All Those Years Ago
Encyclopedia
"All Those Years Ago" is a song written by George Harrison
, released as a single
from the album Somewhere in England
. The song was a personal tribute
to former bandmate John Lennon
, who was murdered on 8 December 1980. It was released on 11 May 1981 in the United States
, where it spent three weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, and on 15 May 1981 in the United Kingdom
, where it reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart
. In addition, the song spent one week at #1 on the American adult contemporary chart
, Harrison's first #1 on this chart as a solo artist. It has also been included on two Harrison compilations: Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989 and Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
, and in a live incarnation on his Live in Japan album. In 2010, AOL radio listeners chose "All Those Years Ago" as one of the 10 Best George Harrison Songs, appearing at #6 on the list.
to record. Although he recorded it, Starr felt the vocal was too high for his range and he did not like the words. Harrison took the track back and, after Lennon's death, the lyrics were changed to reflect a tribute to Harrison's lost friend and colleague, John Lennon
. In the song, Harrison makes reference to The Beatles song "All You Need Is Love
" and the Lennon song "Imagine
" ("you were the one who imagined it all").
(Harrison, Starr and Paul McCartney
), though this was expressly a Harrison single. It is one of only a few non-Beatles songs to feature three members of the group. Harrison and Starr recorded the song at Harrison's Friar Park
studios between 19 November 1980 and 25 November 1980. After Lennon's death the following month, Harrison removed Starr's vocals (but left Starr's drumming track) and recorded his own vocals with rewritten lyrics honouring Lennon. McCartney, his wife Linda
and their Wings
bandmate Denny Laine
visited Friar Park to record backing vocals. The lineup was rounded out by Al Kooper
on keyboards
. The album's liner notes also thank the Beatles' producer George Martin
and the Beatles' engineer Geoff Emerick
, although what contribution (if any) they made to the track is unclear. The track's sweetly elegiac string arrangements suggest Martin's own distinctive style. This was the first time Harrison, McCartney and Starr had recorded together since the three (without Lennon) had worked on Harrison's song "I Me Mine
" for the Beatles album, Let It Be. It would be the last time these three would record together until the sessions for "Free as a Bird
" and "Real Love" for The Beatles Anthology
in the mid-1990s.
features a slide show-type presentation of stills and short archival video clips. The emphasis is on Lennon and, to a lesser degree, Harrison. The archival Beatles video was seemingly chosen to showcase the two together. The post-Beatles stills of Lennon at older ages are countered with stills of Harrison from the same time frame.
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album Somewhere in England
Somewhere in England
Somewhere in England is an album by George Harrison, released in 1981. Recorded as Harrison was becoming increasingly frustrated with the music industry, the album's making was a long one, and witnessed a tragic event in his life.-History:...
. The song was a personal tribute
The Beatles Tributes
Although The Beatles were a quartet, only two of the original members remain. John Lennon was murdered in December 1980 and George Harrison succumbed to lung cancer in 2001. There have been numerous tributes to both of them.- John Lennon :...
to former bandmate John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, who was murdered on 8 December 1980. It was released on 11 May 1981 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where it spent three weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and on 15 May 1981 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In addition, the song spent one week at #1 on the American adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
, Harrison's first #1 on this chart as a solo artist. It has also been included on two Harrison compilations: Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989 and Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison is the third compilation of George Harrison's music, and the first to span his entire solo career after The Beatles era...
, and in a live incarnation on his Live in Japan album. In 2010, AOL radio listeners chose "All Those Years Ago" as one of the 10 Best George Harrison Songs, appearing at #6 on the list.
Origins
Harrison originally wrote the song with different lyrics for Ringo StarrRingo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
to record. Although he recorded it, Starr felt the vocal was too high for his range and he did not like the words. Harrison took the track back and, after Lennon's death, the lyrics were changed to reflect a tribute to Harrison's lost friend and colleague, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
. In the song, Harrison makes reference to The Beatles song "All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love
"All You Need Is Love" is a song written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first performed by The Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link. Watched by 400 million in 26 countries, the programme was broadcast via satellite on 25 June 1967...
" and the Lennon song "Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
" ("you were the one who imagined it all").
Band lineup
The recording of the song featured all three remaining BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
(Harrison, Starr and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
), though this was expressly a Harrison single. It is one of only a few non-Beatles songs to feature three members of the group. Harrison and Starr recorded the song at Harrison's Friar Park
Friar Park
Friar Park is the 120-room Victorian neo-Gothic mansion previously owned by the eccentric Sir Frank Crisp in Henley-on-Thames and bought by the musician George Harrison in 1970, as he left his former home Kinfauns, in Esher.-History:...
studios between 19 November 1980 and 25 November 1980. After Lennon's death the following month, Harrison removed Starr's vocals (but left Starr's drumming track) and recorded his own vocals with rewritten lyrics honouring Lennon. McCartney, his wife Linda
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
and their Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
bandmate Denny Laine
Denny Laine
Denny Laine is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, and lead singer of The Moody Blues' 1965 debut album "The Magnificent Moodies"; and, later, best known for his role as co-founder of Wings...
visited Friar Park to record backing vocals. The lineup was rounded out by Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
on keyboards
Vulva
The vulva consists of the external genital organs of the female mammal. This article deals with the vulva of the human being, although the structures are similar for other mammals....
. The album's liner notes also thank the Beatles' producer George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
and the Beatles' engineer Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
, although what contribution (if any) they made to the track is unclear. The track's sweetly elegiac string arrangements suggest Martin's own distinctive style. This was the first time Harrison, McCartney and Starr had recorded together since the three (without Lennon) had worked on Harrison's song "I Me Mine
I Me Mine
"I Me Mine" is a song by The Beatles, written and sung by George Harrison. I Me Mine is also the title of Harrison's autobiography. The song traces its origins to the January 1969 Get Back/Let It Be sessions, when it was rehearsed by the band at Twickenham Film Studios.-Origin:The set of pronouns...
" for the Beatles album, Let It Be. It would be the last time these three would record together until the sessions for "Free as a Bird
Free as a Bird
"Free as a Bird" is a song originally composed and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon. In 1995 a studio version of the recording incorporating contributions from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr was released as a single by The Beatles.The single was released as part of...
" and "Real Love" for The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles Anthology is the name of a documentary series, a set of three double albums and a book focusing on the history of The Beatles. Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all participated in the making and approval of the works, which are sometimes referred to collectively as the...
in the mid-1990s.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
features a slide show-type presentation of stills and short archival video clips. The emphasis is on Lennon and, to a lesser degree, Harrison. The archival Beatles video was seemingly chosen to showcase the two together. The post-Beatles stills of Lennon at older ages are countered with stills of Harrison from the same time frame.
Personnel
- George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
- Lead Vocal, Lead Guitar - Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
- Backing Vocal, Bass - Linda McCartneyLinda McCartneyLinda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
- Backing Vocal - Denny LaineDenny LaineDenny Laine is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, and lead singer of The Moody Blues' 1965 debut album "The Magnificent Moodies"; and, later, best known for his role as co-founder of Wings...
- Backing Vocal - Al KooperAl KooperAl Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
- Keyboard - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
- Drums - George MartinGeorge MartinSir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
- producer
Chart positions
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 14 |
| Canadian RPM" Top Singles | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 8 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
11 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
13 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
2 |