Wednesday 12 August 1970 | George Harrison, Studio
| Studio | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London |
| Producers | George Harrison, Phil Spector |
| Engineers | Phil McDonald, Richard Lush |
| Session number | 32nd recording session for All Things Must Pass |
Wednesday 12 August 1970 was the 32nd recording session for George Harrison’s third solo album All Things Must Pass, and the final day of the overdub sessions Harrison conducted with arranger John Barham at Abbey Road. The sessions with Barham had run from 28 July until this day, although the precise recording details for each individual session are not known.
The overdub sessions
The backing tracks for All Things Must Pass had been completed on 25 July 1970. Harrison then worked through a series of overdub sessions at Abbey Road with arranger John Barham, working a four-day week throughout — taking breaks from Saturday to Monday.
The previous day’s session, 11 August 1970, had been the 31st session. With 12 August marking the conclusion of the Barham overdub phase, the album moved into its final stages of production before its release on 27 November 1970.
John Barham was a British musician and arranger who had worked with Harrison since the late 1960s, contributing string and brass arrangements to All Things Must Pass and previously to the Wonderwall soundtrack (1968). His orchestral contributions were central to the album’s rich, layered sound.
The Beatles — officially licensed merch
The Beatles: Revolver Album Cover Unisex T-Shirt (Black).
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass was George Harrison’s third solo album, released on 27 November 1970 as a triple LP. Produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, it drew on a large backlog of songs Harrison had written during his Beatles years, many of which had been passed over for Beatles albums. It reached number one in both the UK and the US and is widely regarded as one of the greatest solo albums by any former Beatle.
The album featured contributions from Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Klaus Voormann, Dave Mason and members of Badfinger, among many others. Its recording sessions had begun in May 1970, just weeks after The Beatles’ break-up was announced.
Ringo Starr — officially licensed merch
Ringo Starr Unisex T-Shirt: Colour Peace (Black) — Ringo played drums on All Things Must Pass.
EMI Studios, Abbey Road
EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios), 3 Abbey Road, London — where George Harrison completed the John Barham overdub sessions for All Things Must Pass on 12 August 1970.
Key Facts
| Date | Wednesday 12 August 1970 |
| Session | 32nd recording session for All Things Must Pass |
| Phase | Final day of overdubs with arranger John Barham (28 July – 12 August 1970) |
| Backing tracks completed | 25 July 1970 |
| Album released | 27 November 1970 (triple LP) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Was 12 August 1970 the last overdub session for All Things Must Pass?
12 August 1970 was the final day of the overdub sessions George Harrison conducted with arranger John Barham at Abbey Road, which had run from 28 July. It was the 32nd recording session for the album overall.
Who was John Barham?
John Barham was a British musician and arranger who worked with George Harrison from the late 1960s. He contributed string and brass arrangements to All Things Must Pass and had previously worked with Harrison on the Wonderwall soundtrack (1968).
When was All Things Must Pass released?
All Things Must Pass was released on 27 November 1970 as a triple LP. It reached number one in both the UK and the US.
→ Recording: All Things Must Pass by George Harrison – 11 August 1970
→ Mixing: Oh! Darling, Because, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – 12 August 1969
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