs aren't bad. I hold this album up with Harrison's best work of all time. Dark Sweet Lady, Blow Away, Soft-Hearted Hana, and Here Comes the Moon will have you coming back to this album again and again.
Somewhere in England
Date of Release: June 1, 1981 Produced by: George Harrison and Ray Cooper UK Chart Position: 13 US Chart Position: 11
Track List Blood From a Clone Unconciousness Rules Life Itself All Those Years Ago Baltimore Oriole Teardrops That Which I Have Lost Writing's on the Wall Hong Kong Blues Save the World
Hit Singles All Those Years Ago #2 US, #13 UK
Trivia The original cut of this album, before record company rejection, is available on several bootlegs and features many songs that have never been officialy released. All Those Years Ago was intended for Ringo but after the death of Lennon, Harrison reworked the lyrics and kept it to himself. Paul and Linda McCartney and Ringo Starr all appear on All Those Years Ago.
Tony's Thoughts This is the album I'm most critical of. George had submitted a superior album to the record company but they told him it wasn't good enough. He went back to the studio and came out with the album we have here. The production is weak, the delivery is stale and the songs are subpar. Don't get me wrong, there are some gems. Unconciousness Rules, All Those Years Ago (his tribute to Lennon) and Blood from a Clone are all great songs but that's about it for this album. In many spots, Harrison has too many words to fit his verses but he sings them anyway and the result is a disjointed melody and weak lyrical delivery. I would suggest this album only to established fans who want to hear the few gems it does contain. If you're just starting out, look for the two albums that preceeded this one.
Date of Release: October 27, 1982 Produced by: George Harrison, Ray Cooper and Phil McDonald UK Chart Position: Did not chart US Chart Position: 108
Track Listing
Wake Up My Love That's the Way it Goes I Really Love You Greece Gone Troppo Mystical One Unknown Delight Baby Don't Run Away Dream Away Circles
Trivia This was Harrison's first album to not chart in the UK or the US top 100. Harrison did no promotion for this album and released it with no fanfare. If you have "gone troppo" you have actualy gone crazy in the tropical sun. The inside cover features a recipe for cement.
Tony's Thoughts This album, because of poor sales, gets beat up a lot in the press but I'll be the first to say, I think it's cool! It's not Harrison at his most philosophical or brilliant. It doesn't have a handful of songs that should have been released as singles but it is Harrison at his most fun. Wake Up My Love is Harrison's most synth song but, if you can get past that, is very catchy. Greece is another Harrison instrumental featuring some very nice guitar work and some Monty Python refrences. As in other albums, it takes off in the end with Gone Troppo, Mystical One, Unknown Delight and Baby Don't Run Away standing up as his best songs of the 80's. Circles, the album closer, was actualy written for the Beatles (bootlegs are available of the original recording) and although a nice song, the production sounds more like an Extra Texture song than a Gone Troppo track. This is a good third or fourth album to add to your collection, don't let the press push you around. Had Harrison put ANY promotion behind it (interviews, singles, videos, or a press release) it would have done fairly well, at least in the American market.
Cloud 9
Date of Release: November 8, 1987 Produced by: George Harrison and Jeff Lynne UK Chart Position: 10 US Chart Postision: 8 Certified Platinum: January 12, 1988
Track List
Cloud 9 That's What It Takes Fish on the Sand Just For Today This is Love When We Was Fab Devil's Radio Someplace Else Wreck Of The Hesperus Breath Away From Heaven Got My Mind Set On You
Hit Singles Got My Mind Set on You #1 US, #2 UK When We Was Fab #23 US, #25 UK This Is Love #55 UK
Trivia This was Harrison's best charting album in 14 years and helped give birth to The Traveling Wilburys.
Tony's Thoughts With a couple hit singles and a ton of units sold, this is one of Harrison's biggest acheivements and it is rightly so. With the exception of Breath Away From Heaven, there is not one song on here that I do not like. However, I find Jeff Lynnes production a little weighty on this record (more so than on Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever album) and that detracts from some of the songs. Despite the heavy snare drum or synths, the songs still shine through. If you're my age, you remember Got My Mind Set on You from when you were a kid. If you liked that song, then this album may be a good starting place for your Harrison collection.
Brainwashed
Date of Release: November 19, 2002 Produced by: George Harrison, Dhani Harrison, and Jeff Lynne UK Chart Position: 29 US Chart Position: 18 Certified Gold: December 13, 2002
Track List
Any Road P2 Vatican Blues (Last Saturday Night) Pisces Fish Looking For My Life Rising Sun Marwa Blues Stuck Inside a Cloud Run So Far Never Get Over You Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Rocking Chair in Hawaii Brainwashed
Hit Singles Any Road #37 UK
Trivia There is footage of George singing Any Road on a VH1 special in the late 90's. The song P2 Vatican Blues was originaly recorded for the Cloud 9 album.
Tony's Thoughts There is nothing bad I can say about it. Every song on here is beautiful, every solo brilliant and every vocal strong. It truly shows that George never lost his soft touch to song writing. Rising Sun stands as one of his best songs of all time, Marwa Blues is another addition to his stunning instrumental collection and Any Road is proof that Harrison will always be one of rocks greatest guitar players. This album is great for first timers, long time fans and anyone in between. Unlike Cloud 9, Jeff Lynne's production is kept under control and never over does the song. George's last request for this album is that it be kept in demo form and that was done very well. In fact, with the exception of Rising Sun, these songs are essentialy just guitar tunes. You're not going to hear the funky bass, soaring organs and melodic piano parts that you're used to from LITMW or 33 1/3. You're just going to hear Harrison playing you his songs, and that's more than anyone could ask for.
These are simply George Harrison's post Beatle solo studio albums. I am currently compiling information about his live albums, Traveling Wilbury albums and his two albums recorded while still with the Beatles.
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Date of Release: November 27, 1970
Date of Release: May 29, 1973
Date of Release: December 9, 1974
Date of Release: September 9, 1975
Date of Release: November 24, 1976
Date of Release: February 14, 1979
