All Things Must Pass At 50: Love Songs To God And Other Ditties

I can very clearly remember the day. It was a very wet, very cold and extremely grey October afternoon in 1991. I was off school for half term and had spent a rather unsuccessful afternoon trying to find some records in a second had record shop. My Dad, my lovely Beatle companion, had gone back into the shop and came out again rather sheepishly. It wasn't till I got home that he handed me a carrier bag and inside was the holy of holies. The one album I was desperate to own. All Things Must Pass in almost mint condition vinyl.

Up to that point, that glorious day, the most I'd heard of All Things Must Pass were a few of the "best" songs my Dad had recorded onto cassette for me. I had fallen in love instantly. Yet, I truly lost my heart to this wonderful album when I was able to listen to it in it's complete glory. Listening to the album in its entirety, I felt that I was listening to a very grown up album.

The creation of All Things Must Pass started whilst The Beatles were still together - a demo of the title song had been recorded that featured other members of the band. But, with George being limited to only a couple of songs per album, the tracks were put on the back burner, largely forgotten about.

When The Beatles broke up in 1970 each member moved on quickly with their solo work. Paul McCartney released his first solo album, McCartney in April 1970, months before All Things Must Pass emerged. Over the years George had accumulated many songs that were not used on Beatle albums for various reasons, so he had a backlog of material that stood him in good stead for his solo career.

Partly because of this accumulation of material, not wanting to rest on his laurels and generally feeling slightly resentful that he was not allowed to show off his songwriting prowess during the Beatle years, George started work straight away. Recording of the album began in earnest in May 1970.

Free from the chains of having to consider three other musicians and only really having to please himself musically, George hired Phil Spector to co-produce the album. Other artists enlisted to help on the album were his close friend, Eric Clapton, former bandmate Ringo Starr and Klaus Voorman amongst others. Production concluded on the album in late October 1970 and was released in November of that year.

The biggest and most well known hit from the album was My Sweet Lord. And we shall start with that beautiful song. Personally, it's a song that fills me with utter joy. If I'm sad it makes me happy, if I'm anxious, it calms me. It was a worldwide hit but my eyes do not see it as that. To me it's a modern day hymn. I've been to many church services where the preacher plays John Lennon's song Imagine and uses it as the standard bearer for all things peace and love. I've always thought that My Sweet Lord is far more worthy of a mention in a church setting that Imagine. George's joy in his religion is palpable in this song. It's a song of praise, of devotion, and it deserves a place in every hymn book.

Another song that is worthy of noting, and one that I hear rarely mentioned when discussing this album, is Hear Me Lord. As loud and energetic as My Sweet Lord is, Hear Me Lord is the direct opposite. Calm, quiet and restrained this is one song from the album that quite frankly moves me to tears. George's plaintive pleading for God to realise him, to notice him, to love him, is nothing but heartbreaking. His love for God is evident.

                      "help me Lord, please, to love you with more feeling ...."

Part of the charm of All Things Past it is a perfect contrast. There are wonderful, happy and upbeat songs that nestle comfortably with sober, sombre serious songs. It's very hard, for example, to listen to a song like What Is Life without feeling moved. Without taking the joy that George was feeling during the recording and feeling that too. What Is Life is one of the first songs I ever heard from the album and it remains one of my favourites. As much as George later commentated that he was less then keen on Phil Spectors wall of sound recording method and would of reigned it back if he could, I personally love what Phil brought to the album and, in particular, with this song. All Things Must Pass is an album of celebration and that can plainly be felt through many of the songs.

I think, though, my two favourite songs on the whole album are Run Of The Mill and The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll). Ironically, two of the more serious songs on the album.

Run Of The Mill is the most scaled back, simple and plainly produced songs on the album. Lyrically, it's beautiful. During his Beatles years, and much to the annoyance of Paul and John, George would often have to ask them for help with the lyrics to some of his songs, Something is a good example. However, this is another area that George found his feet during the recording of the album. And Run Of The Mill, a song about taking personal responsibility for your own actions and your own spiritual development, is one of the best examples of his lyric writing during his solo years.

The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) is a song that makes me smile. The title of the song relates to a former owner of Harrisons Henley-On-Thames home, Friar Park. Dotted around the estate and within the house, there are little oddities left over from Crisps time at the property that obviously inspired George. It's a song that takes you on a physical tour, a musical journey through the vast estate and massive house. I won't elaborate on this song any further in case you're new to the album and haven't heard it, but it's always been and always will be a personal favourite of mine from George's solo career.

Overall, the album is a spiritual journey. From the difficult last days of the Beatles with all of its tension and emotional upheaval, you can sense that George was stepping out of the shadows into the sunshine. And the reception of All Things Must Pass was almost universally positive. It received praise from both critics and fans alike. What I gather though reading through contemporary reviews of the album is a sense of surprise. That the quiet Beatle, the Beatle that never really was given much chance to blossom during his Beatle days had come up trumps and produced something of such high quality.

During the time George was recording the album John Lennon was recording his album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. In one studio George was praising God, in another John Lennon was denying God, saying he believed in very little. Two young men, who had spent so much time together and had travelled the same path were heading in very different musical directions. Paul McCartney, who several months earlier had released his first solo album, McCartney, must of stung a little bit. His album was criticised in such a harsh manner that he no doubt was unused to, had been outshone by the baby of the group.  I often wonder how John and Paul felt about George at this time.

All Things Must Pass is a triple album. The third album as made up of random pieces of music and even featured a song for John, "It's Johnny's Birthday'. This third record is called Apple Jam. And this is the only area I can criticise the album. For I'd much rather George have continued to record his unused songs and fill another record with beautiful songs rather than a mish mash of random noise. For instance, how could a song so beautiful like Dehradun remains officially unreleased when we could of had a further album of these wonderful songs. That was, however, Georges choice.

For it's 30th birthday, in 2000, George re-released the album. It's stark black and white cover (which Im so fond of I've had tattooed on my arm) was replaced by a colourful album cover. I, as expected, eagerly purchased the album.

And I wasn't disappointed. The album included unreleased tracks, such as the stunningly beautiful I Live For You and music only version of What Is Life. It's only downside was George re-recorded My Sweet Lord, which, I admit, I've only ever listened to this version once in my life. For me you can't improve on perfection and in my opinion another version was not needed. But, of course, many would not agree with me.

So what does this album mean to me? Quite simply it means everything to me. It is my little friend and I have it on CD, vinyl and digital download, so I can listen to it whenever I wish. It has found it's place in my heart and for almost thirty years has resided there. Every so often I get asked questions like, if you were on a desert island what album would you take? Or, if you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which album would it be? The answer has always been and will always be: All Things Must Pass. Without a shadow of a doubt.

I am a Beatles fan, cut me I bleed Beatles. However, All Things Must Pass is just something so special to me that it will always be the album of albums. If I strip away the nostalgic feelings I have about this album, it still is what it is: everything.

Yes, I have happy memories around this album, particularly of my late Dad. BUT, musically this stands head and shoulders above anything else. Personally, I feel this is the best Beatle solo album going, and even with George himself he never bettered it, though the posthumously released Brainwashed comes very close.  If you compare the album to Imagine it's far better because at the time John Lennon was angry, bordering on bitter and that is hard to hear sometimes. Paul's album, McCartney simply isn't up to the standard of All Things Must Pass. I don't mean to cause offence as I know Paul, in particular, is held in very hard regard. But in his rush to release McCartney, he made a mistake and released an album that was far below his own standards. Though I will say, Maybe I'm Amazed is awesome.

It's hard to believe that All Things Must Pass is fifty. It's an album that has aged well. And it's a gift that George left to us. And a gift that I am so thankful for. For I know, my life, at least, would be worse off without it.