All Things Must Pass

George Harrison: All Things Must Pass review

George Harrison: All Things Must Pass

George Harrison released All Things Must Pass in 1970, competing with John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album for ex-Beatle Christmas album of the year. The two albums couldn't have been more different with Harrison's lush and embracing, Lennon's harsh and oedipal. George won!

And how! Though a full-priced double album with a bonus disc, the original All Things Must Pass album came in an LP-sized box, the most deluxe presentation, ever...and sold like hotcakes, powered by the big hit single, My Sweet Lord. As John Lennon said in late 1970:

"...Every time I put the radio on it's 'Oh My Lord'. I'm beginning to think there must be a god!"

'..He must be fucking bad, putting three records out. And look at the picture on the front, he looks like an asthmatic Leon Russell...' George Harrison Crawdaddy interview, 1977

Harrison had actually given the song to Billy Preston for his second album, Encouraging Words...but decided to do his own version anyway. Despite an unintentional plagiarism suit that he was hit with later,* My Sweet Lord made All Things Must Pass became the biggest selling album ex-Beatle album.

So what do you get?

Well, first the bad news:

There's nothing fun or relaxed about this album, nothing's even remotely sexy...no, All Things Must Pass is earnest, really earnest...and well-meaning.

You know, for a good 30 years that's kinda made me a little ambivalent about it...but now, I've reached a crisis point...and the idea of someone being earnest, even embarrassingly earnest...isn't such a bad thing for me, any more.

With that in mind, All Things Must Pass is in three parts:

Krishna/reincarnation
Dylan-like acoustic &
the sloppy all-star jam

With acoustic guitars and Harrison's slide guitar* dominating the sound, Spector beefed them up with reverb-a-plenty, big horns and backing vocals for most of the Krishna songs like:

My Sweet Lord

Awaiting On You All

What Is Life?...absolutely superb exciting & anthemic

Wah Wah (not a Krishna song...but it sounds like one, it's actually a dig at Paul McCartney)

...and pulled them down to a minimum for the Dylan influenced songs:

If Not For You (actually written by Dylan)

Sir Frankie Crisp wonderful atmosphheric, almost creepy track

Isn't It A Pity...a stronger and truer song than Imagine, any day!

"...Isn't it a pity?
Now, isn't it a shame?
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity?..."

All Things Must Pass...ditto! No, double-ditto!

Apple Scruffs...a gorgeous thank-you to the groupies & fans who'd hang around outside Apple just to get a glimpse of The Beatles

"...In the fog and in the rain
Through the pleasure and the pain
On the step outside you stand
With your flowers in your hands
My Apple scruffs
Apple scruffs...how I love you..."

Apple Scruffs

Getting to the nitty gritty:

the best of All Things Must Pass would be one superb album, up there with the best
at one and a half vinyl sides it was still hot!
as a double album...it's pretty good...with some real highlights
I discount the jam album altogether

Thirty years on Harrison had second thoughts and released a remixed version of the album. Here's why:

All Things Must Pass REMIX

So, is the new version worth your while? I believe it is. As I wrote in the Wings Wildlife review, it's a changed world now...and we see (and hear) things differently. Spector was good, for then, pulling the big sound of the Sixties into the navel-gazing early 70s...to create something new.

By 2000, Rock'n'Roll wasn't looking to develop, it had already splintered into hundreds of little tribes...and George felt he needed to take the songs back to the spirit of what had created them...and de-Phil Spector-ised the album.

George Harrison: All Things Must Pass, boxed edition

"...It doesn't surprise me that over 300 people have reviewed this album so far and the overall rating is a perfect 5 stars. When some of the most emotional and beautiful-sounding vocal work combine with a spiritual atmosphere which comes together on a rock and pop album, you have yourself a really great album..." Amazon reviewer B.E. Jackson

"...This 2001 remastered edition box comes with an informative booklet, featuring a lengthy introduction by George himself. The lyrics have been reprinted and the artwork on the cardboard CD sleeves inside the box feature an 'update' of the original cover art for All Things Must Pass. This revised design is a cynical nod to the present day and remains true to George's sometimes biting sense of humor..." Amazon reviewer DukesFan01

"...Do yourself a favor: buy this album. When it arrives, put everything else aside, get your headphones on, lie on your bed, close your eyes, and listen to it beginning to end. This is an album that deserves to be listened to in one sequence before you start listening to each song individually..." Amazon reviewer Charles Dickens

"...Simply put - my favorite album ever...A good 80% of the songs involve spiritual or inspirational themes. As a Western follower of Buddhist philosophy, I consider this my album of "gospel music..." Amazon reviewer Wildflower "Sherrie Kearn"

George Harrison: All Things Must Pass digi-pak edition

George chatting with Jools Holland

My Sweet Lord 2000 new version with

the All Things Must Pass REMIX

* Having spent much of 1967 & 1968 studying the sitar, Harrison felt insecure about his guitar playing and took up slide as to not appear incompetent to peers like Eric Clapton.