Attended the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969, became an educator for 35 years after graduation from college, and am retired now and often volunteer at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts which is on the site of that 1969 festival.
May 8, 1954: BBC radio in the UK banned the Johnny Ray song ‘Such a Night’ after listeners complained about its ‘suggestiveness’. Ray was famous for his emotional stage act, which included beating up his piano and writhing on the floor. (see February 23, 1955 for next Fear of Rock; see Johnnie Ray Such A Night for much more)
May 8 Music et al
“Don’t Look Back“
May 8, 1965: while filming of what would become the documentary “Don’t Look Back”, May 8 Music et alnext to London’s Savoy Hotel. Featuring nothing but Dylan surrounded by friends Allen Ginsberg and Bob Neuwirth, flipping giant cue cards with the lyrics of the song on them, the clip — one of the first “music videos” — becomes an iconic rock moment. The cards were painted by Alan Price of The Animals and Joan Baez. (see May 11)
May 8 Music et al
LSD
May 8 – 10, 1965: the Second International Conference on the Use of LSD in Psychotherapy and Alcoholism was held at the South Oaks Hospital, Amityville, NY,. (see August 7)
May 8 Music et al
Let It Be lp
May 8, 1970: Let It Be lp released (the album had 3,700,000 advance orders) It is the “last” Beatle lp released, but most of it was recorded in January 1969, before the recording and release of the Abbey Road album . For this reason, some critics argue that Abbey Road should be considered the group’s final album and Let It Be the penultimate. (see May 20)
Label: Parlophone (UK), United Artists (US)
Recorded: February 1968, January–February 1969, January and March–April 1970,
EMI and Apple studios and Twickenham Film Studios, London
Produced by George Martin (uncredited) and Phil Spector.
The entertainment business and the venues that are part of that business is a volatile one. What is fashionable and successful one moment is gone and forgotten the next.
105 Second Avenue in Manhattan is most famous as the site of Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, at least among the thousands of Baby Boomers who attended the shows there from March 8, 1968 to June 27, 1971, only 1206 nights later. In the grand scheme of things, that’s pretty short.
Village Theater NYC
The Commodore Theater
Originally, the venue opened as the Commodore Theatre in 1925-1926 and presented Yiddish vaudeville and films.
According the the wonderfully extensive “Streets You Crossed” site, the Commodore was decorated in the Adamesque style. It was also occasionally used as a meeting hall for leftist groups in the ’30s and ’40s.
Later, Lowes took over the site as strictly a movie theater.
And between Lowes and Bill Graham, it was the Village Theater and resembled the Fillmore East in many ways.
Village Theater NYC
The Village Theater
Perhaps I’ll be able to find a more specific timeline, but The Village Theater seems to appear in the early 1960s. The Streets site said it was “Managed by Ben Barenholtz (who later operated the Elgin, a revival/art/midnight movie house at 175 Eighth Avenue–which is now the Joyce, a dance performance space), the Village Theater functioned as “a sort of bargain-basement counterculture Carnegie Hall,”
The Streets site has also collected many advertisements the Theater placed in the Village Voice and they reflect the broad range of presentations that the Village Theater had.
Cosmic Love-In
One included a Cosmic Love-In supported the 1968 Presidential campaign of Louis Abolafia and his Love ticket. The event was promoted as four continuous days and nights. Along the way, a James Stevenson article in the May 5, 1967 issue of the New Yorker quoted Abolafia as saying, ““In running for the Presidency I’m trying to bring about a world unity. We should be a country of giving and giving and giving. The way we’re going now, we’re all wrong. We could be giants; we should be 10 times above what the Renaissance was…”
He would receive about 2 million votes.
Village Theater NYC
WOR-FM
WOR-FM held its first anniversaryconcert there on June 11, 1967, with Janis Ian, the Blues Project, Richie Havens, the Chambers Brothers, Jeremy and the Satyrs, and the Doors, all emceed by WOR jocks like Rosko, Murray the K, and Scott Muni.
TheDoorsplayed the theater again on September 9, 1967 and it was not long after that that Bill Graham purchased the site.
Village Theater NYC
Long Long List
Jesse Jarnow is a writer and a DJ on WFMU. ..IMHO, one of the greatest radio stations in the world. He has assembled a list of all the shows the Village Theater presented between March 28, 1964 and February 24, 1968. Perusing this list it becomes pretty obvious that the variety is much like Bill Graham‘s vaunted diversity:
November 29-30, 1963, Lenny Bruce
March 28, 1964, Lenny Bruce, days before his bust at the Cafe au Go Go
November 19, 1965, Donovan
Donovan’s New York debut, promoted by Harold Leventhal, longtime manager of Pete Seeger, The Weavers, and many others. Leventhal had also put on Bob Dylan’s first formal New York concert at Carnegie Chapter Hall in 1961.
November 24, 1965, Chuck Berry, The Blues Project, The Undercurrents
Chuck Berry was backed by Al Kooper and the Blues Project. Hosted by Jack Walker.
November 30, 1965, Lenny Bruce, Mongo Santamaria & Co.
July 29, 1966
The Avant-Garde, presented by Joe Pinelli & Lovebeast Enterprises, MC: Alan Grant
Ornette Coleman Trio, Giuseppi Logan Quartet, Frank Smith Sextet
August 12, 1966 he Avant-Garde, presented by Joe Pinelli & Lovebeast Enterprises, MC: Alan Grant
John Coltrane Quintet, Marion Brown Quintet, Jeanne-Lee/Ran Blake Duo
August 26, 1966, The Avant-Garde, presented by Joe Pinelli & Lovebeast Enterprises, MC: Alan Grant
Archie Shepp Quartet, Albert Ayler Quintet, Frank Smith Sextet
September 19, 1966, Mark Lane on JFK assassination.
September 20, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
September 27, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
October 3, 1966 .LeRoi Jones
October 4, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
October 11, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
October 18, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
October 25, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
November 1, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
November 8, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
November 15, 1966 ,Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
November 22, 1966. Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
November 29, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
December 6, 1966, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner
Psychedelic art by Jackie Cassen and Rudi Stern
Allen Ginsberg appeared at the December 6th performance.
December 22, 1966, Jazz concert, featuring Stokely Carmichael
December 26, 1966, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman Trio
John Coltrane with Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, Rashied Ali, Sonny Johnson, Omar Ali, and Algie Bata. Many photos. Gig details.
January 29, 1967, Angry Arts Against the War in Vietnam: Broadway Dissents, featuring Alan Alda, Ruby Dee, John Henry Faulk, Jules Feiffer, Diana Sands, George Tabori
February 2, 1967. Angry Arts Against the War in Vietnam: Judson Chamber Ensemble, Bread and Puppet Theater
February 4, 1967, Angry Arts Against the War in Vietnam: Children’s program at 2 pm: Chalk Talk with Maurice Sendak, Eva Merriam (poetry), Yakim Mime Troupe, films, folksingers; The Last Word (at 8 pm): Jack Glick, Daniel Magrin, Cyrelle Ferman, Phil Corner
February 5, 1967, Angry Arts Against the War in the Vietnam (4pm): Art Farmer, Jimmy Heath, Jackie McLean, Burton Green and Vincent Gaeta, Clifford Thornton, Pharaoh Sanders, Jeremy Steig, Joel Freedman
February 14, 1967, Sweethearts’ Day Poetry Reading featuring Allen Ginsberg, LeRoi Jones, Ishmael Reed, Peter Orlovsky, Allan Katzman, David Henderson, Lorenzo Thomas, Paul Blackburn, Joel Oppenheimer, Len Chandler, Ronald Stone, Denise Nichols, Hart LeRoi Bibbs, Tom Dent
February 17, 1967, Jonas Mekas and Film-Makers’ Distribution Center present Lenny Bruce (1965)
February 22, 1967, WBAI Benefit: Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Chad Mitchell Trio, Patrick Sky, Judy Collins
February 25-26, 1967, Albert Ayler Octet
Performances from February 26th were released on In Greenwich Village (Impulse, 1967) and The Village Concerts (ABC Impulse, 1978)
March 3, 1967, Lucas Hoving Dance Company
March 10, 1967, Pomare Dancers
March 12, 1967, Kay Boyle Tribute to the Rev. A.J. Muste: Daniel Berrigan, Dorothy Day, Dave Dellinger, W.H. Ferry, Fred Halstead, Alfred Hessler, Nat Hentoff, Arnold Johnson, Sidney Lens, Bradford Lyttle, David Miller, Bayrd Rustin, I.F. Stone, Marge Swann
March 13, 1967, Eleo Pomare
Subscription dance series for 10 Mondays presented by Eugene Dildine and the Village Theatre
March 17, 1967, Philadelphia Woodwind Quartet, Ornette Coleman Trio
March 20, 1967, Midi Garth (dance)
March 25, 1967, Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba, with Flip Wilson
presented by V. Steven Truett
March 27, 1967, Yukiro (dance)
April 3, 1967, Norman Walker (dance)
April 10, 1967
Paul Sanasardo (dance)
April 14, 1967
Angry Arts (afternoon and evening shows): Free Spirits, Judy Wieder, Robin Roberts, Barbara Dane, Blues Project, Dave Van Ronk, Penny Whistlers, Chad Mitchell Trio, Gene and Franceca, The Magicians, Children of Paradise, Izzy Young (M.C.)
April 17, 1967, Mariane Perra
April 22, 1967, Klay Folk Festival: Beers Family, followed by old-fashioned hootenanny. Presented by Berale Klay and Goya Guitars
April 26, 1967 Chuck Berry and His Original Band
April 27, 1967, Merle Marsicano (dance)
April 28, 1967, Chuck Berry. Presented by Psi Upsilon Fraternity
May 1, 1967, Lucas Hoving (dance)
May 2-4, 1967, Abolafia Presidential Love-In (aka Abolafia Cosmic Love-In, aka Cosmic Love Convention): possibly featuring Group Image, Eric Andersen, Alec Leonhardt, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, Richie Havens, Paul Krassner, Free Spirits, Children Of Paradise, Elaine White, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
May 12, 1967, Malvina Reynolds and the Pennywhistle Singers
Bernie Klay & Goya Guitars presents
May 13, 1967, An Evening With God by Renewal Magazine in Celebration of the Pentecost starring: The Rev. Malcolm Boyd, Dick Gregory, Paul Krassner, Dr. Timothy Leary, Len Chandler, Dr. Harvey Cox
May 15, 1967, Bhaskar (dance)
May 18, 1967, 3-Penny Poetry Reading For Life Against the War in Vietnam: Andrei Voznesensky with Sam Abrams, David Antin, John Ashbery, Ted Berrigan, Gordon Bishop, Karl Bissinger, Robert David Cohen, Phillip Corner, Gregory Corso, Robert Creeley, Joe Early, Clayton Eshleman, The Fugs, Donald Gardner, Malcolm Goldstein, Jackson Maclow, Lewis Meyers, Joel Oppenheimer, Jerome Rothenberg, Joel Sloman, Gil Sorrentino
May 19, 1967, Peter Schumann’s Bread and Puppet Theater, The Pennywhistlers, Bernie Klay and Goya Guitars Presents
May 20, 1967, Tribute to Chaim Towber
May 27, 1967, Horace Silver Quintet, Morgana King, Ahmad Jamal Trio
June 3, 1967, Herbie Mann, billed as Impressions of the Middle East. There was some kind of bazaar set up in the lobby. Herbie Mann’s 1967 album, The Wailing Dervishes, was recorded at this performance, featuring Rufus Harley, Reggie Workman, Bruno Carr, Moulay “Ali” Hafid, Chick Ganimian, Roy Ayers, Steve Knight, Esber Köprücü, Hachig T. Kazarian, Steve Knight, Oliver Collins, and James Glenn.
June 5, 1967, Ruth Currier Dance Troupe
June 11, 1967, WOR-FM 1st Anniversary Party (early & late shows): Blues Project, The Doors, Janis Ian, Chambers Brothers, Richie Havens, Jeremy and the Satyrs, plus Jim Lounsbury, Johnny Michaels, Scott Muni, Murray the “K”, Rosko
June 12, 1967, Charles Weidman Theater Dance Company
June ??, 1967, Trips To Wear (fashion show): Third Eye Band, Quintet Revolutionary
June 25, 1967, Songs For Synanon: Count Basie Band, Arthur Pryscock, Stan Getz Quintet
June 26, 1967, Tamara Woshakiwska, Charlotte Honda and Margot Parsons (dance)
June 28, 1967, Bread For Heads Festival: Mothers of Invention, The Fugs, Left Banke, Allen Ginsberg, Tim Buckley. The event was a legal defense benefit for busted marijuana smokers. The Banke borrowed the Mothers’ gear and left theirs in the van outside, only to find it all stolen afterwards.
July 8, 1967, Blues Project, The Who, Richie Havens, Chrysalis, Third World Raspberry (playing after). Don Friedman Presents Explosion. Purportedly the final Blues Project show.
July 21-22, 1967. The Byrds, Vanilla Fudge, The Seeds (late only on 7/21, early & late on 7/22). Don Friedman Presents Explosion (7/21 added later) It could have been an extremely avian event had the Fudge not recently changed their name from the Pigeons.
July 28, 1967, Janis Ian, The Grass Roots (early & late)
Don Friedman Presents Explosion
August 5, 1967, Janis Ian, The Association, Jake Holmes (early & late shows). Don Friedman Presents Explosion
August ??, 1967. Luis Valdez’s Teatro Campesino
August 16, 1967, The Community Breast, A Benefit For The Community (sponsored by To Each All Things): Tiny Tim, The Fugs, Judy Collins, Richie Havens, Peter Walker
Proceeds to Diggers, Provos, and the Communications Company. Pearls Before Swine cancelled.)
August 21, 1967, Barry Gordon
August 24, 1967, Benefit for the Harlem Six and the black people of Dorchester County, S.C.: James Baldwin, Richie Havens, Ossie Davis, Dick Davy, Frank Mitchell Quintet, Bob and Joe
Billed as James Baldwin’s “first major address in 2 years.” Per the East Village Other, 8/24/67, “Baldwin will relate the unrest in America’s Negro ghettos to American foreign policy in a benefit performance tonight… Baldwin is returning to this country from a two-year writing tour in Europe and Istanbul. Co-sponsoring his appearance are the Charter Group for a Pledge of Conscience and the Dorchester Committee of New York City.
August 25, 1967, The Yardbirds, The Youngbloods, Jake Holmes
Don Friedman Presents Explosion,. The night Jimmy Page learned “Dazed and Confused” by hearing Jake Holmes perform it.
August 26, 1967, New Stars in ’67 starring Henry Bell with Julie Janeiro, the Jacksonians, the Young Long Islanders, Samuel Avital, Burton Greene, Sandy Allyne, Martha Reynolds, Yvonne Warden, Mother Hive, Sampson Horten Orchestra.
September 30, 1967, Cream, Soul Survivors, Richie Havens. Cream only played early show.
October 7, 1967, Wilson Pickett, The Paupers, Eric Anderson
October 11, 1967, The Weekly Freakly. Announced as a weekly series in Billboard “featuring Lower East Side talent and top recording acts,” I’m going to assume it only happened a handful of times and vanished.
October 14, 1967. Sarah Vaughan and Arthur Prysock. V. Steven Truett presents.
October 15, 1967, October Breakout, MC: Bob Fass
3 pm: Richie Havens, Eric Anderson, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Paul Krassner, Archie Shepp Quartet, Jeremy and the Satyrs, Barbara Dane, Matt Jones
8 pm: Phil Ochs, Charles Mingus, Tim Rose, Moondog and Strings, Paul Krassner, Joe Frazier, Paul Knopf, Bill Fredricks, Elaine White
produced by Topic Magazine and United Jazz Workshops
October 18, 1967, The Weekly Freakly
October 20-21, 1967, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas (cancelled)
October 20-24, 1967, Festival of Changes, A Celebration of the New Destiny; The Sight & Sound of San Francisco Scene: New Salvation Army Banned, The C.I.A. (Center for Interplanetary Activity) Visual disorientation by Liquid Sandwich, Aurora Glory Alice
October 25, 1967, The Weekly Freakly
October 27-29, 1967, Donovan (cancelled)
October 28, 1967, Procol Harum
October 30, 1967, Half Note 10th Anniversary Show: Paul Anka, Carmen McRae, Cannonball Adderley Quintet, Bobby Hackett, Al Cohn (conductor), Alan Grant (M.C.)
October 31, 1967, Halloween Party
November 3, 1967, Yardbirds, Vanilla Fudge (early & late shows)
November 4-6, 1967, Jefferson Airplane (cancelled)
November ??, 1967, James Cotton Blues Band, Blood Sweat and Tears
November 7, 1967, Wilson Pickett, Martha and the Vandellas, James Cotton
November 10-11, 1967, The Doors (cancelled)
November 11, 1967, Moby Grape
November 12, 1967, The Buck Owens Show (4 pm & 8:30 pm): Buck Owens with the Buckaroos, Wynn Stewart, Tommy Collins, Rose Maddox. Bob Wyld and Art Polhemus Present.
November 17-18, 1967, Electric Flag, Charles Lloyd (cancelled)
November 18, 1967, Charles Lloyd Quartet (early & late)
November 19, 1967, Cosmos presents: Moondog and Mimi Sym, Group Image & Lights, Aluminum Dream, Tiny Tim, Federal Duck, Charles O’Hegarty, Kingdom Come, Lee Crabtree, Grey Company, Pageant Company, plus underground film, Izzy Young (M.C.)
November 23-24, 1967, (early & late) Moby Grape, Druids of Stonehenge, Charles O’Hegarty, Kingdom Come
November 25-26, 1967, The Who, The Vagrants, Rich Kids
Gary Kurfirst Presents. Perhaps when The Who first met Vagrants/Mountain guitarist Leslie West, who would go on to play on the Who’s Next sessions. Promoter Gary Kurfirst would go on to manage Talking Heads, Blondie, The Ramones, and many others.
December 2, 1967, Mass Meeting, planning for Stop The Draft Week, December 4th-8th, organized by Fifth Avenue Vietnam Peace Parade Committee
December 26-27, 1967. Grateful Dead, Peggy Emerson, Take Five. It snowed through a hole in the ceiling. Complete program for the shows. Program features a track list and coupon for the forthcoming live album Take Five were recording that night, allegedly to be released soon on Constellation Records (of 322 E. 44th Street), but I can find no further evidence of this album, Take Five, or a New York company called Constellation Records. Anybody?
February 2, 1968 [moved to Anderson Theater], Country Joe & the Fish, Jim Kweskin’s Jug Band, Soft White Underbelly. Soft White Underbelly was the prototype version of Blue Oyster Cult, who later used the closed-down Fillmore East/Village Theatre as a rehearsal space in 1975.
February 23-24, 1968, Pearls Before Swine
Fillmore East Comes…and Goes
From Brewster and Broughton’s Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life (New York: Grove, 1999): Apparently there were sporadic attempts to keep the theater going as a live music venue called the Village East in the early ’70s, but none were successful. The building was vacant for most of the decade, but on September 20, 1980, it was reopened as theSaint, owned by Bruce Mailman–perhaps thee most highly esteemed gay dance club of all time. Gone were the old theater’s seats, stage, LSD, and freak-out rock; in their place were high-tech astronomical fantasy decor, poppers/coke/ecstasy, and throbbing ’80s disco.
When Apple Records released George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass triple-album on November 27, 1970, many fans thought that George had finally written some songs. Though Beatle albums typically had a song or two by him, the Lennon-McCartney juggernaut ruled. He was seen as an important member only in terms of his playing.
In Rolling Stone’s January 21, 1971 review of the album, Ben Gerson described Harrison as the “…young, vulnerable George the craftsman, bent over his Gretch in concert, making sure that every lick was as good as it was on record; the perfectionist who would later dismiss the majority of Beatle music as “rubbish”; briefly Haight — Ashbury George, with eyeglasses, like Lolita’s, in the shape of valentines; humble George, Ravi Shankar’s student; holy George.”
In reality, Harrison had written most of the album’s songs in the 60s. He had said, “Well before I started, I knew I was gonna make a good album because I had so many songs and I had so much energy. For me to do my own album after all that — it was joyous. Dream of dreams.
What follows is a bit of the album’s recording chronology based on the booklet that came with its 50th anniversary re-release. as well as from the excellent Beatle Bible site. I have listed each song in the order it appeared on the original album.
All Things Must Pass
Studio Three Abbey Road
On May 26, 1970, George Harrison, Ringo, and Klaus Voorman recorded demos for 15 songs. The next day, Harrison alone played 15 more songs for Phil Spector, the person Harrison wanted to produce the album.
Seventeen of those 30 songs would became part of the first two of the eventual three disc release.
Spector would say, “I was working with John [Lennon] on the Plastic Ono Band. I went to George’s Friar Park…and he said, “I have a few ditties for you to hear.” It was endless! He had literally hundreds of songs and each one was better than the rest…”
All Things Must Pass
Side One
I’d Have You Anytime
Let me in here; I know I’ve been here
In November 1968, the Band had invited Harrison for Thanksgiving. Bob Dylan lived nearby in Byrdcliffe and by 1968 both musicians were choosing to retreat from fame’s glare.. Harrison, a Dylan fan (Blonde on Blonde was the only album Harrison had brought on his 1968 trip to India) went to visit Bob.
The two, unable to resist, took out their guitars and played riffs for each other. Harrison played his still incomplete I’d Have You Anytime and encouraged Dylan to contribute. The two prodigious talents combined and created I’d Have You Anytime which became the album’s opening track.
Begun on May 26 and completed on June 4, 1970.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: lead guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Alan White: drums
Uncredited: xylophone
My Sweet Lord
I really want to be with you.
George Harrison’s recording of My Sweet Lord (26 & 28 May 1970) was not the first one. In January 1970, he had been working with Billy Preston on his second album, Encouraging Words, (a great album that needs its own post). George gave Preston both My Sweet Lord and All Things Must Pass for the album which would come out two months before Harrison’s.
According to Harrison, he was “just thinking of a way to combine Hallelujah and Hare Krishna…” and that the inspiration was really the Edwin Hawkins Singers Oh Happy Day. Unfortunately, others thought he’d ripped off the Chiffon’s He’s So Fine.
George Harrison: vocals, backing vocals, slide guitar
Eric Clapton, Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Billy Preston: piano
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Gary Wright: electric piano
Ringo Starr: tambourine
Andy White: drums
Mike Gibbins: tambourine
Bobby Whitlock: vocals
Uncredited: harmonium
Wah-Wah
Wah-wah–you made me such a big star.
A song’s inspiration varies wildly. In January 1969, the Beatles were involved with their Let It Be album. There was a lot of tension. Ringo had already “quit” (in 1968 and come back) and now George decided to do the same.
Obviously, he came back, too, but at home he wrote Wah-Wah. Harrison ‘s initial reaction after recording the song for his album was disappointment, but other voices disagreed and he grew to like it as well.
Recorded May 27 and 28, 1970.
George Harrison: guitar, vocals, backing vocals
Eric Clapton: guitar
Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Billy Preston, Gary Wright: keyboards
Ringo Starr: drums
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Mike Gibbins: tambourine
Isn’t It A Pity (version one)
Somethings take so long, but how do I I explain?
George had written Isn’t It A Pity in 1966 and considered for inclusion on the Revolver album. It was recorded by the band in 1969 during the Let It Be sessions, but again was excluded.
He had even considered offering the song to Frank Sinatra (who did record Yesterday and Something).
Rolling Stone Magazine would accuse the song of borrowing from I Am the Walrus and Hey Jude. An impossibility, since Harrison had written the song before both songs.
Recorded May 26 and 29 and June 2, 1970.
George Harrison: vocals, backing vocals, slide guitar
Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Tony Ashton: piano
Billy Preston, Gary Wright: keyboards
Ringo Starr: drums
Mike Gibbins: tambourine
All Things Must Pass
Side Two
What Is Life
What I know I can do; if I give my love to everyone like you
While George Harrison was producing That’s the Way God Planned It, Billy Preston’s first album, he wrote What Is Life for it. In fact, he wrote it in about 15 minutes on his way to Olympic Sound Studios, but Harrison decided it wasn’t right for the album.
He recorded it on May 26, Jun 22 & 23, and July 3, 1970.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: guitar
Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
Mike Gibbins: tambourine
If Not For You
I’d be sad and blue if not for you.
Harrison recorded Bob Dylan’sIf Not For You on May 27 and on June 4 & 5, 1970. It should again be noted how each of the album’s “regular” songs (as opposed to jams) was first recorded on two days: May 26 and May 27, 1970. In fact, it was the last of the 30 songs Harrison demoed. Who wouldn’t have wanted to be around the studio those two days!
By the way, those demos are available on the 50th anniversary release and remastering of the album.
This, though, was not the first time Harrison had recorded the song. He’d been with Dylan in New York’s Columbia Recording Studio on May 8 helping him record the song for his New Morning album.
George Harrison: vocals, acoustic guitar, dobro, harmonica
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Gary Wright: piano
Billy Preston: organ
Alan White: drums
Ringo Starr: tambourine
Behind That Locked Door
Please forget those teardrops.
Obviously Harrison and Dylan were close. In August of 1969 when Bob Dylan didn’t play Woodstock but did play the Isle of Wight Festival, Harrison wrote Behind That Locked Door while staying with Dylan on Wight.
Harrison loved the sound of Pete Drake’s pedal steel guitar on Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Layso much that Harrison hired Drake to come over and play on Behind That Locked Door as well as a few others.
As impressed as Harrison may have been with Drake, well, let’s let Pete tell the story an interview he did for Guitar PlayerMagazine. “His name, you know, just didn’t ring any bells-well, I’m just a hillbilly, you know (laughter). Anyway, I ended up going to London for a week where we did the album All Things Must Pass.”
And a second by the way, it was during the recording sessions that Pete met Ringo Starr, who later asked Pete to produce his solo album. It was recorded in Nashville in June of 1970.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Pete Drake: pedal steel guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Gary Wright: piano
Billy Preston: organ
Alan White: drums
Let It Down
‘Though you sit in another chair I can feel you here.
Let It Down is another example of a Harrison song offered to, but rejected the Beatles.He wrote the song in late 1968 and showed the song to the others on the first day of the Let It Be sessions.
He tried again with the group and the second time included Billy Preston.
The All Things Must Pass album version includes Ringo and Billy, but also includes the nascent Derek and the Dominoes: Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, and Eric Clapton as well as old friend Klaus Voormann, Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth), Alan White, and three members of Badfinger.
Specifically:
George Harrison: vocals, backing vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: backing vocals, guitar
Bobby Whitlock: backing vocals
Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Gary Wright: organ
Gary Brooker: piano
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
The Dominoes “deal” was that they’d play on All Things if George allowed Phil Spector to produce some of their album.
Quite the lineup and quite a deal.
The song was demoed on May 27 and the full band recorded it on June 24, 1970.
Run Of The Mill
Everyone has choice, when to and not to raise their voices.
George wrote Run of the Mill shortly after the Let It Be sessions ended. He said of it, “I liked the words…. It was the first song I ever wrote that looked like a poem on paper.”
It was recorded on May 27 & 29 and June 24 & 30.
Many note that the song reflects Harrison’s frustration with the Beatles continued dismissal of his song offerings, yet his acceptance by such as Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Gary Wright: piano
Bobby Whitlock: harmonium
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
All Things Must Pass
Side Three
Beware of Darkness
The pain that often mingles in your fingertips
Beware of Darkness was the last song George had written before recording the album and it was still in flux. He’d written it at home when some of his friends from the Radha Krishna temple were staying.
Like the other songs, he’d demoed it, this one on May 27. The group recording occurred on June 22 and 23, 1970 in Abbey Road’s Studio Three.
The song’s big sound is from the fact that there were two drummers, two bass players (Klaus Voorman, Carl Radle), and three guitarists (George, Eric Clapton, and Dave Mason).
Specifically:
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: electric guitar
Dave Mason: acoustic guitar
Klaus Voorman & Carl Radle: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Gary Wright: organ
Ringo Starr & Alan White: drums
Uncredited: xylophone
Apple Scruffs
I’ve watched you sitting there–seen the passers by all stare
According to a 2014 article by William Shaw in Rolling Stone Magazine, “The Apple Scruffs were a tiny but intense group of (mostly) young women who gained their name from the thick coats and sweaters they wore against the London cold, and from hanging around the Georgian doorstep of 3, Savile Row, London, the address of the Beatles’ Apple headquarters. This was their meeting place, from the late sixties up to the Beatle’s disintegration and even beyond. Even their names have become semi-legendary over the years: among the circle were the ringleader Margo who later became the Apple tea-girl, Sue-John, the Lennon fan, so called to distinguish herself from other Scruff Sues, Tommy – the gay Brooklynite – who loved the band, but, he told his fellow Scruffs, “not in that way.”
The Beatles Bible site quote’s Bobby Keys from Graeme Thomson’s Behind The Locked Door: “There was always a little knot of them. They weren’t fashion model types, they were just little girls – just kids. He always took time to have a word with them, and I seem to remember him going out with tea for them sometimes when it was cold. I was impressed with how caring he was about these girls. I’ve been around a lot of other folks who have quite a different way of dealing with people, let’s put it that way.”
George appreciated their dedication so much, he wrote this ode to and for them. He even invited those who were outside the studio one July 1970 July day to come in and listen. He told them, “Sit down. I’ve got something to play for you.” He told them the song would be on his album, but left as the song started.
That was George.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Mal Evans: percussion
Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
Fools illusions everywhere
I’m sure I had no idea who Frankie Crisp was when I first saw this title and then heard the song. I’d learned with Rubber Soul that lyrics are not what they seem to be, that lyrics are open to interpretation.
Even with the album’s 2021 booklet, I’m still not sure what the connection between the name of the song and the parenthetical title is, but there’s always the fallible omniscient internet
Songfacts says: This song was inspired by the English lawyer, Sir Frank Crisp (1843-1919), who was the original owner of Friar Park, which Harrison purchased in 1970. A keen horticulturist, he developed spectacular public gardens in his mansion’s grounds.
And that: The lyrics are derived from phrases inscribed around the grounds at Friar Park. The song has been described as a love song to the house made with its own words.
And as you may know already, the album’s cover photo is George on his Friar Park Estate.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Pete Drake: pedal steel guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Billy Preston: organ
Gary Wright: electric piano
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Alan White: drums
Awaiting On You All
The Lord is waiting on you all to awaken and see
Despite the fact that the song’s germ simply began with George thinking, “You don’t need a…you don’t need a…” it took awhile to reach it’s studio delivery on June June 26 in Abbey Road Studio Two. 25 takes.
The first solo outings after the implosion of The Beatles all portrayed the former members’ key interests of the time. For John Lennon it was Primal Therapy and casting off the weight of his past; Paul McCartney celebrated his home life with his new wife Linda; and Ringo Starr performed an album of standards from his childhood.
For George Harrison, the primary quest was for spiritual contentment. He had all the riches and fame one could wish for, but his needs and desires transcended the earthly.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: guitar
Klaus Voormann, Carl Radle: bass guitar
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
George also said that “When I wrote All Things Must Pass I was trying to do a Robbie Robertson–Band sort of tune and that is what it turned into.”
And in his mind, he heard Levon Helm singing it.
This was another song that the Beatles had rehearsed during the 1969 Let It Be sessions, but not used.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: backing vocals, guitar
Pete Drake: pedal steel guitar
Bobby Whitlock: backing vocals, piano
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Ringo Starr, Jim Gordon: drums
Side Four
I Dig Love
But you should give love, and try to live love
As a Beatle, George Harrison was not a slide guitar player. On December 1, 1969 Harrison attended the Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett concert at the Albert Hall in London. The following night he joined them on stage in Bristol, for his first stage appearance since The Beatles’ final concert on 29 August 1966.
Before the gig, Delaney handed a slide guitar to George and said, “Oh, you play the slide part.” Dave Mason had played it on their record. And so the slide guitar and what became part of his signature sound from that point on entered his music.
The demo version of the song (May 26, 1969) was more upbeat than the recording they did on June 2.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton, Dave Mason: guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: organ
Gary Wright: electric piano
Billy Preston: piano
Ringo Starr, Jim Gordon: drums
Art of Dying
There’ll come a time when all of us must leave here
Much of the spiritual basis in George Harrison’s music can be traced back to his Within You and Without You which appeared on the Sgt Pepper album. The sound had first been heard on Norwegian Wood.
George said, “…everybody’s worried about dying, but he cause of death, which nobody can figure out, unless you’re diseased, but the cause of death is birth. So, if you don’t wanna die, don’t get born.”
Art Of Dying is one of the album’s tracks which deployed Spector’s Wall of Sound to its greatest extent. Recording began on 29 May 1970 , but the final version was take 26, taped on 1 July.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: lead guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Gary Wright: electric piano
Billy Preston: organ
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
Phil Collins: congas
Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two)
After recording Isn’t It A Pity in various ways, Harrison decided he didn’t like the first more up-tempo version and slowed it down. Later, he revised his evaluation and decided he liked both versions. Thus he included both on the album.
From Beatles Bible: The song was one of the album’s oldest; Harrison wrote it in 1966, found no outlet for it in The Beatles. He attempted to introduce the group to it on 25 and 26 January 1969, towards the end of the Get Back/Let It Be sessions, but to no avail.
Recorded on May 27, June 24, and July 1, 1969.
George Harrison: vocals, backing vocals, slide guitar
Eric Clapton: electric guitar
Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland: acoustic rhythm guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Tony Ashton: piano
Bobby Whitlock: organ
Ringo Starr: drums
Mike Gibbins: tambourine
Hear Me Lord
There’s no place that you’re not in
George wrote the song over a weekend and presented it to the Beatles during their Let It Be session on January 6, 1969. The song was declined.
Beatles Bible: On that date…”He first played the song on an acoustic guitar, then several times on an electric guitar with wah-wah pedal. An attempt at putting forward the song ‘All Things Must Pass’ on the same day was met with similar indifference by the rest of The Beatles.”
Hear Me Lord is the last song on the main part of the album. He did not mention it in his autobiography, I Me Mine, and only performed it live on one known occasion.
George Harrison: vocals, guitar
Eric Clapton: guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Gary Wright: piano
Bobby Whitlock: organ
Billy Preston: keyboards
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drum
All Things Must Pass
Side FiveOut of the Blue
As if we hadn’t had enough outstanding music from the too-often dismissed George Harrison, the album gave us a bonus third disc: Apple Jam. He wanted it to be considered as a separate part of the whole package and thus had a different label than the first two discs.
As mentioned above, Eric Clapton et al were in the process of creating the album that would eventually become Layla and Other Assorted Love Songsand mainly recorded in Miami, Florida with Tom Dowd and not Phil Spector. Just as the band members had been an integral part of the All Things Must Pass album, George was in the studio with them.
Luckily for us, recording engineer Phil McDonald was around and astute enough to record the jams that the musicians did between doing takes.
On 2 July 1970, he recorded what he labeled ‘Jam 3’ . It would became ‘Out Of The Blue’ and was based around a single-chord riff, and featured an extended solo by saxophonist Bobby Keys. [Beatles Bible]
George Harrison: guitar
Klaus Voormann: guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Gary Wright: organ
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Jim Price: trumpet
Bobby Keys: saxophone
Jim Gordon: drums
It’s Johnny’s Birthday
October 9 is John Lennon’s birthday. On October 7 (1970), George was in Studio Three mixing songs for the album when he recorded It’s Johnny’s Birthday for John.
As much as the relationships among the Beatles had deteriorated, it is interesting to see George’s acknowledgement of John’s birthday, even if he borrowed the tune from Cliff Richard’s “Congratulations.”
From Beatles Bible: Although originally given a composer credit to George Harrison, the song takes its melody from Cliff Richard’s 1968 hit ‘Congratulations’. In December 1970, that song’s composers Bill Martin and Phil Coulter filed a claim for royalties, and subsequent pressings of the album had the credits amended to acknowledge Martin and Coulter’s contributions.
George Harrison: vocals
Mal Evans: vocals
Eddie Klein: vocals
‘It’s Johnny’s Birthday’ was the only one of the five Apple Jam tracks to feature vocals. The backing track features a fairground organ and percussion backing, although no performer credits are known.
Plug Me In
On June 18, 1970, Phil Spector and George Harrison were in Studio Three with Derek and the Dominoes. It was their first recording session. That day, Phil produced Tell the Truth and Roll It Over which would become the band’s first single. George and Dave Mason were on guitar.
That same day, the jam that became Plug Me In happened.
George Harrison: guitar
Eric Clapton, Dave Mason: guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Jim Gordon: drums
All Things Must Pass
Side Six
I Remember Jeep
This jam’s recording first began on March 29, 1969 during a preliminary session for Billy Preston’s first Apple album.
On 12 May that year – at which point the track was titled Jam Peace – Harrison, John Lennon, and Yoko Ono overdubbed handclaps at EMI Studios, and Harrison added the Moog part live as the final mix was being done.
Had the song remained titled Jam Peace and credited to the Plastic Ono Band (as it had), it would have been the first Plastic Ono Band recording.
George was later credited and the song’s new title referred to Eric Clapton’s dog.
George Harrison: guitar
Eric Clapton: lead guitar
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Billy Preston: organ
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Ginger Baker: drums
Thanks For the Pepperoni
On June 14, 1970, Derek and the Dominoes made their first public appearance at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Dave Mason was the second guitarist, but later Duane Allman would famously become that person.
This jam was done the same day as Plug Me In, June 19, 1970.
According to Beatles Bible, the title was taken from ‘Religions, Inc.’, the final track on the 1959 comedy album The Sick Humor Of Lenny Bruce.
One of his last comments in the bit was “…and thanks for the pepperoni.” Perhaps it echoes the more famous line that Catskill, NY comedians closed their sets with: “Thank you. I’m here all week. And try the veal.”
George Harrison: guitar
Eric Clapton, Dave Mason: guitar
Carl Radle: bass guitar
Bobby Whitlock: piano
Jim Gordon: drums
All Things Must Pass
What's so funny about peace, love, art, and activism?
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