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All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, released in the US on this date on November 27, 1970 (November 30 in the UK). It spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 Top LP’s chart, and features the single, “My Sweet Lord”, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.

The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third LP of informal jams. All Things Must Pass was the first triple album released by a solo artist; in regards to the album’s size, Harrison stated “I didn’t have many tunes on Beatles records, so doing an album like All Things Must Pass was like going to the bathroom and letting it out.”

Harrison had been accumulating the songs he recorded for the album as far back as 1966; both “The Art of Dying” and “Isn’t It a Pity” date from that year. In bootlegged conversation from the Get Back sessions, Harrison revealed that John Lennon had rejected “Isn’t It a Pity” three years before, and that he (Harrison) had considered offering the song to Frank Sinatra. Harrison picked up several more songs in late 1968 while visiting Bob Dylan and The Band in Woodstock, New York. He and Dylan co-wrote “I’d Have You Anytime” and “Nowhere to Go” (also known as “When Everybody Comes to Town”) at this time, and Dylan showed him “I Don’t Want to Do It”. All three songs were attempted at some point in the sessions for All Things Must Pass, but only “I’d Have You Anytime” was included in the album.

The January 1969 Get Back sessions saw early appearances of several other songs that would be considered for All Things Must Pass, including the title track, “Hear Me Lord”, “Isn’t It a Pity”, “Let It Down”, and “Window, Window”, but nothing came of them at the time. The tense atmosphere fueled another song, “Wah-Wah”, which Harrison wrote in the wake of his temporary departure from the band. He began writing “My Sweet Lord” while touring with Delaney & Bonnie in late 1969, and would later utilize their backing group “Friends” as an important part of the All Things Must Pass sound. He made one last detour before beginning work on All Things Must Pass, visiting Dylan while the latter was starting sessions for New Morning in May 1970, learning “If Not For You” and participating in a now-bootlegged session.

Harrison recorded the album from May to August 1970 at Abbey Road Studios, and then further recorded and mixed it at Trident Studios from August to September 1970. Harrison enlisted the aid of Phil Spector to co-produce the album, giving All Things Must Pass a heavy and reverb-oriented sound, typical for a 1960s/1970s Spector production — but a sound Harrison would subsequently regret with the passage of time. In the electronic press kit that accompanies the 30th Anniversary reissue Harrison is asked what he thinks of the album 30 years later; he replied, “…too much echo.”

Musicians involved in the recording included Eric Clapton and the other future members of Derek and the Dominoes, Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White, Ringo Starr, members of Badfinger, keyboard players Billy Preston, Gary Brooker and Gary Wright, and Pete Drake on steel guitar. A young, pre-Genesis Phil Collins played bongos on “Art of Dying”, but was not credited on the original release (this was fixed on the 2001 remaster). Bob Dylan, a close friend of Harrison, co-wrote “I’d Have You Anytime” with him, while Harrison covered Dylan’s “If Not For You”, which had been recently released on Dylan’s album New Morning. Alan White stated that John Lennon may have played on “If Not For You”. Though uncredited, Maurice Gibb was also present in the recording session having been friends with Ringo Starr, and played keyboards on “Isn’t It a Pity”, though there is no definitive evidence as to which version.

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ALBUM ARTWORK

Being the first boxed triple album in popular music, the packaging for All Things Must Pass became a talking point in its own right. Apple insider Tony Bramwell later recalled: “It was a bloody big thing … You needed arms like an orang-utan to carry half a dozen.”

The stark black-and-white cover photo was taken on the main lawn at Friar Park by Barry Feinstein. Its composition − Harrison seated in the centre of, and towering over, four comical-looking garden gnomes − is often thought to represent his removal from The Beatles’ collective identity, if not a degree of superiority over it. Ever competitive, and noticeably negative about his former bandmates’ solo work around this time (especially McCartney’s), John Lennon is said to have taken particular offence at the apparent message in Harrison’s album cover (notwithstanding his own declaration regarding The Beatles in his concurrent song “God”). Lennon sniped that Harrison looked like “an asthmatic Leon Russell” in the photo; biographer Alan Clayson describes him as “a spaced-out Farmer Giles”. The inclusion of the gnomes was the photographer’s idea, in fact, but the symbolism was quite deliberate, according to Feinsten: “What else could it be? … it was over with The Beatles, right? And that title − All Things Must Pass. Very symbolic.”

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LINER NOTES FROM GEORGE (reissue)

It’s been thirty years since ‘All Things Must Pass’ was recorded.

I still like the songs on the album and believe they can continue to outlive the style in which they were recorded. It was difficult to resist re-mixing every track.

All these years later I would like to liberate some of the songs from the big production that seemed appropriate at the time, but now seem a bit over the top with the reverb in the wall of sound.

Still, it was an important album for me and a timely vehicle for all the songs I’d been writing during the last period with The Beatles. I began recording just months after we had all finally decided to go our separate ways and I was looking forward to making the first solo album of ‘songs’ (as opposed to ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Electronic Music’ which were instrumentals).

I was fortunate to be in the right place to have the remnants of The Delaney and Bonnie band. The drum, bass and keyboard players, namely Jim Gordon, Carl Radle and Bobby Whitlock had come to England to hang out with Eric Clapton (fast becoming Derek and the Dominoes). They had just been touring with Delaney & Bonnie as I had been the year before. We even recorded two of the Dominoes songs, ‘Roll It Over’ and ‘Tell The Truth’, during the ‘All Things Must Pass’ sessions which they re-recorded later. It was really nice to have their support in the studio and it helped me a lot.

It goes without saying that it has always been a pleasure to have my old friend Ringo playing drums, and although he probably can’t remember, he did play on a good fifty or sixty percent of the album along with Klaus on bass, Billy Preston on piano and a few new friends I was in the process of making: Gary Wright and Gary Brooker.

Some of the sessions were very long in the preparation of the sound and the arrangements had at time various percussion players, sometimes two or three; two drummers, four or five acoustic guitars, two pianos and even two basses on one of the tracks. The songs were played over and over again until the arrangements were sorted out so that the engineer in the control room could get the sound with Phil Spector. Many of the tracks were virtually live.

A lot of people new to me came into the sessions, I know not how; the most famous being Phil Collins. During one such session, Phil allegedly played congas on ‘The Art of Dying’, and although it’s taken me thirty years, I would like to thank him for his participation.

Above all, I would like to acknowledge my old friend Eric Clapton, who played many memorable guitar parts on the album. At that time we weren’t ‘allowed’ by our record companies to acknowledge our presence on each other’s albums so he hasn’t had a credit for thirty years.

I still see a number of the musicians and friends who helped me with the album…some more often than others. ‘Some are dead and some are living’, but after thirty years of life’s lessons I’m grateful to have had three decades of friendship with them.

Rest in Peace Mal Evans, Carl Radle, Pete Drake, Pete Ham, Tom Evans and two of the O’Hara-Smith singers, Betty and Cyril.

I thought we’d have a bit of fun with the package. If you haven’t already noticed, our planet has been concreted over at an alarming rate and let’s hope in another thirty years we don’t have to add Planet Earth to the R.I.P.’s. Thank you Barry Feinstein for being so generous and cooperative with the original photographs, qualities not to be taken for granted today. Also thanks to David Costa and Wherefore Art? who produced the new designs.

Last but certainly not least, the amazing Mr. Phil Spector, who produced so many fantastic records in the sixties. He helped me so much to get this record made. In his company I came to realize the true value of the Hare Krishna mantra. God bless you Phil.

~ George Harrison

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PHIL SPECTOR’S LETTER TO GEORGE ON THE FIRST MIX

On 17 August 1970 Phil Spector wrote a letter to Harrison in which he outlined his thoughts on the first mix of the All Things Must Pass album. He gave specific suggestions on 14 songs, and an overview of how he envisaged the final release sounding.

August 19, 1970

NOTES FOR GEORGE HARRISON

From: Phil Spector

Re: George Harrison LP

Dear George:

I have listed each tune and some opinions on each for you to use, as I will not be in London for some time. In general, I feel the remixing of the album requires a great deal of work or at least a few hours on each number. I feel it would be best if we saved all remixing until I return as a great deal of the mixes should be done with a fresh approach. Though the following looks like a book, it is just because there are so many songs and opinions.

1. AWAITING ON YOU ALL:

The mixes I heard had the voice too buried, in my opinion. I’m sure we could do better. The performance probably will be okay, unless you really think you can do it better. However, as I said above, I think a lot of it is in the final mix when we do it.

2. IF NOT FOR YOU:

The mix I heard also had the voice too buried. Performance was fine. It also should be remixed when the entire album is remixed.

3. I’LL HAVE YOU ANYTIME:

Same comments as “IF NOT FOR YOU”

4. ALL THINGS MUST PASS:

I’m not sure if the performance is good or not. Even on that first mix you did which had the “original” voice, I’m sure is not the best you can do. But, perhaps you should concentrate on getting a good performance. I still prefer the horns out on the intro but that is a remix decision which should be done at that time. Also the voices in the bridge (Eric and Bobby) sound flat, and should be very low in the final mix. This particular song is so good that any honest performance by you will be acceptable as far as I’m concerned but if you wish to concentrate on doing another then you should do that.

5. BEWARE OF DARKNESS:

The eight track I heard after it was bumped had the electric guitar you played bumped on with the rhythm guitars. I personally feel you can make a better bump with a bit more rhythm guitars. The electric guitar seems to drown them out. Perhaps you should do another bump with more rhythm guitars, or seriously consider taking this one to Trident Studios using the original eight track and avoiding bumping, as each track we used is important and vital to a good final mix.

6. ISN’T IT A PITY (NO. 1):

Still needs full string and horns. Naturally, performance is still needed by you. I think you should just concentrate on singing it and getting that out of the way.

7. ISN’T IT A PITY (NO. 2):

Still needs full or some type of orchestration. Performance seemed okay, but needs to be listened to at the end.

9. LET IT DOWN:

This side needs an excellent and very subtle remix which I am positive can be gotten and it will become one of the great highlights of the album. Believe me. In listening I find it needs an answer vocal from you on “Let It Down” parts. I’m not sure about this next point, but maybe a better performance with better pronunciation of words should be tried at Trident without erasing the original which did have much warmth to it. Perhaps you could try this at Trident. The vocal group (Eric and Bobby) on the “Let it Down” parts sounded okay. The “Moonlight Bay” horn parts should be out the first time and very, very low the second time they play that riff, I think. Perhaps at the end, near the fade, a wailing sax (old rock and roll style) played by Bobby Keys would possibly add some highlight to the ending and make it totally different from the rest of the song. It’s hard to explain, but some kind of a screaming saxophone mixed in with all that madness at the end might be an idea. Anyhow it’s something to think about. Even though everything is not exactly as we had hoped (horns, etc.) I think it will be great when it is finished. Everything on those eight tracks now is important and vital to the final product. I know the right mix and sounds even on the horns can be obtained in remix. The only other thing the horns could have done is what they play originally on the “Let it Down” parts, only more forcefully. However, I still think it’s all there and there’s nothing to worry about on that number.

10. MY SWEET LORD:

This still needs backing vocals and also an opening lead vocal where you didn’t come in on the original session. The rest of the vocal should be checked out but a lot of the original lead vocal is good. Also an acoustic guitar, perhaps playing some frills should be overdubbed or a solo put in. Don’t rush to erase the original vocal on this one as it might be quite good, since background voices will have to be done at Trident Studios, any lead vocals perhaps should be done there as well.

11. WAH WAH:

This still needs some bridge, and perhaps a Bobby Keyes solo. Also needs lead vocal and background voices.

13. WHAT IS LIFE:

The band track is fine. This needs a good performance by you and proper background voice. It should be done at Trident Studios if further tracks are necessary.

15. HEAR ME LORD:

Still needs horns or other orchestration. The vocal should be checked out to see if it is okay in performance and level.

16. APPLE SCRUFFS:

This mix seems to be okay as is.

18. BEHIND THAT LOCKED DOOR:

Maybe the vocal performance can be better. I’m not sure. Also, the mix may be able to be better as well. The voice seems a little down.

George, on all the 18 numbers I just mentioned, this is what I feel are the most important items on each. Naturally, wherever possible, of main importance is to get a good vocal performance by yourself. Also, if you do any of the background voices, you should spend considerable time on them to make sure they are good. In practically every case, I would recommend that you use Trident Studios for overdubbing voices, lead or otherwise, so as not to bump tracks or go eight-to eight, and also to be able to do as much an possible before reducing everything back to the original eight track. This would probably be an easier way to do it and would also insure the best type of protection for our original eight tracks when it comes to remixing, as most of those tracks are presently very good and I’d rather avoid going eight-to-eight and further bumping. Also, in many cases one erases a performance before comparing it to the new performance, which would not have to happen on a sixteen track.

I’m sure the album will be able to be remixed excellently. I also feel that therein lies much of the album because many of the tracks are really quite good and will reproduce on record very well. Therefore, I think you should spend whatever time you are going to on performances so that they are the very best you can do and that will make the remixing of the album that much easier. I really feel that your voice has got to be heard throughout the album so that the greatness of the songs can really come through. We can’t cover you up too much (and there really is no need to) although as I said, I’m sure excellent mixes can be obtained with just the proper amount of time spent on each one. When the recording of the album is finished, I think we can get into it better on a remix level if we just devote time to it and thereby we will make a much better album since we will be concentrating on one thing at a time.

George, thank you for all your understanding about what we discussed, I appreciate your concern very much and hope to see you as soon as it is possible.

Much love. Regards to everyone. Hare Krishna,

Phil Spector

PS/sjh

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ORIGINAL ROLLING STONE REVIEW

In those haylcyon days when Beatles did not have destinies, only personalities, and every Beatle fan had a favorite Beatle, John once satirized his mates as “wide-eyed Paul, cozy Ringo, and skeleton George.” George, overshadowed as he was by two enormous egos, and lacking Ringo’s openess, was the hardest to know. I remember him as shy, aloof, “Don’t Bother Me” George, whose luck it was to come down with a sore throat on the group’s first tour of the States, barely croaking out his best wishes and John’s witticisms over Murray the K’s airwaves; young, vulnerable George the craftsman, bent over his Gretch in concert, making sure that every lick was as good as it was on record; the perfectionist who would later dismiss the majority of Beatle music as “rubbish”; briefly Haight – Ashbury George, with eyeglasses, like Lolita’s, in the shape of valentines; humble George, Ravi Shankar’s student; holy George.

Up until now, George has been perhaps the premier studio musician among rock band guitarists. From the electronic whine which began “I Feel Fine” to the break in “Hard Day’s Night” to the crazed, sitar – influenced burst on “Taxman,” George exhibited an avant – garde imagination and a technical flawlessness, as well as the ability to stay within the bounds of a song, which has remained unparalleled.

Not surprisingly, his ambitions have remained unfulfilled by this role and what presumably has been welling up in him since at least Let It Be, perhaps since Meet The Beatles, comes pouring out on All Things Must Pass. It is both an intensely personal statement and a grandiose gesture, a triumph over artistic modesty, even frustration. In this extravaganza of piety and sacrifice and joy, whose sheer magnitude and ambition may dub it the War and Peace of rock and roll, the music itself is no longer the only message.

The lyrics are central. They are displayed prominently on the album sleeves and appear to have been written before the music. Often there are more syllables than notes, and lines have to be hurried in order to get it all in. Often too, there are unresolved sentence fragments (“Eyes that shining full of inner light”), funny word uses (“Another day for you to realize me”), and conscious attempts at literary effects (“beware of soft shoe shufflers/dancing down the sidewalks”). His words sometimes try too hard; he’s taking himself or the subject too seriously, or, if the subject is impossible to take too seriously, he doesn’t always possess the means to convey that impression convincingly.

The production is of classic Spectorian proportions, Wagnerian, Brucknerian, the music of mountain tops and vast horizons. The sound is often so glossy and dramatic it is difficult not to be seduced by it, and one tries vainly to discover just what George’s music would be without it–a futile and probably destructive exercise anyway. Everybody’s favorite sidemen — Whitlock, Gordon, Radle, and Clapton — along with Klaus Voorman and Alan White, fragments of the Plastic Ono Band — play almost indistinguishably from the staples of earlier Spector produ