Recording: I'd Have You Anytime, Art Of Dying, Run Of The Mill, Isn't It A Pity by George Harrison – 29 May 1970

Q: What was recorded on 29 May 1970 at Abbey Road?

The fourth All Things Must Pass session. Take 7 of I'd Have You Anytime became the album master. Nine takes of Art Of Dying, two solo takes of Run Of The Mill, and one full-band take of Isn't It A Pity were also recorded.

Q: What did Phil McDonald say about recording All Things Must Pass?

'We only had eight tracks so you couldn't go mad. You were just restricted. You had to get the sound and mix it and make sure it was a good sound.'

May 29, 2026

Recording: I’d Have You Anytime, Art Of Dying, Run Of The Mill, Isn’t It A Pity by George Harrison – 29 May 1970

Friday 29 May 1970 | George Harrison, Studio
Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector
Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie

Friday 29 May 1970 was the fourth recording session for George Harrison’s third solo album All Things Must Pass. Three songs were worked on during the session, although none of the day’s attempts — with the exception of one crucial take — appeared on the finished album.

I’d Have You Anytime — Take 7 (Master)

Harrison had recorded six takes of the album opener I’d Have You Anytime the previous day. He began this session by recording just one more — take 7 — which became the album version. Co-written with Bob Dylan during Harrison’s visit to Woodstock in November 1968, the song opens All Things Must Pass with a gentle, intimate quality that sets the tone for the album.

Art Of Dying — Nine Takes

Next up was Art Of Dying. Prior to take 1, Harrison asked Ringo Starr for a snare drum hit before the song began. He also called out chord changes while playing, and in the third verse sang “desire to be a perfect cup of tea” instead of the lyric that would appear on the album: “desire to be a perfect entity.”

Nine takes were recorded, the last of which was temporarily chosen as the best. However, Art Of Dying was re-recorded in June and July 1970, and the 29 May attempts did not make the final album.

Run Of The Mill — Two Solo Takes

Harrison then recorded two solo takes of Run Of The Mill, featuring guitar and vocals only. Take two was temporarily marked ‘best’, but the song was later recorded afresh and the 29 May version was not used.

Isn’t It A Pity — One Full-Band Take

The final song of the day was Isn’t It A Pity. Just one take was recorded, with a full band, using all eight available tracks:

Track 1: Klaus Voormann — bass guitar
Track 2: Ringo Starr — drums
Tracks 3 & 4: Various guitars
Track 5: Two pianos
Track 6: Moog synthesizer
Track 7: Electric harpsichord and percussion
Track 8: George Harrison — vocals

Engineer Phil McDonald reflected on the limitations of the eight-track format:

“We only had eight tracks so you couldn’t go mad. You were just restricted. You had to get the sound and mix it and make sure it was a good sound.”

— Phil McDonald

This take of Isn’t It A Pity was not used on the album; the song was re-recorded and ultimately appeared in two versions on All Things Must Pass — the full-length Isn’t It A Pity (Version One) and the shorter Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two).

Key Facts: 29 May 1970

Studio: Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Session: 4th All Things Must Pass recording session
Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector
Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
Songs recorded: I’d Have You Anytime (take 7 = master), Art Of Dying (9 takes), Run Of The Mill (2 solo takes), Isn’t It A Pity (1 full-band take)
Album version produced: I’d Have You Anytime (take 7)

Frequently Asked Questions

What was recorded on 29 May 1970 at Abbey Road?

The fourth All Things Must Pass session. Take 7 of I’d Have You Anytime became the album master. Nine takes of Art Of Dying, two solo takes of Run Of The Mill, and one full-band take of Isn’t It A Pity were also recorded, though none of these later attempts appeared on the finished album.

Which take of I’d Have You Anytime appeared on All Things Must Pass?

Take 7, recorded on 29 May 1970. Harrison had recorded six takes the previous day; take 7 was the only attempt on 29 May and became the master.

Who played on the 29 May 1970 sessions?

Ringo Starr (drums), Klaus Voormann (bass), and George Harrison (guitars, vocals), with additional musicians on various tracks. Phil Spector co-produced alongside Harrison; Phil McDonald and John Leckie engineered.