You (George Harrison song)

Last updated

"You"
You uk.jpg
UK picture sleeve
Single by George Harrison
from the album Extra Texture (Read All About It)
B-side "World of Stone"
Released12 September 1975
Genre Pop, soul
Length3:44
Label Apple
Songwriter(s) George Harrison
Producer(s) George Harrison
George Harrison singles chronology
"Ding Dong, Ding Dong"
(1974)
"You"
(1975)
"This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying)"
(1975)
Alternative cover
You 1975 US picture sleeve.jpg
US picture sleeve
"A Bit More of You"
Song by George Harrison
from the album Extra Texture (Read All About It)
Released22 September 1975
Genre Pop, soul
Length0:45
Label Apple
Songwriter(s) George Harrison
Producer(s) George Harrison

"You" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the opening track of his 1975 album Extra Texture (Read All About It) . It was also the album's lead single, becoming a top 20 hit in America and reaching number 9 in Canada. A 45-second instrumental portion of the song, titled "A Bit More of You", appears on Extra Texture also, opening side two of the original LP format. Harrison wrote "You" in 1970 as a song for Ronnie Spector, formerly of the Ronettes, and wife of Harrison's All Things Must Pass co-producer Phil Spector. The composition reflects Harrison's admiration for 1960s American soul/R&B, particularly Motown.

Contents

In February 1971, Ronnie Spector recorded "You" in London for a proposed solo album on the Beatles' Apple record label, but the recording remained unissued. Four years later, Harrison returned to this backing track while making his final album for Apple Records, in Los Angeles. The released recording features the 1971 contributions from Leon Russell, Jim Gordon and others, with further instrumentation and vocals overdubbed in 1975, notably a series of saxophone solos by Jim Horn. On release, the song was well received by the majority of music critics, who viewed it as a return to form for Harrison after his disappointing 1974 North American tour and the accompanying Dark Horse album. Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone hailed it as Harrison's best work since his 1970–71 hit song "My Sweet Lord"; author Ian Inglis describes "You" as "a near-perfect pop song". [1]

Capitol Records included "You" as one of just six Harrison solo hits, alongside compositions of his performed with the Beatles, on the 1976 compilation The Best of George Harrison . For the first time since the debut CD release of Extra Texture in the early 1990s, "You" was remastered, along with its parent album, as part of Harrison's 2014 Apple Years reissues.

Background and composition

George Harrison's admiration for American soul/R&B acts dated back to the early 1960s, to singles by Doris Troy, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and others. [2] A similar influence on him and his fellow Beatles was that era's girl group sound, as reflected in the band's choice of cover versions during 1962–63. [3] In 1969, while producing Billy Preston's debut album on Apple Records, [4] Harrison worked with Doris Troy in London and signed her to the label as a recording artist, songwriter and producer. [5] Another of his favourite female vocalists was Ronnie Spector [6] – formerly known as Veronica Bennett, [7] lead singer of girl group the Ronettes until 1967, and latterly married to American producer Phil Spector. [8] After co-producing Harrison's All Things Must Pass triple album in 1970, following the break-up of the Beatles, [9] Spector was granted an unofficial role as head of A&R for Apple Records, [10] and had previously insisted that his wife record for the label. [11] That year, Harrison wrote the soul-inspired "You" as what he later termed "a Ronettes sort of song", specifically for Ronnie Spector. [12]

The main lyrics – "I ... love ... you" and "You ... love ... me", in verses one and two, respectively [13] – make it one of Harrison's simplest compositions. [14] [15] Author Ian Inglis comments that Harrison's lyrics here recall the Beatles' use of personal pronouns in songs such as "Love Me Do", "From Me to You" and "She Loves You" to effectively "include the listener in the song's narrative". [1]

A deviation from these lines occurs only with the repeated bridges: [16]

And when I'm holding you, what a feeling
Seems so good to be true
That I'm telling you all that I must be dreaming.

Harrison musical biographer Simon Leng notes the importance of soul music in Harrison's solo career during the 1970s and views "You" as a song that most obviously demonstrates the influence of Motown on its composer. [17] [nb 1] Inglis suggests that Harrison's former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney adopted part of the melody of "You" for his 1976 hit single with Wings, "Silly Love Songs". [1]

Recording

1971 basic track

According to Leng, Harrison taped demos of "You" during the lengthy recording sessions for All Things Must Pass. [19] The sessions for a proposed Ronnie Spector solo album [20] began at London's Abbey Road Studios on 2 February 1971, [21] with Harrison and Phil Spector again co-producing [11] and Phil McDonald as recording engineer. [22]

Ronnie Spector, pictured in 1971 Ronnie Spector (1971).png
Ronnie Spector, pictured in 1971

Since the Ronettes' break-up in early 1967, Ronnie Spector had worked only sporadically, [23] and she later claimed to have been a virtual prisoner in her husband's 23-room Los Angeles mansion during this period. [24] [25] She flew in from California for the sessions, [26] which featured three musicians who had been part of the so-called "blue-eyed soul school" of the late 1960s, via their association with Delaney & Bonnie: [27] multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell on piano, Jim Gordon on drums, and Carl Radle on bass. [28] [nb 2] In addition to Harrison, who supplied guitar, another participant was Gary Wright, on keyboards, reprising his role on All Things Must Pass. [33] For two days, [34] this group of musicians taped the basic tracks for "You" and five other songs written or co-written by Harrison, with Ronnie Spector recording guide vocals only. [28] The sessions then "broke down", according to authors Chip Madinger and Mark Easter, due to "Phil's health issues", which had similarly interrupted the recording of All Things Must Pass in 1970. [35]

Despite the fact that "You" was tailor-made for his wife, Phil Spector opted not to issue the song as her comeback single; [12] he had likewise held back recordings by the Ronettes and the Crystals, [36] another act signed to his label, Philles Records, in the 1960s. [37] With the solo-album plan abruptly abandoned, [12] [20] another Harrison original from the sessions, "Try Some, Buy Some", was completed and selected for release as a Ronnie Spector single on Apple. [9] [38] A minor hit in America only, that song's disappointing commercial reception led to the cancellation of a second single, which was to be "You". [39] [40] [nb 3]

1975 overdubs

Four years after the Abbey Road sessions, Harrison revisited "You" while completing his final album for Apple Records, the soul-influenced Extra Texture (Read All About It) , [43] at A&M Studios in Los Angeles. [44] [45] His standing with music critics had recently plummeted following a North American tour with Ravi Shankar in November–December 1974 and his accompanying album, Dark Horse . [46] [47] These two projects had been marred by Harrison's laryngitis-ravaged singing voice; [48] [49] in addition, a number of concert reviewers had condemned Harrison for refusing to indulge the public's nostalgia for the Beatles, and for his on-stage spiritual pronouncements. [50] [51] [nb 4] Looking to rehabilitate himself with critics and his audience in early 1975, [55] Harrison had what author Robert Rodriguez describes as "at least one ace in the commercial hole ... the Motown-esque 'You'". [56]

Harrison recorded his own lead vocal onto the 1971 basic track, as he had done earlier with "Try Some, Buy Some", for Living in the Material World (1973). [57] [58] On 31 May 1975, further overdubs were carried out on "You", comprising a second drum part, by Jim Keltner; tenor sax solos from Jim Horn; and ambient keyboards, played by David Foster. [59] Harrison said that Horn's saxophone playing on the track was "one of the nicest rock-n-roll sounds I've heard in years". [60] The overdubs added to the song's radio-friendly qualities, particularly through the use of ARP String Synthesizer, [61] but Madinger and Easter note that Keltner's drum part, which is higher in the mix than Gordon's and was played in half-time, produces an effect whereby the song's tempo appears to be slower than on the 1971 recording. [41] With a significant amount of post-production work having been carried out in Los Angeles, [28] Spector did not receive a co-producer's credit for "You" as he had for Harrison's version of "Try Some, Buy Some". [62]

In September 1975 Harrison told BBC Radio 1's Paul Gambaccini that it was "such a good backing track" originally, yet he had forgotten about its existence until coming across the tape years later. [63] [64] In a 1987 interview, Harrison acknowledged the difficulty he had in singing the song in so high a key; [65] "it was recorded in Ronnie's register," he explains in his 1980 autobiography, "a bit high for me." [12] Although Ronnie Spector's name did not appear in the album credits, [66] snippets of her 1971 guide vocal remain on Harrison's released recording. [14] [67] Spector's voice can be heard intermittently from the two-minute mark onwards, [41] with her signature "woh oh-oh oh-oh"s audible during the song's playout. [68]

Release

An upbeat pop song in a similar vein to Harrison's 1971 hit "What Is Life", [45] "You" was the most obvious choice for a single off Extra Texture. [14] It was released in advance of the album, backed by "World of Stone", on 12 September 1975 in Britain (as Apple R 6007) and three days later in the United States (as Apple 1884). [69] [70] The picture sleeve in Britain featured a photo of a smiling Harrison taken on stage by 1974 tour photographer Henry Grossman; the US picture sleeve incorporated Roy Kohara's humorous design for the album, showing blue lettering on a vivid orange background. [71] In another example of the upbeat mood that was otherwise lacking in the musical content of Extra Texture, [72] [73] the single's face labels showed the familiar Apple Records logo as an apple core, a pun on the demise of the company. [74]

In the UK, where Harrison had undertaken promotional activities for the first time for Extra Texture, [75] [76] "You" was Radio 1's Record of the Week, [77] guaranteeing it substantial airplay. [14] The song peaked no higher than Harrison's previous hit there, "Ding Dong, Ding Dong", at number 38, however. [78] [nb 5] As with his Dark Horse singles, "You" performed better in America, [80] where it held the number 20 position for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. [45] [81] On the US charts compiled by Cash Box and Record World , the single peaked at number 19 and number 39, respectively. [45]

The song served as both the opener for Extra Texture as well as, in the form of a 45-second instrumental portion titled "A Bit More of You", the first track on side two of the original LP. [82] [83] Harrison biographer Dale Allison dismisses this reprise with the words "It's filler", [84] while Leng suggests its purpose was to "fashion a soul mood" for the song that follows, the pop-soul ballad "Can't Stop Thinking About You". [85] The full version of "You" appears on the 1976 compilation The Best of George Harrison as one of only six selections from Harrison's solo career up to the end of 1975. [86] [nb 6] Having last been remastered for the 1991–92 CD release of Extra Texture, [90] the song was remastered for inclusion on Harrison's Apple Years 1968–75 reissues, released in September 2014. [91] [92]

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews

After the so-called "Dark Hoarse" debacle in 1974, [93] and with his singing voice now healed, music critics viewed "You" as a return to form for Harrison. [94] The tone of the song suggested that, in the words of Robert Rodriguez, "the irritable, gravel-voiced mystic on tour the previous year had been but an illusion" [95] – an impression that was supported by the lightheartedness evident in the parent album's artwork and Harrison's self-deprecating "Ohnothimagen" producer's moniker. [96] [nb 7]

Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone wrote of the song: "'You,' the single which preceded Extra Texture ... is not only the best thing he has done since 1971's 'My Sweet Lord,' but also promised some of the prestige and credibility he lost with last year's sourvoiced album (Dark Horse) and fizzled tour." [98] In the NME , Neil Spencer opined: "'You' seems at least to proclaim a return to energy. It has the kind of semi-Spector production that was spread all over All Things Must Pass. It bounds along OK, Harrison's double-tracked vocals gasp convincingly, and it deserves to be the hit that it will be." [99] [100]

Reviewing for Melody Maker , Ray Coleman highlighted Harrison's vocal and the musical contributions from Horn and Russell, and said: "It's a dead cert disco smash, his finest single since 'My Sweet Lord'." Coleman added that the lyrics were "deceptively simple" since, as with Harrison's 1969 composition "Something", "they say a lot by saying a little." [60] Billboard called "You" a "catchy cut highlighted by his strongest singing in some time", saying that it had an effective hook and sounded like it could have fitted on All Things Must Pass. [101] Cash Box said the song had a "wall-of-sound approach a la 'What Is Love' (the Bangladesh concert sound)" and predicted high sales for the single, but added, "we're still looking for the next change from Harrison the musician." [102] Record World said "George once again shows his flair for the love ballad. With extra texture provided by a stellar cast of backing musicians headed by Tom Scott, who takes a great saxophone break, George is once again a chart contender." [103] Writing later in the 1970s, in their book The Beatles: An Illustrated Record , Roy Carr and Tony Tyler dismissed "You" with the words: "Doleful, lacklustre, [with] would-be singalongs which quite fail to arouse." [104]

Retrospective assessment and legacy

In his review of Harrison's 1987 album Cloud Nine , for Creem magazine, Bill Holdship included the song among the "scattered brilliant moments" of Harrison's career post-All Things Must Pass, saying: "'You' from the Extra Texture LP sounds like punk (depends on your definition) pop as Phil Spector might've done it, and remains a killer to this day. And when I saw Harrison perform in 1974, he put on a far better show than the one I would later see Wings do." [105] Writing in the posthumous Rolling Stone Press tribute, Harrison, in 2002, Mikal Gilmore similarly identified "You" as a highlight of the artist's work in the mid to late 1970s. [106] In the same publication, Greg Kot deemed it "a terrific single", adding: "Its roaring Wall of Sound arrangement suits Harrison well, right down to its closing quote of the Ronettes' 'Be My Baby'." [68] In a January 2002 review of Harrison's solo releases, for Goldmine magazine, Dave Thompson described the song as "magnificent". [107]

AllMusic's Lindsay Planer admires it as a "propulsive and rocking love song ... backed by one of Harrison's most liberated and driving melodies"; Planer also notes the "nonstop powerhouse instrumental track", driven by Gordon and Keltner's "double-barreled percussive assault". [108] Richard Ginell, also writing for AllMusic, calls the song an "instantly winning" single and album-opener, and rates it among the best tracks of Harrison's solo career. [109]

Among reviewers of Harrison's 2014 Apple Years reissues, New Zealand Herald critic Graham Reid describes "You" as a "remarkably upbeat rocker", [110] while Walter Tunis of the Lexington Herald-Leader considers Extra Texture to be "a delight", from the opening, "brightly orchestrated pop of You" through to the closing track, "His Name Is Legs". [111] Conversely, Paul Trynka of Classic Rock says that the song "sounds dull today, with its dated sessioneer funk", whereas "it's the confessional songs [on Extra Texture] that have worn well." [112]

Simon Leng views it as "a great pop record", adding: "'You' has the same surging spirit as [Motown classics] "Dancing in the Street" and "Heat Wave" and, as the lyrics are full of boy-meets-girl triteness, the groove is what carries it." [19] Ian Inglis identifies the song's strengths as its lyrical simplicity, a "soaring, galloping melody ... [that] encapsulates the joy of reciprocated love and the liberation of rock 'n' roll at its most exuberant", and the quality of the musicianship on the recording, particularly Jim Horn's contribution. Inglis concludes: "Even the slight unease [Harrison] has in striving to maintain some of the higher notes cannot detract from what is, quite simply, a near-perfect pop song." [1]

Two years after Harrison's death from cancer in November 2001, [113] American singer-songwriter Lisa Mychols covered "You" for the multi-artist compilation He Was Fab: A Loving Tribute to George Harrison [114] – a reading that Lindsay Planer describes as "affective" and a highlight of the album. [108] At the New York Celebrates George Harrison Concert on 26 February 2011, in honour of what would have been Harrison's 68th birthday, New York band the 253 Boys performed "You" in a medley with his Cloud Nine track "This Is Love". [115]

Personnel

* denotes May–June 1975 overdubs

Chart positions

Chart (1975)Peak
position
Canadian RPM 100 Singles [116] 9
France (SNEP) [117] 37
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart [118] 66
New Zealand Singles Chart [119] 35
Swedish Topplistan Singles [120] 19
UK Singles Chart [78] 38
US Billboard Hot 100 [121] 20
US Cash Box Top 100 [122] 19
US Record World Singles Chart [123] 39
West German Media Control Singles Chart [124] 43

Notes

  1. Other examples of what Leng terms "Harrison's Motown tributes" include "What Is Life" and "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long". [18]
  2. Before then, Russell and Gordon were members of the Wrecking Crew, a pool of LA-based musicians who regularly contributed to Phil Spector's classic 1960s recordings, [29] as well as to those by the Beach Boys, the Byrds and other acts. [30] Following their work together in Delaney & Bonnie, Gordon and Radle provided the rhythm section for Derek & the Dominos, [31] whose brief existence ended three months after these sessions in February 1971. [32]
  3. Two instrumental versions of "You" from the February 1971 sessions, one of which is the basic track to which Harrison returned in 1975, [41] are available unofficially on the bootleg compilation The Harri-Spector Show. [42]
  4. Adding to the high expectations surrounding these concerts, the Harrison–Shankar tour was the first North American tour by an ex-Beatle [52] and the first there by a former member of the band since 1966. [53] Beatles biographer Peter Doggett compares the shock caused by Harrison's apparent disdain for the band's legacy to that created by John Lennon's statement "I don't believe in Beatles", in the lyrics to his 1970 song "God". [54]
  5. On the national chart compiled by Melody Maker , the magazine listed the single at number 29. [79]
  6. Following the expiration of the individual Beatles' recording contracts with the Apple label's distributors, EMI and Capitol Records, in January 1976, [87] these record companies were free to combine Beatles and post-Beatles work on the same album. [88] The Best of George Harrison was the only example of such a compilation. [89]
  7. Originally intended as the title of Harrison's 1975 studio album, [63] "Ohnothimagen" was a deliberate misspelling of "Oh, not him again", and served as both a send-up of Harrison's serious image [96] and an acknowledgement of his critical unpopularity at the time. [97]

Related Research Articles

<i>Extra Texture (Read All About It)</i> 1975 studio album by George Harrison

Extra Texture (Read All About It) is the sixth studio album by English musician George Harrison, released on 22 September 1975. It was Harrison's final album under his contract with Apple Records and EMI, and the last studio album issued by Apple. The release came nine months after his troubled 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar and the poorly received Dark Horse album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photograph (Ringo Starr song)</span> 1973 single by Ringo Starr

"Photograph" is a song by English rock musician Ringo Starr that was released as the lead single from his 1973 album Ringo. Starr co-wrote it with George Harrison, his former bandmate from the Beatles. Although they collaborated on other songs, it is the only one officially credited to the pair. A signature tune for Starr as a solo artist, "Photograph" was an international hit, topping singles charts in the United States, Canada and Australia, and receiving gold disc certification for US sales of 1 million. Music critics have similarly received the song favourably; Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic considers it to be "among the very best post-Beatles songs by any of the Fab Four".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Try Some, Buy Some</span> 1971 song by Ronnie Spector

"Try Some, Buy Some" is a song written by English rock musician George Harrison that was first released in April 1971 as a single by American singer Ronnie Spector, formerly the lead vocalist of the Ronettes. She recorded it in London along with other Harrison compositions for a planned comeback album on the Beatles' Apple record label. The project was co-produced by Phil Spector, Ronnie's husband at the time, but abandoned following recording sessions that were hampered by his erratic behaviour. The only official release from the sessions, the single achieved minimal commercial success, peaking at number 77 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 63 on Canada's RPM Top 100. Harrison later added his own vocal onto a new mix of the instrumental track and included the song on his 1973 album Living in the Material World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ding Dong, Ding Dong</span> 1974 single by George Harrison

"Ding Dong, Ding Dong" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, written as a New Year's Eve singalong and released in December 1974 on his album Dark Horse. It was the album's lead single in Britain and some other European countries, and the second single, after "Dark Horse", in North America. A large-scale production, the song incorporates aspects of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound technique, particularly his Christmas recordings from 1963. In addition, some Harrison biographers view "Ding Dong" as an attempt to emulate the success of two glam rock anthems from the 1973–74 holiday season: "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade, and Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday". The song became only a minor hit in Britain and the United States, although it was a top-twenty hit elsewhere in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying)</span> 1975 song by George Harrison

"This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying)" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released on his 1975 studio album Extra Texture (Read All About It). Harrison wrote the song as a sequel to his popular Beatles composition "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", in response to the personal criticism he had received during and after his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar, particularly from Rolling Stone magazine. An edit of "This Guitar" was issued as a single in December 1975, as the final release by Apple Records in its original incarnation. The single failed to chart in either the United States or Britain.

"Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. It was scheduled to be issued as a single in September that year, as the follow-up to "Give Me Love ", but the release was cancelled. Music critics have traditionally viewed "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" as a highlight of the Material World album, praising its pop qualities and production, with some considering the song worthy of hit status.

"That Is All" is a song by English musician George Harrison released as the final track of his 1973 album Living in the Material World. A slow, heavily orchestrated ballad, it is one of many Harrison love songs that appear to be directed at either a woman or a deity. Harrison wrote and recorded the song during the height of his public devotion to Hinduism; on release, Rolling Stone described its lyrics as "a sort of Hindu In Paradisium".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World of Stone</span> 1975 song by George Harrison

"World of Stone" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released in 1975 on Extra Texture , his final album for Apple Records. It was also issued as the B-side of the album's lead single, "You". Harrison wrote the song in 1973 but recorded it two years later, following the unfavourable critical reception afforded his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar and the Dark Horse album. Due to its context on release, commentators view "World of Stone" as a plea from Harrison for tolerance from these detractors. According to some of his biographers, the lyrics reflect Harrison's doubts regarding his devotion to a spiritual path – an apparent crisis of faith that followed his often-unwelcome spiritual pronouncements during the tour, and which permeated his work throughout 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let It Down</span> 1970 song by George Harrison

"Let It Down" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. The recording was co-produced by Phil Spector and employs the latter's Wall of Sound production technique to lavish effect. Its brash opening and choruses contrast with the ethereal quality of the verses – a loud/soft approach that has been credited with influencing indie bands during the 1980s and 1990s.

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Māya Love</span> 1974 single by George Harrison

"Māya Love" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1974 album Dark Horse. The song originated as a slide guitar tune, to which Harrison later added lyrics relating to the illusory nature of love – maya being a Sanskrit term for "illusion", or "that which is not". Harrison's biographers consider the lyrical theme to be reflective of his failed marriage to Pattie Boyd, who left him for his friend Eric Clapton shortly before the words were written. Harrison recorded the song at his home, Friar Park, on the eve of his North American tour with Ravi Shankar, which took place in November and December 1974. The recording features Harrison's slide guitar extensively and contributions from four musicians who formed the nucleus of his tour band: Billy Preston, Tom Scott, Willie Weeks and Andy Newmark. Reviewers note the track as an example of its parent album's more diverse musical genres, namely funk and rhythm and blues, compared with the more traditional rock orientation of Harrison's earlier solo work.

"The Answer's at the End" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released in 1975 on his final album for Apple Records, Extra Texture . Part of the song lyrics came from a wall inscription at Harrison's nineteenth-century home, Friar Park, a legacy of the property's original owner, Sir Frank Crisp. This aphorism, beginning "Scan not a friend with a microscopic glass", had resonated with Harrison since he bought Friar Park in 1970, and it was a quote he often used when discussing his difficult relationship with his former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney.

"Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in 1975 on his album Extra Texture (Read All About It). Harrison wrote the composition as a tribute to American singer Smokey Robinson, whom he often identified as one of his favourite vocalists and songwriters. The song was intended as a companion piece to Robinson's 1965 hit with the Miracles, "Ooo Baby Baby", and its inclusion on Extra Texture contributed to that album's standing as Harrison's soul music album. His impersonation of Robinson's celebrated vocal style on the track, including portions sung in falsetto, contrasted with Harrison's hoarse, laryngitis-marred singing on his 1974 North American tour and the poorly received Dark Horse album.

"Can't Stop Thinking About You" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in 1975 on his final album for Apple Records, Extra Texture . A love song in the style of a soul/R&B ballad, it was written by Harrison in December 1973, towards the end of his marriage to Pattie Boyd and while he was having an affair with Maureen Starkey, the wife of his former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr. Having first considered the song for his 1974 release Dark Horse, Harrison recorded "Can't Stop Thinking About You" in Los Angeles in May 1975 for his so-called "soul album", Extra Texture. Some authors view its inclusion on the latter release as an obvious attempt by Harrison to commercialise the album, in response to the harsh critical reception afforded Dark Horse and his 1974 North American tour.

"Grey Cloudy Lies" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1975 album Extra Texture . Harrison wrote it in 1973 during a period that he characterised as his "naughty" years, coinciding with the failure of his marriage to Pattie Boyd and his divergence from the ascetic path of his Hindu-aligned faith. He returned to the song two years later when filled with despondency and self-doubt in response to the scathing reviews that his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar and Dark Horse album had received from several music critics.

"His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen)" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison, released in 1975 as the closing track of his album Extra Texture (Read All About It). The song is a tribute to "Legs" Larry Smith, the drummer with the 1960s satirical-comedy group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and one of many comedians with whom Harrison began associating during the 1970s. Smith appears on the recording, delivering a spoken monologue, while Harrison's lyrics similarly reflect the comedian's penchant for zany wordplay. The song serves as a precursor to Harrison's work with Monty Python members Eric Idle and Michael Palin, including his production of the troupe's 1975 single "The Lumberjack Song" and films such as Life of Brian (1979) that he produced under the aegis of his company HandMade Films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pure Smokey (song)</span> 1976 song by George Harrison

"Pure Smokey" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in 1976 on his debut album for Dark Horse Records, Thirty Three & 1/3. The song was the second of Harrison's musical tributes to American soul singer Smokey Robinson, following "Ooh Baby " in 1975. Harrison frequently cited Robinson as one of his favourite vocalists and songwriters, and Robinson's group the Miracles had similarly influenced the Beatles during the 1960s. In the lyrics to "Pure Smokey", Harrison gives thanks for the gift of Robinson's music, while making a statement regarding the importance of expressing appreciation and gratitude, rather than forgetting to do so and later regretting it. The song title came from the name of Robinson's 1974 album Pure Smokey.

"You and Me (Babe)" is a song by English musician Ringo Starr, released as the final track on his 1973 album Ringo. Starr's fellow ex-Beatle George Harrison wrote the song along with Mal Evans, the Beatles' longtime aide and a personal assistant to Starr during the making of Ringo. The track serves as a farewell from Starr to his audience in the manner of a show-closing finale, by lyrically referring to the completion of the album. During the extended fadeout, Starr delivers a spoken message in which he thanks the musicians and studio personnel who helped with the recording of Ringo – among them, Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and his producer, Richard Perry.

"I'll Still Love You" is a song written by English rock musician George Harrison and first released in 1976 by his former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr. Produced by Arif Mardin, the track appeared on Starr's debut album for Atlantic Records and Polydor, Ringo's Rotogravure. The composition had a long recording history before then, having been written in 1970 as "Whenever", after which it was copyrighted with the title "When Every Song Is Sung".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Care Anymore (George Harrison song)</span> 1974 single by George Harrison

"I Don't Care Anymore" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the B-side of the lead single from his 1974 album Dark Horse. The A-side was "Dark Horse" in the majority of countries internationally and "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" elsewhere, including the United Kingdom. It is one of Harrison's relatively rare compositions in the country music genre and, equally unusual among his 1970s releases, the recording is a solo performance.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Inglis, p. 50.
  2. Clayson, pp. 170–71.
  3. MadDonald, pp. 65–66, 79, 81.
  4. Andy Davis' liner notes, Doris Troy CD booklet (Apple/EMI, 2010; produced by Doris Troy & George Harrison).
  5. Leng, pp. 60–61.
  6. Kevin Howlett's liner notes, Living in the Material World CD booklet (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani Harrison & Olivia Harrison), p. 7.
  7. Clayson, p. 100.
  8. Leng, p. 105.
  9. 1 2 Rodriguez, p. 41.
  10. Williams, p. 159.
  11. 1 2 Spizer, p. 342.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Harrison, p. 218.
  13. Harrison, p. 219.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Clayson, p. 349.
  15. Huntley, p. 123.
  16. Harrison, pp 217, 219.
  17. Leng, pp. 70–71, 180.
  18. Leng, pp. 88, 129, 180.
  19. 1 2 Leng, p. 180.
  20. 1 2 Huntley, p. 65.
  21. Badman, p. 25.
  22. Madinger & Easter, pp. 434, 452.
  23. Spector, pp. 183–84.
  24. Romanowski & George-Warren, pp. 850, 934.
  25. Cameron Matthews, "Ronnie Spector Remembers Amy Winehouse, Reveals She Went to Rehab to Escape from Phil Spector", Spinner , 2 August 2011 (archived version retrieved 30 October 2013).
  26. Huntley, p. 64.
  27. Clayson, p. 274.
  28. 1 2 3 Madinger & Easter, p. 434.
  29. Williams, pp. 64–66, 190.
  30. Kent Hartman, "The Wrecking Crew", American Heritage , February/March 2007 (vol. 58, no. 1).
  31. Romanowski & George-Warren, p. 183.
  32. Phil Sutcliffe, "Derek and the Dominos: The Story of Layla", Mojo , May 2011; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  33. Huntley, pp. 52, 64.
  34. Badman, pp. 25–26.
  35. Madinger & Easter, pp. 427, 434.
  36. Spector, pp. 55, 113, 114.
  37. Bruce Eder, "The Crystals: Biography", AllMusic (retrieved 27 March 2013).
  38. Phil Symes, "Ronnie Tries it Solo", Disc and Music Echo , 8 May 1971; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  39. Schaffner, p. 160.
  40. Clayson, p. 281.
  41. 1 2 3 Madinger & Easter, p. 452.
  42. "George Harrison – The Harri-Spector Show", Bootleg Zone (retrieved 15 April 2013).
  43. Leng, pp. 178, 186.
  44. Madinger & Easter, pp. 451–52.
  45. 1 2 3 4 Spizer, p. 271.
  46. Rodriguez, p. 64.
  47. The Editors of Rolling Stone, pp. 44, 46.
  48. Lavezzoli, pp. 195–96.
  49. Madinger & Easter, pp. 442–43.
  50. Schaffner, pp. 177–78.
  51. Tillery, pp. 114–15.
  52. Clayson, p. 328.
  53. The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 126.
  54. Doggett, pp. 224–26.
  55. Woffinden, p. 86.
  56. Rodriguez, pp. 248, 280.
  57. Leng, pp. 133–34, 180.
  58. Kevin Howlett's liner notes, Extra Texture (Read All About It) CD booklet (Apple Records, 2014; produced by George Harrison), p. 4.
  59. Spizer, p. 275.
  60. 1 2 Ray Coleman, "Extra Texture: Back to the Sixties!", Melody Maker , 6 September 1975, p. 30.
  61. Rodriguez, p. 248.
  62. Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 125, 369.
  63. 1 2 George Harrison interview, Rockweek, "George Harrison introduces Extra Texture and explains 'You'" on YouTube (retrieved 1 July 2012).
  64. Badman, p. 165.
  65. Timothy White, "George Harrison: Reconsidered", Musician , November 1987, p. 53.
  66. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 376.
  67. Leng, p. 180fn.
  68. 1 2 The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 188.
  69. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 369.
  70. Madinger & Easter, pp. 632, 633.
  71. Spizer, pp. 271, 272.
  72. Rodriguez, p. 184.
  73. Doggett, p. 238.
  74. Spizer, pp. 271, 275.
  75. Ray Coleman, "Dark Horse", Melody Maker , 6 September 1975, p. 28.
  76. Hunt, p. 101.
  77. Badman, p. 169.
  78. 1 2 "Artist: George Harrison", Official Charts Company (retrieved 11 April 2014).
  79. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 385.
  80. Huntley, pp. 122, 123.
  81. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 355.
  82. Huntley, p. 125.
  83. Spizer, pp. 273, 274.
  84. Allison, p. 137.
  85. Leng, p. 184.
  86. Inglis, p. 65.
  87. Badman, p. 175.
  88. Schaffner, p. 188.
  89. Rodriguez, pp 124–26.
  90. Badman, p. 473.
  91. Joe Marchese, "Give Me Love: George Harrison’s 'Apple Years' Are Collected On New Box Set", The Second Disc, 2 September 2014 (retrieved 27 September 2014).
  92. Hal Horowitz, "George Harrison: The Apple Years, 1968–75", American Songwriter , 23 September 2014 (retrieved 28 September 2014).
  93. Woffinden, pp. 83–85.
  94. Huntley, p. 122.
  95. Rodriguez, pp. 184, 248.
  96. 1 2 Madinger & Easter, p. 451.
  97. Leng, p. 185.
  98. Dave Marsh, "George Harrison Extra Texture" Archived 20 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Rolling Stone , 20 November 1975, p. 75 (retrieved 19 July 2016).
  99. Neil Spencer, "George Harrison: Extra Texture (Apple)", NME , 20 September 1975, p. 23.
  100. Hunt, p. 103.
  101. "Top Single Picks", Billboard , 20 September 1975, p. 60 (retrieved 18 July 2020).
  102. "Cash Box Singles Reviews", Cash Box , 20 September 1975, p. 30 (retrieved 2 February 2022).
  103. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 20 September 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  104. Carr & Tyler, pp. 116–17.
  105. Bill Holdship, "George Harrison: Cloud Nine", Creem , March 1988; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  106. The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 46.
  107. Dave Thompson, "The Music of George Harrison: An album-by-album guide", Goldmine , 25 January 2002, p. 17.
  108. 1 2 Lindsay Planer, "George Harrison 'You'", AllMusic (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  109. Richard S. Ginell, "George Harrison Extra Texture", AllMusic (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  110. Graham Reid, "George Harrison Revisited, Part One (2014): The dark horse bolting out of the gate", Elsewhere , 24 October 2014 (retrieved 4 December 2014).
  111. Walter Tunis, "Critic's Pick: George Harrison, 'The Apple Years 1968–75'", kentucky.com, 14 October 2014 (retrieved 4 December 2014).
  112. Paul Trynka, "George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968–75", Classic Rock , November 2014, p. 105 (retrieved 29 November 2014).
  113. Tillery, pp. 147–48.
  114. Tim Sendra, "Various Artists He Was Fab: A Loving Tribute to George Harrison", AllMusic (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  115. Music and Fine Arts: "FPC's New York Celebrates George Harrison Concert – A Night Of Love And Bliss", Flower Power Creative, February 2011 (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  116. "George Harrison (Song artist 225)", Tsort pages (retrieved 27 December 2012).
  117. https://chartssinglestop40france.blogspot.com/2017/08/2-nov-1975.html
  118. "George Harrison: Chart Action (Japan)" Archived 23 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine , homepage1.nifty.com (retrieved 28 December 2012).
  119. "George Harrison – You", charts.org.nz (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  120. "George Harrison – You", swedishcharts.com (retrieved 16 April 2013).
  121. "Billboard Hot 100 (for week ending November 8, 1975)", Billboard , 8 November 1975, p. 60.
  122. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles", Cash Box , 8 November 1975, p. 4.
  123. "The Singles Chart", Record World , 1 November 1975, p. 29.
  124. "Single – George Harrison, You", charts.de (retrieved 3 January 2013).

Sources