Friday 7 August 1970 | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector | Engineers: Phil McDonald, Richard Lush
Friday 7 August 1970 was the 30th recording session for George Harrison’s third solo album, All Things Must Pass. The backing tracks for the album had been completed on 25 July, and Harrison was now deep into an intensive period of overdub work at Abbey Road, collaborating with arranger John Barham on sessions that ran from 28 July through to 12 August 1970.
The Overdub Phase
With the backing tracks finished, the focus of the All Things Must Pass sessions shifted to overdubs — the additional layers of instrumentation, strings, brass and vocals that would give the album its vast, orchestral sound. John Barham, who had previously worked with Harrison on the Wonderwall Music soundtrack, was responsible for the arrangements during this phase.
The precise recording details for each individual day during the 28 July–12 August overdub period are not fully documented. What is known is that Harrison maintained a disciplined four-day working week throughout the album’s recording sessions, taking breaks from Saturday through to Monday. The 7 August session fell on a Friday — the final working day of his week.
The album was being produced jointly by Harrison and Phil Spector, whose ‘Wall of Sound’ production philosophy — characterised by dense, layered orchestration and a cavernous reverb — was central to the album’s sonic identity. All Things Must Pass would be released as a triple album on 27 November 1970, becoming one of the most celebrated solo albums by any former Beatle.
George Harrison — officially licensed merch
George Harrison All Things Must Pass T-Shirt in grey.
All Things Must Pass in Context
By August 1970, The Beatles had officially disbanded — Paul McCartney had announced his departure in April, and the group’s final album Let It Be had been released in May. For Harrison, the dissolution of The Beatles represented both a loss and a liberation. During the final years of the group, he had accumulated a large backlog of songs that Lennon and McCartney had consistently crowded out of Beatles albums. All Things Must Pass was the release of that backlog — a triple album’s worth of material that had been waiting for its moment.
The album’s title track, ‘All Things Must Pass’, had been offered to The Beatles as far back as 1969 and rejected. The song ‘Isn’t It a Pity’ had been written in 1966. ‘My Sweet Lord’ would become the first number one single by a solo Beatle in the UK. The sessions at Abbey Road in the summer of 1970 — including the 30th session on 7 August — were the culmination of years of creative accumulation.
George Harrison — officially licensed merch
George Harrison All Things Must Pass Text Infill T-Shirt in white.
George Harrison All Things Must Pass Text Infill T-Shirt (White) →
Key Facts
| Date | Friday 7 August 1970 |
| Studio | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London |
| Producers | George Harrison, Phil Spector |
| Engineers | Phil McDonald, Richard Lush |
| Session number | 30th recording session for All Things Must Pass |
| Phase | Overdubs (backing tracks completed 25 July 1970) |
| Arranger | John Barham (overdub sessions 28 July – 12 August 1970) |
| Working pattern | Four-day week (breaks Saturday–Monday) |
| Album released | 27 November 1970 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was All Things Must Pass recorded?
All Things Must Pass was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1970. The backing tracks were completed on 25 July 1970, with overdub sessions running from 28 July through to 12 August. The album was released on 27 November 1970.
Who produced All Things Must Pass?
All Things Must Pass was produced jointly by George Harrison and Phil Spector. Spector’s Wall of Sound production style — characterised by dense orchestration and heavy reverb — was central to the album’s sound.
Who was John Barham and what was his role on All Things Must Pass?
John Barham was a British arranger and musician who had previously worked with George Harrison on the Wonderwall Music soundtrack. On All Things Must Pass, he worked with Harrison on overdub arrangements during the sessions from 28 July to 12 August 1970.
Why was All Things Must Pass a triple album?
All Things Must Pass was a triple album because Harrison had accumulated a large backlog of songs during his years with The Beatles, many of which had been passed over in favour of Lennon and McCartney compositions. The dissolution of The Beatles in 1970 gave him the freedom to release this material in full.
→ Recording: All Things Must Pass by George Harrison – 4 August 1970
→ Recording: All Things Must Pass by George Harrison – 29 July 1970
→ George Harrison visits Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco – 7 August 1967
→ George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ August in Beatles History
→ On This Day in Beatles History
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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