Recording: All Things Must Pass demos by George Harrison – 26 May 1970
Tuesday 26 May 1970 | Recording, George Harrison
Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector
Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
26 May 1970 was the first recording session for George Harrison's third solo album All Things Must Pass — the triple album that would become one of the most celebrated solo records in rock history. The session took place at Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, and produced 15 demos, several of which featured Klaus Voormann on bass guitar and Ringo Starr on drums. A further 15 demos were recorded the following day, bringing the total to 30 across the first two sessions.
Abbey Road Studios, 3 Abbey Road, London — Studio Three, where George Harrison recorded the first 15 All Things Must Pass demos on 26 May 1970.
The Songs Demoed on 26 May 1970
- 'All Things Must Pass'
- 'Behind That Locked Door' (two takes)
- 'I Live For You'
- 'Apple Scruffs' (four takes)
- 'What Is Life' (three takes)
- 'Awaiting On You All'
- 'Isn't It A Pity' (two takes)
- 'I'd Have You Anytime'
- 'I Dig Love'
- 'Going Down To Golders Green'
- 'Dehra Dun' (two takes)
- 'Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna)'
- 'The Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)' (two takes)
- 'My Sweet Lord'
- 'Sour Milk Sea'
The majority of these songs found their way onto the finished album. The full set of 30 demos from both days was released as part of the super deluxe reissue of All Things Must Pass in August 2021.
The Songs
'All Things Must Pass' — the title track, a song Harrison had written and offered to The Beatles during the Let It Be sessions in January 1969, where it was rehearsed but not recorded for the album. Its opening line — "Sunrise doesn't last all morning / A cloudburst doesn't last all day" — sets the album's philosophical tone.
'My Sweet Lord' — the song that would become the album's lead single and Harrison's first solo UK number one, released in November 1970. Its blend of gospel and Hare Krishna devotion — the chorus alternating between "Hallelujah" and "Hare Krishna" — was unlike anything in the pop mainstream. It was later the subject of a successful plagiarism lawsuit by Bright Tunes Music, who claimed it unconsciously copied the Chiffons' 'He's So Fine'.
'What Is Life' — a driving, joyful song that became the album's second single in February 1971, reaching number ten in the UK and number ten in the US.
'Isn't It A Pity' — one of Harrison's most emotionally powerful songs, a meditation on human cruelty and indifference. Harrison had written it as early as 1966 and offered it to The Beatles, but it was rejected. It appeared twice on the finished album — the full-length version and a shorter reprise.
'I'd Have You Anytime' — co-written with Bob Dylan during Harrison's visit to Dylan's home in Woodstock in November 1968. It opens the finished album.
'Apple Scruffs' — a fond tribute to the devoted fans who waited outside Apple Corps and Abbey Road. Harrison later released it as a single in the US.
'Sour Milk Sea' — a song Harrison had written in 1968 and given to Jackie Lomax to record as an Apple single. Its appearance in the demos suggests Harrison was revisiting his back catalogue as well as presenting new material.
The Album
All Things Must Pass was recorded primarily at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, with some overdub and mixing sessions at Trident Studios. It was produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector, with Spector applying his famous Wall of Sound production technique to Harrison's songs. The album was released on 27 November 1970 as a triple LP — two records of songs and a third of jams, Apple Jam — and reached number one in both the UK and the US.
The album drew on an enormous backlog of songs that Harrison had written during the Beatles years but which had been passed over in favour of Lennon and McCartney compositions. The dissolution of The Beatles in April 1970 gave Harrison the freedom — and the necessity — to record them all at once. The result was one of the most substantial debut statements in rock history.
Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann (born 1938) was a German musician, artist, and designer who had been a close friend of The Beatles since their Hamburg years. He had designed the cover of Revolver (1966), winning a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover. As a bass player, he became one of the most in-demand session musicians of the early 1970s, playing on solo albums by all four Beatles. His bass playing on All Things Must Pass is among the finest work of his career.
Phil Spector
Phil Spector (1939–2021) was one of the most influential record producers in the history of popular music, creator of the Wall of Sound production technique. He had been brought in by John Lennon to work on the Let It Be album in 1970 — a decision that infuriated McCartney, who objected to Spector's orchestral overdubs on 'The Long And Winding Road'. Harrison's decision to work with Spector on All Things Must Pass was more harmonious; Spector's grandiose production style suited Harrison's spiritual ambitions for the album.
Key Facts: 26 May 1970
- Session: First recording session for All Things Must Pass
- Studio: Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
- Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector
- Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
- Songs demoed: 15
- Musicians: George Harrison; Klaus Voormann (bass, some tracks); Ringo Starr (drums, some tracks)
- Total demos across first two days: 30
- Demos released: All Things Must Pass super deluxe reissue, August 2021
- Album released: 27 November 1970
- Chart positions: UK number 1, US number 1
Frequently Asked Questions
What was recorded on 26 May 1970?
The first 15 demos for George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, at Studio Three, Abbey Road. Songs included 'My Sweet Lord', 'What Is Life', 'Isn't It A Pity', 'All Things Must Pass', and 'I'd Have You Anytime'. Klaus Voormann and Ringo Starr played on some tracks.
When was All Things Must Pass released?
27 November 1970, as a triple LP. It reached number one in both the UK and the US and is widely regarded as one of the greatest solo albums in rock history.
Who produced All Things Must Pass?
George Harrison and Phil Spector. Spector applied his Wall of Sound production technique to Harrison's songs, creating the album's characteristically grand, orchestral sound.
Were the demos released?
Yes — the full set of 30 demos from 26 and 27 May 1970 was released as part of the All Things Must Pass super deluxe reissue in August 2021.
Who was Klaus Voormann?
A German musician and designer who had been a close friend of The Beatles since their Hamburg years. He designed the Revolver cover (winning a Grammy) and played bass on solo albums by all four Beatles, including All Things Must Pass.
→ Travel: John Lennon – Toronto to Montreal – 26 May 1969
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