All Things Must Pass (song)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"All Things Must Pass" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, issued in November 1970 as the title track to his triple album of the same name. Billy Preston released the song originally – as "All Things (Must) Pass" – on his
Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Ma ...
album '' Encouraging Words'' (1970) after
the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
had rehearsed the song in January 1969 but did not include it on their '' Let It Be'' album. The composition reflects the influence of the Band's sound and communal music-making on Harrison, after he had spent time with the group in
Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 20 ...
, in late 1968. In his lyrics, Harrison drew inspiration from
Timothy Leary Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from bold oracle to publicity hound. He was "a her ...
's poem "All Things Pass", a psychedelic adaptation of the ''
Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...
''. The subject matter deals with the transient nature of human existence, and in Harrison's ''All Things Must Pass'' reading, words and music combine to reflect impressions of optimism against fatalism. On release, together with
Barry Feinstein Barry Feinstein (February 4, 1931 – October 20, 2011) was an American photographer and filmmaker, known for his photographs of 1950s Hollywood, the 1960s music scene, and his close personal and professional relationships with celebrities like ...
's album cover image, commentators viewed the song as a statement on
the Beatles' break-up From August 1962 to September 1969, the Beatles had a lineup that consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up was a cumulative process attributed to numerous factors. These include the strain of th ...
. Widely regarded as one of Harrison's finest compositions, its passing on by his former band has provoked comment from biographers and reviewers. Music critic
Ian MacDonald Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...
described "All Things Must Pass" as "the wisest song never recorded by The Beatles", while author Simon Leng considers it "perhaps the greatest solo Beatle composition". The recording was co-produced by
Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
in London; it features an orchestral arrangement by
John Barham John Barham is an English classical pianist, composer, arranger, producer and educator. He is best known for his orchestration of George Harrison albums such as ''All Things Must Pass'' (1970) and for his association with Indian sitar maestro R ...
and contributions from musicians such as Ringo Starr,
Pete Drake Roddis Franklin "Pete" Drake (October 8, 1932 – July 29, 1988), was a Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player. One of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played on such hits as Lynn Anderson' ...
,
Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
, Eric Clapton and
Klaus Voormann Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann (born 29 April 1938) is a German artist, musician, and record producer. Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann from 1966 to 1969, and performed as a session musician on a host of recordings, including " You're So ...
. Although the Beatles did not formally record the song, a 1969 solo
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
by Harrison appears on their compilation ''
Anthology 3 ''Anthology 3'' is a compilation album by the Beatles, released on 29 October 1996 by Apple Records as part of ''The Beatles Anthology'' series. The album includes rarities and alternative tracks from the final three years of the band's c ...
'' (1996). An early version from the ''All Things Must Pass'' sessions was released on Harrison's posthumous compilation '' Early Takes: Volume 1'' in 2012.
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
performed "All Things Must Pass" at the
Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, and arrang ...
tribute in November 2002, a year after Harrison's death.
Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...
,
the Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...
, Klaus Voormann and
Yusuf Islam Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later i ...
, and
Sloan Wainwright Sloan Wainwright (born 1957) is an American artist and member of the American independent music scene. Her musical style consists of a combination of folk, rock, jazz, and blues, an approach which owes itself to her time writing and performing i ...
are among the other artists who have covered the song.


Background

Like his friend Eric Clapton, George Harrison was inspired by ''
Music from Big Pink ''Music from Big Pink'' is the debut studio album by the Band. Released in 1968, it employs a distinctive blend of country, rock, folk, classical, R&B, blues, and soul. The music was composed partly in " Big Pink", a house shared by bassist/s ...
'', the seminal debut albumHarris, p. 66. from the Band, the former backing group for
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
.Leng, pp. 51–53. Released in July 1968, ''Music from Big Pink'' was partly responsible for Harrison's return to the guitar, his first instrument, after he had spent two years attempting to master the more complex Indian
sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form ...
. Harrison duly shared his enthusiasm with the British music press, declaring ''Big Pink'' "''the'' new sound to come from America", drummer Levon Helm later recalled, thus helping to establish the Band internationally.Helm, pp. 177–78. In appreciation, Robbie Robertson, the Band's guitarist, extended an invitation to Harrison to stop by in
Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 20 ...
, when the opportunity arose. Late in 1968, after producing sessions in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
for a
solo album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
by
Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Ma ...
signing
Jackie Lomax John Richard Lomax (10 May 1944 – 15 September 2013) was an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his association with George Harrison, who produced Lomax's recordings for the Beatles' Apple record label in the late 1 ...
, Harrison spent
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
and much of December in upstate New York,Huntley, p. 18. where he renewed his friendship with a now semi-retired Dylan and took part in informal jam sessions with the Band.MacDonald, p. 302. According to Helm, they discussed making a possible "fireside jam" album with Clapton and an
Apple Films Apple Corps Limited (informally known as Apple) is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in London in January 1968 by the members of the Beatles to replace their earlier company (Beatles Ltd.) and to form a Conglomerate (company), cong ...
"rock
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
" called ''Zachariah'', but neither project progressed beyond the planning stage. The bucolic surroundings proved fruitful for Harrison as a songwriter, producing his first collaboration with Dylan, " I'd Have You Anytime", and leading him to write "All Things Must Pass". He later described the latter song as a "Robbie Robertson–Band type of tune",George Harrison, p. 184. and said that he always imagined it being sung by Helm.


Composition

While discussing "All Things Must Pass" with music journalist Timothy White in 1987, Harrison recalled that his "starting point" for the composition was Robertson's "
The Weight "The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group the Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album '' Music from Big Pink''. It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian ...
" – a song that had "a religious ''and'' a country feeling to it".Timothy White, "George Harrison – Reconsidered", '' Musician'', November 1987, p. 62. Musically, the verses of "All Things Must Pass" are set to a logical climb within the key of E; the brief choruses form a departure from this, with their inclusion of a B minor chord rather than the more expected major voicing. Author Ian Inglis notes that the composition incorporates the same "
modes Mode ( la, modus meaning "manner, tune, measure, due measure, rhythm, melody") may refer to: Arts and entertainment * '' MO''D''E (magazine)'', a defunct U.S. women's fashion magazine * ''Mode'' magazine, a fictional fashion magazine which is ...
,
cadences In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (19 ...
and suspensions" found in Band songs such as "The Weight" and "
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is a song written by Robbie Robertson and originally recorded by the Canadian-American roots rock group the Band in 1969 and released on their eponymous second album. Levon Helm provided the lead vocals. ...
".Inglis, p. 30. For his lyrics, Harrison drew inspiration from "All Things Pass", a poem published in
Timothy Leary Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from bold oracle to publicity hound. He was "a her ...
's 1966 book ''Psychedelic Prayers after the
Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...
''.Greene, p. 140. In his 1980 autobiography, ''
I Me Mine "I Me Mine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album '' Let It Be''. Written by George Harrison, it was the last new track recorded by the band before their break-up in April 1970. The song originated from their Janu ...
'', Harrison refers to the idea for the song originating from "all kinds of mystics and ex-mystics", including Leary. Like later Harrison compositions such as "
Here Comes the Sun "Here Comes the Sun" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album ''Abbey Road''. It was written by George Harrison and is one of his best-known compositions. Harrison wrote the song in early 1969 at the country house o ...
", "
So Sad "So Sad" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison that was released on his 1974 album ''Dark Horse (George Harrison album), Dark Horse''. Harrison originally recorded the song for his previous album, ''Living in the Material World'', ...
" and "
Blow Away "Blow Away" is a song by English musician George Harrison that was released in February 1979 on his album '' George Harrison''. It was also the lead single from the album. The song is one of Harrison's most popular recordings from his solo care ...
", the lyrical and emotional content is based around metaphors involving the weather and the cycle of nature. Harrison states in the opening lines of verse one: "Sunrise doesn't last all morning / A cloudburst doesn't last all day". According to Harrison biographer Simon Leng, the lyrics reflect "life's ephemeral character" and the "transitory" nature of love.Leng, p. 96. Inglis suggests that the song is " tensibly" about "the end of a love affair". He and theologian
Dale Allison Dale C. Allison (born November 25, 1955) is an American New Testament scholar, historian of Early Christianity, and Christian theologian who for years served as Errett M. Grable Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Early Christianity at Pittsb ...
note the optimism offered in Harrison's words, since, as Leng puts it, "a new day always dawns." Although "All Things Must Pass" avoids
religiosity In sociology, the concept of religiosity has proven difficult to define. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests: "Religiousness; religious feeling or belief. ..Affected or excessive religiousness". Different scholars have seen this concept as ...
, Allison writes that its statement on the "all-inclusive" transience of things in the material world explains why so much of its 1970 parent album, ''
All Things Must Pass ''All Things Must Pass'' is the third studio album by English rock musician George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes the h ...
'', "finds hope and meaning only in God, who does not pass away". The song's main message is offered in its
middle eight The 32- bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century. ...
:Leng, pp. 96–97. Ultimately, the cycle of nature offers "consolation", Leng writes, as further evidenced in the verse-three lines "Now the darkness only stays at night time" and "Daylight is good at arriving at the right time". The lyrics underwent minor changes after Harrison presented the song to the Beatles in January 1969, when they began working at London's
Twickenham Film Studios Twickenham Studios (formerly known as Twickenham Film Studios) is a film studio in St Margarets, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, that is used by various motion picture and television companies. It was established in 1913 by Ralph ...
for the so-called ''Get Back'' project (released as the ''Let It Be''
album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
and film). He had initially written the second line of verse two as "A wind can blow those clouds away",George Harrison, p. 185. but
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
suggested the word "mind" to introduce a bit of "
psychedelia Psychedelia refers to the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic music and style of dress during that era. This was primarily generated by people who used psychedelic ...
" into the song. Similarly, the repeated line "It's not always gonna be this grey" was originally "It's not always been this grey" in verses one and two.


Pre-''All Things Must Pass'' recording history


The Beatles' ''Get Back'' rehearsals

In contrast with the creative equality he enjoyed with Dylan and the Band in Woodstock, Harrison returned to the Beatles to find the same discordant atmosphere that had blighted the
White Album White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
sessions in 1968. Early on during the ''Get Back'' rehearsals – and tellingly, music journalist John Harris comments, before the arrival that day of Lennon and his partner
Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...
– Harrison enthused to Ringo Starr and
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
about the Band's camaraderie and group ethos, saying: "They're just living, and they happen to be a band as well."John Harris, "Into the Woods", ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...
'', December 2003, p. 92.
On 2 January, day one of the Twickenham film shoot, Harrison introduced "All Things Must Pass", and the band worked on the song intermittently over the next four days of filming. In the search for a suitable musical arrangement, Harrison stressed his preference for a "feel" akin to the Band, a suggestion that resulted in Lennon switching from guitar to
Lowrey organ The Lowrey organ is an electronic organ named for its developer, Frederick C. Lowrey (1871–1955), a Chicago-based industrialist and entrepreneur. Lowrey's first commercially successful full-sized electronic organ, the Model S Spinet or '' ...
, a keyboard favoured by the Band's
Garth Hudson Eric "Garth" Hudson (born August 2, 1937) is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist best known as the keyboardist and occasional saxophonist for rock group the Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was a ...
. During the Twickenham rehearsals, the Beatles also discussed the idea of Harrison performing "All Things Must Pass" solo for inclusion in the proposed film. They returned to the song briefly towards the end of January, by which time the project had moved location to their own Apple Studio, in central London – one of Harrison's conditions for rejoining the Beatles after his temporary walkout on 10 January. Although the band gave a fair amount of time to "All Things Must Pass", it was ultimately put aside, just as other Harrison compositions including "
Old Brown Shoe "Old Brown Shoe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. Written by George Harrison, the group's lead guitarist, it was released on a non-album single in May 1969, as the B-side to "The Ballad of John and Yoko". The song was subseque ...
", "
Isn't It a Pity "Isn't It a Pity" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 solo album ''All Things Must Pass''. It appears in two variations there: one the well-known, seven-minute version; the other a reprise, titled "Isn't It a Pit ...
", " Let It Down" and "
I Me Mine "I Me Mine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album '' Let It Be''. Written by George Harrison, it was the last new track recorded by the band before their break-up in April 1970. The song originated from their Janu ...
" received a lukewarm reception,The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', pp. 38, 187. particularly from Lennon.
David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...
of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' has referred to this period as a "struggle" for Harrison "against the patronizing restrictions of writing within and for the Beatles". Doug Sulpy and Ray Schweighardt, authors of ''Get Back: The Unauthorized Chronicle of The Beatles' Let It Be Disaster'', observe that Lennon and McCartney routinely rejected Harrison's songs, "even though some were far better than their own". The Beatles never formally recorded "All Things Must Pass", and only rehearsal takes circulate on bootleg compilations from the sessions.Sulpy & Schweighardt, p. 6. The ''Fly on the Wall'' bonus disc accompanying the McCartney-instigated '' Let It Be... Naked'' album (2003) includes a snippet of the Beatles indulging in some Band-like chorusing on the song.Huntley, p. 21.


Harrison's solo demo

During the Beatles' Apple Studio session on 28 January,Sulpy & Schweighardt, pp. 292–93. Harrison talked with Lennon and Ono about possibly doing a solo album of his unused songs, in order to "preserve this, the Beatle bit, more".Hertsgaard, p. 283. Lennon offered his support for the idea. While author
Bruce Spizer David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is a tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books, and is frequently quoted as an authority on the history of the band an ...
has suggested that Lennon was keen to "spare" the band from having to work on Harrison's songs, Sulpy and Schweighardt consider that Lennon's enthusiasm was because such a solo project would allow him and Ono to continue their own recording activities "without causing friction within The Beatles". On 25 February 1969, his 26th birthday, Harrison entered Abbey Road Studios alone and recorded a
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
of the song, along with other recent compositions "Old Brown Shoe" and "
Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott ...
". With
Ken Scott Ken Scott (born 20 April 1947) is a British record producer and engineer known for being one of the five main engineers for the Beatles, as well as engineering Elton John, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Duran Duran, the Jeff B ...
serving as engineer, he recorded two takes of "All Things Must Pass", adding extra electric guitar onto the second. This version was eventually released in 1996 on the Beatles'
outtake An outtake is a portion of a work (usually a film or music recording) that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and D ...
collection ''
Anthology 3 ''Anthology 3'' is a compilation album by the Beatles, released on 29 October 1996 by Apple Records as part of ''The Beatles Anthology'' series. The album includes rarities and alternative tracks from the final three years of the band's c ...
''.Spizer, p. 225.


Billy Preston's version

Soon after Harrison had begun talking publicly about making a solo album, during the final months of 1969, he offered "All Things Must Pass", along with the more recent "
My Sweet Lord "My Sweet Lord" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in November 1970 on his triple album ''All Things Must Pass''. It was also released as a single, Harrison's first as a solo artist, and topped charts worldwide; it was the ...
", to Billy Preston for the latter's album '' Encouraging Words''. Through Harrison's invitation, Preston had played keyboards for the Beatles once the ''Get Back/Let It Be'' sessions resumed at Apple Studio, where the 22-year-old Texan had impressed with his superior musicianship and convivial presence. Preston was soon offered a recording deal with Apple Records, ''Encouraging Words'' being the second album under the contract.Spizer, p. 340. Co-produced by Harrison, Preston's reading of "All Things Must Pass" betrays an obvious debt to his former mentor,
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
. While Harrison's later recording is generally viewed as the definitive version, Bruce Eder of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
considers this treatment of the song the superior of the two. Preston's version appeared in September 1970, five months after
the Beatles' break-up From August 1962 to September 1969, the Beatles had a lineup that consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up was a cumulative process attributed to numerous factors. These include the strain of th ...
.


''All Things Must Pass'' recording

While completing his production on Preston's release, Harrison chose to record the song himself for what became the title track of his post-Beatles solo debut, the triple album ''All Things Must Pass''. In describing "All Things Must Pass" as a "haunting hymn about the mortality of everything", author Elliot Huntley notes the added poignance in Harrison's version, due to the death of his mother in July 1970 after a long period of illness. With
Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
as his co-producer, Harrison taped the basic track at Abbey Road Studios between 26 May and early in June. Other participants included Clapton, German bassist
Klaus Voormann Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann (born 29 April 1938) is a German artist, musician, and record producer. Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann from 1966 to 1969, and performed as a session musician on a host of recordings, including " You're So ...
and Starr, the latter another avowed Band fan. Leng credits the song's piano part to
Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
, who also sang backing vocals with Clapton, his future bandmate in
Derek and the Dominos Derek and the Dominos was an English–American blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. All four members had previous ...
. In his 2010 autobiography, Whitlock states that it was Preston who played the piano on "All Things Must Pass", while his own contribution was
pump organ The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. Th ...
, or harmonium.Whitlock, pp. 75, 81. Although Leng lists both Harrison and Clapton as having played acoustic guitar and Starr and Jim Gordon on drums, according to the personnel that Whitlock offers, neither Clapton nor Gordon played on the song.Whitlock, p. 81. Among the
overdubs Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more av ...
on the track, Nashville session musician
Pete Drake Roddis Franklin "Pete" Drake (October 8, 1932 – July 29, 1988), was a Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player. One of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played on such hits as Lynn Anderson' ...
recorded a pedal-steel guitar part during a brief visit to London, to participate in sessions for Harrison songs such as " Behind That Locked Door" and " I Live for You". Spector's erratic behaviour during the ''All Things Must Pass'' sessions left Harrison to handle most of the project alone,John Bergstrom
"George Harrison: All Things Must Pass"
, ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', 14 January 2011 (retrieved 28 January 2015).
but in August 1970, after receiving a tape of Harrison's early mixes of the songs, Spector provided him with written feedback and guidance. Spector wrote of "All Things Must Pass", "This particular song is so good that any honest
ocal Ocal or OCAL may refer to: * Öcal, Turkish surname * Öçal, Turkish surname * Open Clip Art Library Openclipart, also called Open Clip Art Library, is an online media repository of free-content vector clip art. The project hosts over 160,000 ...
performance by you is acceptable as far as I'm concerned", but he expressed his disapproval of the horns at the start of the track. In the words of authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter, "clearer heads prevailed" and Jim Price and
Bobby Keys Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
' horn parts were retained.Madinger & Easter, p. 431. The recording opens with "unvaryingly steady" piano chords, Inglis writes, and what Leng terms "sensitive" string orchestration from
John Barham John Barham is an English classical pianist, composer, arranger, producer and educator. He is best known for his orchestration of George Harrison albums such as ''All Things Must Pass'' (1970) and for his association with Indian sitar maestro R ...
, soon joined by the horns and Drake's pedal steel. Leng highlights this combination as providing the song with its rising and falling musical moods, implying variously light and darkness; Inglis writes of the musical arrangement mirroring the "competing impressions" of hope and melancholy found in Harrison's lyrics. True to its Catskill roots, the recording evokes the Band's "The Weight" and their eponymous second album, the tracks on which were similarly inspired by "the beauty of that autumn in Woodstock", according to Helm.


Release and album artwork

Almost two years after Harrison wrote the song, "All Things Must Pass" was released in November 1970, closing side three of the triple album in its original LP format. Despite its high retail price, ''All Things Must Pass'' was a major commercial success,Madinger & Easter, p. 427. comfortably outselling concurrent solo releases by Lennon and McCartney. The song's title was invariably seen as a statement on the demise of the Beatles,Harris, p. 73. as commentators viewed the album as Harrison's liberation from the artistic constraints imposed on him within the band. The album's cover image, showing Harrison seated on his
Friar Park Friar Park is a Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, built in 1889. It was originally owned by eccentric lawyer Sir Frank Crisp and purchased in January 1970 by English rock musician and former Beatle George Harrison. ...
lawn surrounded by four reclining garden gnomes – thought to represent the Beatles – was also viewed as reflecting this theme. While commenting that "All Things Must Pass" had "accrue new layers of relevance" during the album's creation, particularly with the death of Harrison's mother, former ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...
'' editor
Paul Du Noyer Paul Du Noyer (born Paul Anthony Du Noyer; 21 May 1954) is an English rock journalist and author. He was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, and educated at the London School of Economics. He has written and edited for the music magazines '' NME'', ' ...
writes: "Nobody in November 1970 could have mistaken the title's significance ... As if to cement the association of ideas, the wry cover picture has George in solitary splendour, surrounded by a quartet of gnomes." In a 2001 interview, photographer
Barry Feinstein Barry Feinstein (February 4, 1931 – October 20, 2011) was an American photographer and filmmaker, known for his photographs of 1950s Hollywood, the 1960s music scene, and his close personal and professional relationships with celebrities like ...
admitted that the words "All Things Must Pass" had helped inspire his set-up for the photo, saying: "What else could it be? ... twas over with The Beatles, right? And that title ... Very symbolic."


Reception and legacy

On release, Ben Gerson of ''Rolling Stone'' described "All Things Must Pass" as "eloquently hopeful and resigned" while labelling the album "the music of mountain tops and vast horizons".Ben Gerson
"George Harrison ''All Things Must Pass''"
, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', 21 January 1971 (retrieved 3 July 2012).
''Beatles Forever'' author
Nicholas Schaffner Nicholas Schaffner (January 28, 1953 – August 28, 1991) was an American non-fiction author, journalist, and singer-songwriter. Biography Schaffner was born in Manhattan to John V. Schaffner (1913–1983), a literary agent whose clients include ...
noted in 1977, with reference to Harrison's commercial and critical dominance over his former bandmates following the break-up: "The very fact that the Beatles had kept George's flowering talents so under wraps proved to be his secret weapon." Schaffner named "All Things Must Pass" and " Beware of Darkness" as the two "most eloquent" songs on ''All Things Must Pass'', "musically as well as lyrically", with "mysterious, seductive melodies, over which faded strings and horns hover like Blue Jay Way fog".Schaffner, p. 142. Writing for ''Rolling Stone'' in 2000,
Anthony DeCurtis Anthony DeCurtis (born June 25, 1951) is an American author and music critic, who has written for ''Rolling Stone,'' the ''New York Times'', '' Relix'' and many other publications. Career DeCurtis is a contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', ...
praised the song for its musical demonstration of "the sweet satisfactions of faith".Anthony DeCurtis
"George Harrison ''All Things Must Pass''"
''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', 12 October 2000 (archived version retrieved 1 April 2012).
On a triple album where "nearly every song is excellent", AllMusic picks "All Things Must Pass" as one of five standout tracks (or AMG track picks), with
Richie Unterberger Richie Unterberger (born January 19, 1962) is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing. Life and writing Unterberger attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he wrote for the university newspaper '' ...
writing of its autumnal theme: "It's the kind of song that fits the mood in November, when the trees are getting stripped bare of their leaves, the days are getting shorter and colder, and you have to resign yourself to knowing it's going to be tougher and tougher in those regards for months, also knowing that those hardships will pass away come springtime."Richie Unterberger
"George Harrison 'All Things Must Pass'"
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
(retrieved 17 February 2015).
In his book on Harrison, subtitled ''A Spiritual Biography'',
Gary Tillery Gary Tillery is an American writer and artist known for his biographies focusing on the spiritual lives of famous figures, and for his public sculptures. His 2009 book, ''The Cynical Idealist'', was named the official book of the 2010 John Lennon ...
refers to the song as "magisterial" and a "majestic title track" that "leaves even the shallowest listener contemplative". Michael Gallucci of ''
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
'' places "All Things Must Pass" third on his list of Harrison's best solo songs (behind the two hit singles from ''All Things Must Pass'', "My Sweet Lord" and "
What Is Life "What Is Life" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album ''All Things Must Pass''. In many countries, it was issued as the second single from the album, in February 1971, becoming a top-ten hit in the Unit ...
"), and comments: "The album's title track takes on more poignancy after Harrison's death
n 2001 N, or n, is the fourteenth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet# ...
but it's always been great."Michael Gallucci
"Top 10 George Harrison Songs"
''
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
'' (retrieved 28 March 2014).
Writing for
Rough Guides Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on custome ...
, Chris Ingham similarly describes the song as "a heart-rending piece of significant prescience which seems to take on more poignancy with every passing year". Among Harrison's biographers, Simon Leng considers "All Things Must Pass" a "classic of Harrison's lyrical ambiguity, in essence a hopeful song, without sounding so", with a lyric that "approaches Bob Dylan standard".Leng, p. 97. Ian Inglis also praises the lyrics, writing: "The song contains some of Harrison's most insightful and pensive words. 'Daylight is good at arriving at the right time' is a fine example of his ... ability to position the profound within the commonplace." Elliot Huntley rates it as one of Harrison's "most beautiful" songs, "if not ''the'' very best", and suggests that the sentiments behind "All Things Must Pass" would have made it a "fitting conclusion" to the final album recorded by the Beatles, ''
Abbey Road ''Abbey Road'' is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It is the last album the group started recording, although '' Let It Be'' was the last album completed before the band's break-up in April 1970. It was mostly ...
'' (1969).Huntley, p. 59. Bruce Spizer similarly rates "All Things Must Pass" a highlight of Harrison's career, while Leng considers it "perhaps the greatest solo Beatle composition" of all.Leng, p. 310. In his book ''
Revolution in the Head ''Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties'' is a book by British music critic and author Ian MacDonald, discussing the music of the Beatles and the band's relationship to the social and cultural changes of the 1960s. The fir ...
'',
Ian MacDonald Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...
describes "All Things Must Pass" as "the wisest song never recorded by The Beatles". In 2009, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' included the track in its list of "1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear".


Performance and later releases

"All Things Must Pass" was not a track that Harrison ever played in concert, although it appeared on his preliminary
setlist A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
for the 1971
Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were he ...
shows. He twice performed the song live in front of TV cameras during the final years of his life, beginning with his appearance with
Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North In ...
on VH1's ''Hard Rock Live'', filmed in New York on 14 May 1997.Badman, p. 568.Lavezzoli, p. 198. The pair were on the show to promote their recent collaboration, ''
Chants of India ''Chants of India'' is an album by Indian musician Ravi Shankar released in 1997 on Angel Records. Produced by his friend and sometime collaborator George Harrison, the album consists of Vedic and other Hindu sacred prayers set to music, marking ...
'', but at host
John Fugelsang John Joseph Fugelsang (born September 3, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, writer, television host, political commentator and television personality. Early life and education Fugelsang was born on Long Island, New York. Of Danish, German, ...
's urging, Harrison accepted an acoustic guitar and performed a brief rendition of "All Things Must Pass".Badman, pp. 572–73. In late 2000, Harrison sang "All Things Must Pass" while again seated on a stool on Friar Park's main lawn, a performance that was included in the
press kit A press kit, often referred to as a media kit in business environments, is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials that provide information about a person, company, organization or cause and which is distributed to members of the media for pr ...
for ''All Things Must Pass''s 30th anniversary reissue early the following year. Coinciding with this 2001 reissue, the song appeared on a promotional single as the B-side to " My Sweet Lord (2000)". After being omitted from the "cursory" selection of 1970–75 tracks on ''
The Best of George Harrison ''The Best of George Harrison'' is a 1976 compilation album by English musician George Harrison, released following the expiration of his EMI-affiliated Apple Records contract. Uniquely among all of the four Beatles' solo releases, apart from p ...
'' (1976), Inglis writes, the song appeared on Harrison's 2009 career-spanning compilation '' Let It Roll''. In
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
's 2011 documentary '' George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', "All Things Must Pass" is the first song featured in the film, played over footage of German air raids over Britain during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. In November that year, a 1970-recorded demo of the song (featuring just Harrison, Starr and Voormann) appeared on the deluxe edition CD accompanying the British DVD release of the film; this CD was subsequently issued worldwide in May 2012 as '' Early Takes: Volume 1''.Stephen Thomas Erlewine
"George Harrison: ''Early Takes, Vol. 1''"
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
(retrieved 15 September 2012).
On 27 November 2020, the Harrison family released a stereo remix of the ''All Things Must Pass'' recording to mark the album's 50th anniversary.


Cover versions

Steve Wood and Daniel May composed music to the 1998 documentary film ''
Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetic languages, Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is List of highest mountains on Earth, Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border ru ...
'' incorporating melodies from some of George Harrison's songs, one of which was "All Things Must Pass". At the
Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, and arrang ...
tribute to Harrison, held at London's Royal Albert Hall on 29 November 2002, Paul McCartney sang "All Things Must Pass", backed by a large band that included Preston, Clapton, Voormann and Starr. In his organisation of the tribute concert, Clapton said he approached "All Things Must Pass" as the "key song of the whole event". Leng comments on the irony in McCartney performing the song, while Beatles biographer
Peter Doggett Peter Doggett (born 30 June 1957) is an English music journalist, author and magazine editor. He began his career in music journalism in 1980, when he joined the London-based magazine ''Record Collector''. He subsequently served as the editor ...
writes: "it wasn't hard to imagine Harrison's cynicism as McCartney led the band into a soulful rendition of 'All Things Must Pass' – one of the songs that the other Beatles had refused to take seriously in January 1969." According to Clapton, author Robert Rodriguez writes, McCartney "was humbled at having to relearn it". Several other artists have recorded "All Things Must Pass" in the years since Harrison's death. In 2003, Bobby Whitlock and his wife, CoCo Carmel, included the song on their acoustic live album ''Other Assorted Love Songs, Live from Whitney Chapel''.Bruce Eder
"Bobby Whitlock & Kim Carmel ''Other Assorted Love Songs''"
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
(retrieved 30 September 2013).
Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
guitarist Joel Harrison covered "All Things Must Pass" on his album '' Harrison on Harrison: Jazz Explanations of George Harrison'', released in October 2005. In 2007, a live version by
the Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...
appeared on their CD single "
Everybody Takes a Tumble "Everybody Takes a Tumble" is a song from Scottish-Irish folk rock band The Waterboys, released as the only single from their ninth studio album ''Book of Lightning''. It was written by Mike Scott and Anthony Thistlethwaite, and produced by Scott ...
", and the following year
Sloan Wainwright Sloan Wainwright (born 1957) is an American artist and member of the American independent music scene. Her musical style consists of a combination of folk, rock, jazz, and blues, an approach which owes itself to her time writing and performing i ...
included a cover of the song on her album ''Rediscovery''. "All Things Must Pass" was among the Harrison compositions covered by
Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...
on his '' Tribute To'' EP, recorded in December 2001 but not released until August 2009. Also in 2009, Klaus Voormann released a version of the song on his solo album '' A Sideman's Journey'', with
Yusuf Islam Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later i ...
on vocals and acoustic guitar."George Harrison Cover Songs"
, The Covers Project (retrieved 22 September 2012).
News: "Klaus joins Yusuf on songs for charity"
, yusufislam.com, 13 January 2009 (retrieved 1 October 2013).


Personnel

The musicians who performed on Harrison's ''All Things Must Pass'' version of the song are believed to be as follows: * George Harrison – vocals, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals * Eric Clapton – acoustic guitar, backing vocals *
Pete Drake Roddis Franklin "Pete" Drake (October 8, 1932 – July 29, 1988), was a Nashville-based American record producer and pedal steel guitar player. One of the most sought-after backup musicians of the 1960s, Drake played on such hits as Lynn Anderson' ...
pedal steel The pedal steel guitar is a console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all steel guitars, it can ...
* Billy Preston – piano *
Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
harmonium The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. Th ...
, backing vocals *
Klaus Voormann Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann (born 29 April 1938) is a German artist, musician, and record producer. Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann from 1966 to 1969, and performed as a session musician on a host of recordings, including " You're So ...
– bass * Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine * Jim Gordon – drums *
Bobby Keys Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
– saxophone * Jim Price – trumpet, trombone, horn arrangement *
John Barham John Barham is an English classical pianist, composer, arranger, producer and educator. He is best known for his orchestration of George Harrison albums such as ''All Things Must Pass'' (1970) and for his association with Indian sitar maestro R ...
– string arrangement


Notes


References


Sources

* Dale C. Allison Jr, ''The Love There That's Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ). * Eric Clapton, ''Eric Clapton: The Autobiography'', Century (London, 2007; ). *
Alan Clayson Alan Clayson (born 3 May 1951, Dover, Kent) is an English singer-songwriter, author and music journalist. He gained popularity in the late 1970s as leader of the band Clayson and the Argonauts. In addition to contributing to publications such as ...
, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ). *
Peter Doggett Peter Doggett (born 30 June 1957) is an English music journalist, author and magazine editor. He began his career in music journalism in 1980, when he joined the London-based magazine ''Record Collector''. He subsequently served as the editor ...
, ''You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup'', It Books (New York, NY, 2011; ). * The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', ''Harrison'', Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ). * Joshua M. Greene, ''Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison'', John Wiley & Sons (Hoboken, NJ, 2006; ). * John Harris, "A Quiet Storm", ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...
'', July 2001, pp. 66–74. * George Harrison, ''I Me Mine'', Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA, 2002 980 ). *
Olivia Harrison Olivia Trinidad Harrison (née Arias; born May 18, 1948) is an American author and film producer, and the widow of English musician George Harrison of the Beatles. She first worked in the music industry in Los Angeles, for A&M Records, where sh ...
, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; ). * Levon Helm (with Stephen Davis), ''This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of The Band'', A Cappella Books (Chicago, IL, 2000; ). *
Mark Hertsgaard Mark Hertsgaard (born 1956) is an American journalist and the co-founder and executive director of Covering Climate Now. He is the environment correspondent for ''The Nation'', and the author of seven non-fiction books, including ''Earth Odyssey ...
, ''A Day in the Life: The Music and Artistry of the Beatles'', Pan Books (London, 1996; ). * Elliot J. Huntley, ''Mystical One: George Harrison – After the Break-up of the Beatles'', Guernica Editions (Toronto, ON, 2006; ). * Chris Ingham, ''The Rough Guide to the Beatles'', Rough Guides/Penguin (London, 2006; 2nd edn; ). * Ian Inglis, ''The Words and Music of George Harrison'', Praeger (Santa Barbara, CA, 2010; ). * Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ). *
Ian MacDonald Ian MacCormick (known by the pseudonym Ian MacDonald; 3 October 1948 – 20 August 2003) was a British music critic and author, best known for both '' Revolution in the Head'', his critical history of the Beatles which borrowed techniques from ...
, ''Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties'', Pimlico (London, 1998; ). * Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ). *
Barry Miles Barry Miles (born 21 February 1943) is an English author known for his participation in and writing on the subjects of the 1960s London underground and counterculture. He is the author of numerous books and his work has also regularly appeare ...
, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * '' Mojo Special Limited Edition: 1000 Days of Revolution (The Beatles' Final Years – Jan 1, 1968 to Sept 27, 1970)'', Emap (London, 2003). * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ). *
Nicholas Schaffner Nicholas Schaffner (January 28, 1953 – August 28, 1991) was an American non-fiction author, journalist, and singer-songwriter. Biography Schaffner was born in Manhattan to John V. Schaffner (1913–1983), a literary agent whose clients include ...
, ''The Beatles Forever'', McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ). *
Bruce Spizer David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is a tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books, and is frequently quoted as an authority on the history of the band an ...
, ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ). * Doug Sulpy & Ray Schweighardt, ''Get Back: The Unauthorized Chronicle of The Beatles' Let It Be Disaster'', St. Martin's Griffin (New York, 1997; ). *
Gary Tillery Gary Tillery is an American writer and artist known for his biographies focusing on the spiritual lives of famous figures, and for his public sculptures. His 2009 book, ''The Cynical Idealist'', was named the official book of the 2010 John Lennon ...
, ''Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison'', Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ). *
Bobby Whitlock Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
(with Marc Roberty),
Bobby Whitlock: A Rock 'n' Roll Autobiography
', McFarland (Jefferson, NC, 2010; ). *
Bob Woffinden Robert Woffinden (31 January 1948 – 1 May 2018) was a British investigative journalist. Formerly a reporter with the ''New Musical Express'', he later specialised in investigating miscarriages of justice. He wrote about a number of high-profi ...
, ''The Beatles Apart'', Proteus (London, 1981; ). *
Kenneth Womack Kenneth Womack (born January 24, 1966) is an American writer, literary critic, public speaker, and music historian, particularly focusing on the cultural influence of the Beatles. He is the author of the bestselling ''Solid State: The Story of A ...
, ''The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four'', ABC-CLIO (Santa Barbara, CA, 2014; ).


External links


"All Things Must Pass (2020 Mix)" on Harrison's YouTube channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:All Things Must Pass (Song) 1970 songs George Harrison songs Songs written by George Harrison Song recordings produced by George Harrison Song recordings produced by Phil Spector Music published by Harrisongs The Beatles songs Billy Preston songs British folk rock songs