Showing posts with label Eric Clapton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eric Clapton. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

All Things Must Pass: The Album

Because George Harrison's All Things Must Pass was issued as a triple album, it is associated with dozens of fascinating Beatles facts. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios from May to September, 1970, the LP was released on November 27, 1970 on Apple-EMI. It was produced by Harrison and Phil Spector.

Harrison had written many of the songs, such as "Isn't It a Pity," as early as 1966. Other songs, such as "All Things Must Pass" and "Hear Me Lord" were written slightly later and played during the Let It Be sessions. An elegant acoustic version of "All Things Must Pass" is featured on Anthology. Other songs were written while visiting Bob Dylan and The Band at Woodstock circa 1968. In fact, Harrison and Dylan co-wrote "I'd Have You Anytime." "Behind That Locked Door" was written for Dylan, who had left the stage at the Isle of Wight concert feeling disheartened after performing songs from Nashville Skyline and John Wesley Harding, songs that were understated compared to Dylan's more energetic electric/acoustic period--songs that did not receive the kind of enthusiastic response Dylan was anticipating. "Wah Wah" is allegedly a song aimed at McCartney, who had become overbearing during Beatles' sessions from the White Album on. Harrison, it is said, didn't want all of Paul's criticism, advice, and "wah wah." "The Ballad of Frankie Crisp" is an allusion to the nineteenth-century builder of the mansion at Harrison's estate at Friar Park, Sir Frank Crisp. Harrison learned "If Not For You" while attending a Dylan session for Dylan's New Morning LP. "Apple Scruffs" referred to Beatles fans that would wait outside of Abbey Road Studios or Apple headquarters at Saville Row to see the group. "It's Johnny's Birthday" was a gift for John Lennon.

Harrison played approximately fifteen songs for Spector on his acoustic guitar at the album's inception in May, 1970, these songs representing Harrison's growing backlog of songs accumulated before the Beatles' break-up since Harrison was only allotted one to three songs per album by the group. Some songs did not make Spector's cut and have never been issued: "Cosmic Empire," "Tell Me What Happened to You," "Mother Divine," Nowhere to Go," and "Window, Window." Other songs not included on the LP would find release on other Harrison albums and/or projects.

The third vinyl record (titled "Apple Jam") in the All Things Must Pass package consisted of long jam sessions with musician friends. Featured on the album are musicians such as Ringo Starr, Badfinger, Alan White, Billy Preston, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Klaus Voorman, Peter Frampton, and John Lennon.

The other Beatles were reportedly astonished at the success of Harrison's album, which reached the number one spot in both the UK and U.S. for eight and seven weeks respectively. The break-out single on the album was the immensely popular "My Sweet Lord" that would eventually embroil Harrison in a controversy over ownership of the song since the Chiffon's music company claimed it borrowed the melody from their hit, "He's So Fine."

In 2001, a remastered All Things Must Pass was issued, including recently re-recorded parts of "My Sweet Lord." Harrison had worked on the re-mastering of the triple LP in 2000 but died shortly after its release. The cover was changed from the original box set, which featured Harrison sitting on the grounds of Friar Park surrounded by short statues of gnomes. The work is now available on a two-CD mini-box set.

Covers of various tracks from "All Things Must Pass" were done by Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Tom Petty, Joe Cocker, Nina Simone, and the Rutles.

The tracks included:

I'd Have You Anytime
My Sweet Lord
Wah Wah
Isn't It a Pity (version 1)
What Is Life
If Not For You
Behind that Locked Door
Let It Down
Run of the Mill
Beware of Darkness
Apple Scruffs
Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
Awaiting on You All
All Things Must Pass
I Dig Love
Art of Dying
Isn't It a Pity (version 2)
Hear Me Lord
Out of the Blue
It's Johnny's Birthday
Plug Me In
I Remember Jeep
Thanks for the Pepperoni

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

The White Album

The White Album has about as many Beatles facts as any other album by the group. The double LP was recorded from May 30, 1968 to October 14, 1968, and the Beatles themselves admit it was "the beginning of the end" as band members more and more recorded their tracks (or parts of others' tracks) separately or in different studios at Abbey Road. (A few tracks were recorded at Trident Studios.) It was this time, in fact, that Ringo temporarily left the group. Also, Yoko began attending the sessions, and the album marks the first time other artists recorded with the Beatles, artists such as Eric Clapton ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps"), Jackie Lomax, and Dave Mason. It was released in the UK on November 22, 1968 and in the U.S. on November 25, 1968. Until 1977, it was the best-selling double LP of all time.

George Martin believed that the group should have recorded a solid single album, but the Beatles had written many songs while in India and had a backlog that they were determined to put out in this double-package format. Even then, many songs did not make it onto the final product, such as Harrison's "Not Guilty," Lennon's "What's the New Mary Jane," and several others. (The two mentioned above are included on Anthology.

Harrison, Lennon, and Starr felt at this point that they were becoming a back-up band for McCartney (although Starr quit because he felt he wasn't drumming well). McCartney was paying extraordinary attention to his own material at the expense of working on the others' material, although there are some notable exceptions. Starr noted in Anthology, for example, that the feuding went out the window when the group was working on a solid track, such as "Yer Blues."

Many present at the sessions, such as former Quarryman Pete Shotton, felt that Yoko's presence stifled communication among the band members, who no longer felt as if the sessions were intimate enough to offer constructive criticism. At one point, Ono moved her bed into the studio because she was ill, and biographers have stated that she went as far as offering criticisms for various tracks, a gesture that didn't sit well with Harrison, McCartney, or Starr.

There are even great facts surrounding the actual white packaging. The official title of the LP was The Beatles, which was embossed on the cover together with serial numbers to make each copy completely distinctive. (The numbering was allegedly McCartney's idea.) Inside the album was a large fold-out sheet with a collage of pictures of the Beatles on one side and the lyrics to all album songs on the other. The package also contained decent-sized, individual color pictures of each band member. The design for the collage was done by Jeremy Banks.

The working title for the album was A Doll's House. After "Cry Baby Cry," part of a McCartney song is heard with the lyric "Can you take me back where I feel good, brother can you take me back." This track is not listed on the album even though "Wild Honey Pie," another snippet, is included.

Lennon liked his work on the White Album very much. Harrison liked the LP as well, although like George Martin, he felt that there was too much material for the listener to deal with. Starr thought it was a better exercise in pure rock and roll, unlike the very experimental Sgt. Pepper. McCartney has always defended the album simply on the basis that it was a Beatles' album and sold well, although he has also added that it has merit because it shows the band in an atmosphere where it was free to experiment.

The White Album also fed the "Paul Is Dead" mania because there are bits and pieces of sentences from "Revolution 9" which, when played backwards, seem to reveal Lennon saying "Turn me on dead man" or other fragments alluding to Paul's demise. As far as this track in general, McCartney, Starr, and Harrison did not like it at all and fought unsuccessfully to keep it from being included.

The tracks included:

Back in the U.S.S.R.
Dear Prudence
Glass Onion
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Wild HOney Pie
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Happiness Is a Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
I'm So Tired
Blackbird
Piggies
Rocky Raccoon
Don't Pass Me By
Why Don't We Do It in the Road
I Will
Julia
Birthday
Yer Blues
Mother Nature's Son
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey
Sexy Sadie
Helter Skelter
Long, Long, Long
Revolution I
Honey Pie
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry
Revolution 9
Good Night

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Friday, February 13, 2009

Beatles Song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

This Harrison songs, written and performed during The White Album sessions, relates to several facts, some widely known, some not. George wrote the song while visiting his parents' home. He'd been reading the I Ching and was focusing on the idea of synchronicity. When he opened the first book he came to, he saw the words "gently weeps."

An acoustic version with slightly different lyrics (and which is included on Anthology) was recorded on July 25, 1968. Harrison had worked on the song with John, Paul, and Ringo, but he did not think they were very enthusiastic about it. He therefore asked Eric Clapton to play lead on the version that was put on the LP. In Anthology, George explains how whenever another musician was brought in during this turbulent period, the other band members behaved themselves. A future example would be Billy Preston

The song was performed at The Concert for Bangladesh.

Harrison sang lead, with Lennon and McCartney doing backing vocals. Harrison and Lennon played acoustic guitars, Clapton played lead, McCartney bass and piano, and Starr drums and tambourine.

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

Beatles Song: Here Comes the Sun

One of many Beatles facts that escapes fans is that Harrison's upbeat "Here Comes the Sun" was written as an antidote to the long dreary winter he was enduring after Apple Corps was formed and the Beatles were floundering in their new business projects--and constantly fighting among themselves. Harrison, who said that he was always amazed at how much could be done with simple variations on the D chord, was tired of dealing with accountants and business deals at Apple, so one day he dodged his corporate obligations and went to Eric Clapton's house, where he wandered through the gardens with one of Clapton's acoustic guitars. A few hours later, the basic song was written.

It remains one of Harrison's most popular songs. Recorded on July 7, 1969, the track appears on Abbey Road. It was performed live at The Concert for Bangladesh.

Harrison sang lead, while Lennon and McCartney provided backing vocals. It is acknowledged fact that all four Beatles did hand-claps for the bridge. Harrison and Lennon play acoustic guitar, McCartney bass, and Starr drums. Harrison also plays Moog synthesizer. This is the electronic sound that "spirals down" right before the first verse begins.

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