Early Takes: Volume 1 | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 1 May 2012 | |||
Recorded | 1970–1980s | |||
Genre | Rock, folk | |||
Length | 30:29 | |||
Label | UMe | |||
Producer | George Harrison | |||
Compiler | Giles Martin | |||
George Harrison chronology | ||||
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Early Takes: Volume 1 is a compilation album of outtakes and demo recordings by the English rock musician George Harrison, released posthumously on 1 May 2012. The recordings appeared in Martin Scorsese's 2011 documentary film George Harrison: Living in the Material World and were originally issued as part of the deluxe version of the DVD release. Producer Giles Martin compiled the album, working with engineer Paul Hicks. The majority of the tracks date from the sessions for Harrison's 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass .
Giles Martin said he was invited by George Harrison's widow Olivia to hear tapes of Harrison's unreleased recordings in 2009 [1] and to help compile the music for Martin Scorsese's 2011 documentary film George Harrison: Living in the Material World . [2] Martin worked on the project with engineer Paul Hicks at Harrison's Friar Park home in Oxfordshire. [1] In music historian Warren Zanes' description, the creation of the film "will likely be remembered as one of the great archaeological digs in rock and roll’s material history". [1]
According to Olivia Harrison, the decision to release an album of this unissued music was mainly for her late husband's fans. She added: "They wanted to hear it, they've asked for it ... They're so close to the songs, and these early takes really get to the essence of the songs." [3]
Six of the album's ten tracks date from the sessions for Harrison's 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass . [4] [5] These include a demo of "My Sweet Lord" that Martin said Harrison taped at the start of the project, with a rhythm section comprising Ringo Starr and Klaus Voormann. Writing in 2014, rock historian Richie Unterberger said that the Early Takes versions of "All Things Must Pass" and "Awaiting on You All" were probably recorded at the same time with this line-up. [5] According to the recording notes compiled for the 50th anniversary release of All Things Must Pass, the demo session with Starr and Voormann took place on 26 May 1970, two days before the start of formal recording for the triple album. [6]
Early Takes also includes Harrison's solo version of "Run of the Mill", which he taped on 27 May [5] during the second day of demo recording. [7] [nb 1] Citing Martin's comments in a 2012 interview for MusicRadar , Unterberger says that the early take of "Woman Don't You Cry for Me" probably dates from the All Things Must Pass period. Harrison subsequently re-recorded the song for his 1976 album Thirty Three & ⅓ . The Early Takes version is performed in a country blues style, with acoustic guitar and jew's harp. [5] [nb 2]
The cover versions of Bob Dylan's "Mama You've Been on My Mind" and the Everly Brothers' hit "Let It Be Me" represented new songs in Harrison's solo catalogue. All the other demos and early takes were of songs that he officially released between 1970 and 1976. [4] Harrison recorded "Mama You've Been on My Mind" at his Friar Park studio in the 1980s. Martin decided to strip back Harrison's demo, removing most of the keyboard and drum-machine backing. [11] The demo of "Let It Be Me" dates from 1983 and was made soon after Harrison had attended a concert on the Everly Brothers' reunion tour, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. [12]
Martin chose to end the album with Harrison's demo of "The Light That Has Lighted the World". [13] Harrison had intended the song to be the B-side of a single he was producing for Cilla Black in August 1972. He instead completed it for inclusion on his 1973 album Living in the Material World . [14]
Early Takes: Volume 1 was released as a stanadalone album on 1 May 2012 by UMe [15] on CD, LP and as a digital download. [16] The album was originally issued in October 2011, as part of a deluxe edition Blu-ray, DVD and CD release of the documentary in the United Kingdom. [17] According to Unterberger, the six All Things Must Pass-era demos and early takes were "ravenously welcomed" by ardent Harrison fans, but there was also disappointment at the lack of recording details supplied with the album. [5] In his MusicRadar interview, Martin said that he still had a large amount of Harrison's recording archive to explore and there was no formal schedule in place for releasing further volumes of his demos and outtakes. [13]
Early Takes debuted at number 66 in the UK [18] and number 20 on the US Billboard 200. [19] In other US charts, it peaked at number 3 on Billboard's Top Soundtracks, number 7 on Top Rock Albums and number 17 on Top Digital Albums. [20] The compilation also debuted at number 51 on the Canadian Albums Chart. [21]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 79/100 [22] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [23] |
American Songwriter | [24] |
The Independent | [25] |
Mojo | [26] |
Music Story | [27] |
No Ripcord | 9/10 [28] |
PopMatters | [29] |
Record Collector | [30] |
Rolling Stone | [31] |
Ultimate Classic Rock | 8/10 [32] |
Uncut | 8/10 [33] |
David Fricke of Rolling Stone said that the album deserved a "brass-band welcome" and concluded: "This set's subtitle suggests there are more rarities to come; based on the quality here, I propose a full-blown Anthology." [31]
Writing in the Uncut Ultimate Music Guide title on Harrison, in 2018, Peter Watts gave Early Takes a five-star review and described it as a "miraculous" collection that featured the best cover art of all the artist's compilation albums and included engaging performances by Harrison, particularly his "rapturous first take" of "Awaiting on You All". [34]
All songs written by George Harrison, except where noted.
Chart (2012) | Peak Position |
---|---|
Belgian Ultratop (Flanders) Albums [35] | 97 |
Canadian Albums Chart [21] | 51 |
French SNEP Albums [36] | 177 |
Italian FIMI Albums [37] | 58 |
Japanese Oricon Weekly Albums Chart | 88 |
Netherlands Album Top 100 [38] | 61 |
Norwegian VG-lista Topp 40 Albums [39] | 37 |
Spanish Promusicae Top 100 Albums [40] | 89 |
UK Albums Chart [41] | 66 |
US Billboard 200 [42] | 20 |
US Top Rock Albums [42] | 7 |
The Beatles' bootleg recordings are recordings of performances by the Beatles that have attained some level of public circulation without being available as a legal release. The term most often refers to audio recordings, but also includes video performances. Starting with vinyl releases in the 1970s, through CD issues in the late 1980s, and continuing with digital downloads starting in the mid 1990s, the Beatles have been, and continue to be, among the most bootlegged artists.
All Things Must Pass is the third studio album by the English rock musician George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes the hit singles "My Sweet Lord" and "What Is Life", as well as songs such as "Isn't It a Pity" and the title track that had been overlooked for inclusion on releases by the Beatles. The album reflects the influence of Harrison's musical activities with artists such as Bob Dylan, the Band, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends and Billy Preston during 1968–70, and his growth as an artist beyond his supporting role to former bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney. All Things Must Pass introduced Harrison's signature slide guitar sound and the spiritual themes present throughout his subsequent solo work. The original vinyl release consisted of two LPs of songs and a third disc of informal jams titled Apple Jam. Several commentators interpret Barry Feinstein's album cover photo, showing Harrison surrounded by four garden gnomes, as a statement on his independence from the Beatles.
"My Sweet Lord" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in November 1970 on his triple album All Things Must Pass. It was also released as a single, Harrison's first as a solo artist, and topped charts worldwide; it was the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK. In America and Britain, the song was the first number-one single by an ex-Beatle. Harrison originally gave the song to his fellow Apple Records artist Billy Preston to record; this version, which Harrison co-produced, appeared on Preston's Encouraging Words album in September 1970.
"Old Brown Shoe" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. Written by George Harrison, the group's lead guitarist, it was released on a non-album single in May 1969, as the B-side to "The Ballad of John and Yoko". The song was subsequently included on the band's compilation albums Hey Jude, 1967–1970 and Past Masters, Volume Two. Although "Old Brown Shoe" remains a relatively obscure song in the band's catalogue, several music critics view it as one of Harrison's best compositions from the Beatles era and especially admire his guitar solo on the track.
"All Things Must Pass" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, issued in November 1970 as the title track to his triple album of the same name. Billy Preston released the song originally – as "All Things (Must) Pass" – on his Apple Records album Encouraging Words (1970) after the Beatles had rehearsed the song in January 1969 but did not include it on their Let It Be album. The composition reflects the influence of the Band's sound and communal music-making on Harrison, after he had spent time with the group in Woodstock, New York, in late 1968. In his lyrics, Harrison drew inspiration from Timothy Leary's poem "All Things Pass", a psychedelic adaptation of the Tao Te Ching.
"What Is Life" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. In many countries, it was issued as the second single from the album, in February 1971, becoming a top-ten hit in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, and topping singles charts in Australia and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, "What Is Life" appeared as the B-side to "My Sweet Lord", which was the best-selling single there of 1971. Harrison's backing musicians on the song include Eric Clapton and the entire Delaney & Bonnie and Friends band, with whom he had toured during the final months of the Beatles. Harrison co-produced the recording with Phil Spector, whose Wall of Sound production also employed a prominent string arrangement by John Barham and multiple acoustic rhythm guitars, played by Harrison's fellow Apple Records signings Badfinger.
"Beware of Darkness" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. It is the opening track on the second disc of the album. The lyrics warn against allowing illusion to get in the way of one's true purpose in life, an admonition that, like the content of "My Sweet Lord", reflects the influence of Harrison's association with the Radha Krishna Temple. Several critics recognise the song as one of the best tracks on All Things Must Pass.
"The Light That Has Lighted the World" is a song by English musician George Harrison released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. It is viewed as a statement on Harrison's discomfort with the attention afforded him as an ex-Beatle and features a prominent contribution from English session pianist Nicky Hopkins, along with a highly regarded slide guitar solo from Harrison. Around the time it was recorded, in late 1972, "The Light That Has Lighted the World" was rumoured to be the title track of the forthcoming album. Harrison originally intended it as a song for English singer Cilla Black, whose version of his 1970 composition "When Every Song Is Sung" he produced before starting work on Living in the Material World.
"Isn't It a Pity" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. It appears in two variations there: one the well-known, seven-minute version; the other a reprise, titled "Isn't It a Pity (Version Two)". Harrison wrote the song in 1966, but it was rejected for inclusion on releases by the Beatles. In many countries around the world, the song was also issued on a double A-side single with "My Sweet Lord". In America, Billboard magazine listed it with "My Sweet Lord" when the single topped the Hot 100 chart, while in Canada, "Isn't It a Pity" reached number 1 as the preferred side.
"I Live for You" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison originally recorded during the sessions for his All Things Must Pass triple album in 1970. Long available on bootlegs, the song was finally released officially as a bonus track on the 30th anniversary reissue of All Things Must Pass in January 2001. The released recording features only Harrison's lead vocal and Pete Drake's prominent pedal-steel guitar from the 1970 album sessions, with all other instruments overdubbed by Harrison and his son Dhani in 2000. Despite the wealth of unreleased material recorded for All Things Must Pass, it was the only new song included with the album's 2001 reissue. Music critics recognise "I Live for You" as one of many George Harrison compositions that can be interpreted as both a traditional love song and a devotional song.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World is a 2011 documentary film co-produced and directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the life of musician George Harrison, former member of the Beatles. The film's release was coordinated with both a companion book and an album of Harrison's demo recordings. The film earned Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Nonfiction Special.
"I'd Have You Anytime" is a song written by George Harrison and Bob Dylan, released in 1970 as the opening track of Harrison's first post-Beatles solo album, All Things Must Pass. The pair wrote the song at Dylan's home in Bearsville, near Woodstock in upstate New York, in November 1968. Its creation occurred during a period when Harrison had outgrown his role in the Beatles and Dylan had withdrawn from the pressures of fame to raise a family. "I'd Have You Anytime" is recognised as a statement of friendship between the two musicians, whose meetings from 1964 onwards resulted in changes in musical direction for both Dylan and the Beatles. The song reflects the environment in which it was written, as Harrison's verses urge the shy and elusive Dylan to let down his guard, and the Dylan-composed choruses respond with a message of welcome.
"Run of the Mill" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. Harrison wrote the song shortly after the Beatles' troubled Get Back sessions in early 1969, during a period when his growth as a songwriter had inadvertently contributed to the dysfunction within the Beatles' group dynamic. It is commonly asserted that the lyrics reflect the toll that running their company Apple Corps had taken on relationships within the band, especially between Paul McCartney and the other three Beatles, as well as Harrison's dismay at John Lennon's emotional withdrawal from the band. Many commentators recognise "Run of the Mill" as one of several Harrison compositions that provide an insight into events behind the Beatles' break-up, particularly the difficulties surrounding Apple.
"Awaiting on You All" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1970 triple album, All Things Must Pass. Along with the single "My Sweet Lord", it is among the more overtly religious compositions on All Things Must Pass, and the recording typifies co-producer Phil Spector's influence on the album, due to his liberal use of reverberation and other Wall of Sound production techniques. Harrison recorded the track in London backed by musicians such as Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Klaus Voormann, Jim Gordon and Jim Price – many of whom he had toured with, as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, in December 1969, while still officially a member of the Beatles. Musically, the composition reflects Harrison's embracing of the gospel music genre, following his production of fellow Apple Records artists Billy Preston and Doris Troy.
"Behind That Locked Door" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. Harrison wrote the song in August 1969 as a message of encouragement to Bob Dylan, who was making a highly publicised comeback to the concert stage, accompanied by the Band, with a headlining performance at the Isle of Wight Festival. "Behind That Locked Door" is a rare Harrison composition in the country music genre and the second song dealing with the friendship between himself and Dylan, after their 1968 collaboration "I'd Have You Anytime". Its lyrics address Dylan's elusive nature, and reflect the high regard in which Harrison held the American singer's work. The same reluctance on Dylan's part to re-engage with a concert audience led to him retreating again from live performance until August 1971, when he responded to Harrison's request to play at the Concert for Bangladesh.
"Art of Dying" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. Harrison began writing the song in 1966 while still a member of the Beatles and during a period when he had first become enamoured with Hindu-aligned spirituality and other aspects of Indian culture. The subject matter is reincarnation and the need to avoid rebirth, by limiting actions and thoughts that lead to one's soul returning in another, earthbound life form.
"Hear Me Lord" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. It was the last track on side four of the original LP format and is generally viewed as the closing song on the album, disc three being the largely instrumental Apple Jam. Harrison wrote "Hear Me Lord" in January 1969 while still a member of the Beatles, who rehearsed it briefly at Twickenham Film Studios that month, but passed it over for inclusion on what became their final album, Let It Be.
Is This What You Want? is the debut album by English rock and soul singer Jackie Lomax, released in 1969 on the Beatles' Apple record label. It was produced by George Harrison and features contributions from Harrison's Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The album includes Lomax's debut single for Apple, the Harrison-written "Sour Milk Sea". The US version added "New Day", which was produced by Lomax and released as a non-album single in Britain.
Apple Jam is the third LP included in English rock musician George Harrison's 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. It consists of four instrumental jams, three of which were recorded during the album sessions, and "It's Johnny's Birthday", a 30th birthday tribute to John Lennon. The disc was Apple Records' way of placating record buyers for the high retail price of All Things Must Pass, which was one of the first triple albums in rock history. It was given a dedicated design by Tom Wilkes, with a logo depicting a jam jar and apple leaves.
Beware of ABKCO! is a bootleg album of songs performed by English rock musician George Harrison in May 1970. It contains songs that were under consideration for Harrison's triple album All Things Must Pass, his first release as a solo artist following the break-up of the Beatles. The performances were taped in a single session at Abbey Road Studios in London, on 27 May 1970, for the benefit of Harrison's co-producer, Phil Spector. Seven of the fifteen songs were subsequently recorded formally for inclusion on All Things Must Pass, as was "Everybody, Nobody" after Harrison reworked it as "Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp ". From its 1994 release by Strawberry Records, the bootleg provided the only available record of five songs that Harrison never revisited during his career. Among these is a 1968 collaboration with Bob Dylan titled "Nowhere to Go". All fifteen songs were officially released in August 2021, as part of the Uber and Super deluxe editions of the All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary box set.
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