The Best of George Harrison
Encyclopedia
The Best of George Harrison is the first compilation album of George Harrison
's music and was released in 1976, following the expiration of his EMI
contract. It was released the same day as his Dark Horse
label debut, Thirty Three & 1/3
.
, including songs from Rubber Soul
, Revolver
, The Beatles
, Abbey Road and Let It Be
(all produced by George Martin
, save "For You Blue
", produced by Phil Spector
) are joined with highlights from All Things Must Pass
, Living in the Material World
, Dark Horse and Extra Texture (Read All About It)
, the only rarity being Harrison's single-only "Bangla Desh" release in 1971.
reissue had Harrison's 1968 White Album
portrait on the cover.
The album was compiled without Harrison's input, and as such drew criticism from Harrison (as well as critics and fans) over the inclusion of his Beatles-era songs which take up half of the album's length, diminishing the significance of his solo years. Harrison had offered EMI a track listing and album title for the release, but these were ignored.
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...
's music and was released in 1976, following the expiration of his EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
contract. It was released the same day as his Dark Horse
Dark Horse Records
Dark Horse Records is a record label founded by George Harrison in 1974.-History:Harrison had recorded for EMI under a contract which expired in 1976. All his subsequent recordings were released through Dark Horse Records, starting with Thirty Three & 1/3 in 1976 and ending with Live in Japan in 1992...
label debut, Thirty Three & 1/3
Thirty Three & 1/3
Thirty Three & 1/3 is an album by George Harrison released in 1976. As his first release on his Dark Horse Records label, Thirty Three & 1/3 was beset with misfortune during its production, yet Harrison still managed to deliver one of his most celebrated albums.-Background:After satisfying his EMI...
.
Tracks
Songs that Harrison wrote for The 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...
, including songs from Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released in December 1965. Produced by George Martin, Rubber Soul had been recorded in just over four weeks to make the Christmas market...
, Revolver
Revolver (album)
Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver are marked by an electric guitar-rock sound, in contrast with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber...
, The Beatles
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
, Abbey Road and Let It Be
Let It Be (album)
Let It Be is the 12th and final studio album released by the English rock band The Beatles. It was released on 8 May 1970 by the band's Apple Records label shortly after the group announced their break-up....
(all produced by 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...
, save "For You Blue
For You Blue
"For You Blue" is a Beatles song written by George Harrison. It was the B-side to "The Long and Winding Road" and the eleventh track on the Beatles' final LP release, Let It Be...
", produced by Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
) are joined with highlights from All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970. The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third LP of informal jams...
, Living in the Material World
Living in the Material World
Living in the Material World is a studio album by George Harrison, released in 1973.-Background:As a follow-up to 1970's greatly received All Things Must Pass and his mammoth charity project, The Concert for Bangladesh, Living in the Material World was among the most highly anticipated releases of...
, Dark Horse and Extra Texture (Read All About It)
Extra Texture (Read All About It)
Extra Texture is an album by George Harrison which was released in 1975. Following the Dark Horse debacle, Extra Texture was Harrison's last album under his contract with Apple Records and EMI, all set to embark on his own Dark Horse Records imprint, initially distributed by A&M Records.Once...
, the only rarity being Harrison's single-only "Bangla Desh" release in 1971.
Cover versions
North American and British versions of the album were released with different covers: the North American version has small black-and-white pictures of Harrison against an image of the cosmos while the British version has a mid-1976 colour photo of Harrison in front of an antique car. The international CD release of the album used the British cover. The MFPMusic for Pleasure (record label)
Music for Pleasure was a record label that issued budget-priced albums of popular and classical music, although the latter were marketed under the Classics for Pleasure name...
reissue had Harrison's 1968 White Album
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
portrait on the cover.
Response
Upon release, The Best of George Harrison failed to chart in the UK, but reached #31 in the US, going gold.The album was compiled without Harrison's input, and as such drew criticism from Harrison (as well as critics and fans) over the inclusion of his Beatles-era songs which take up half of the album's length, diminishing the significance of his solo years. Harrison had offered EMI a track listing and album title for the release, but these were ignored.
Side one
- "SomethingSomething"Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single...
" – 3:01 - "If I Needed SomeoneIf I Needed Someone"If I Needed Someone" is a song written by George Harrison. Versions by The Beatles and by The Hollies appeared simultaneously, both being released in the United Kingdom on 3 December 1965. The Hollies version appeared on a single. Most of the Hollies previous singles had been big top ten hits...
" – 2:22 - "Here Comes the SunHere Comes the Sun"Here Comes the Sun" is a song by George Harrison from The Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road. It is regarded as one of the most popular Beatles songs. The song was written while Harrison was away from all of these troubles...
" – 3:05 - "TaxmanTaxman"Taxman" is a song written by George Harrison released as the opening track on The Beatles' 1966 album Revolver. Its lyrics attack the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson.-Composition:...
" – 2:37 - "Think for YourselfThink For Yourself"Think for Yourself" is a song by British rock band The Beatles which first appeared on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. Written and sung by George Harrison, it is a warning against listening to lies. In his book I Me Mine he writes, "But all this time later, I don't quite recall who inspired that tune...
" – 2:18 - "For You BlueFor You Blue"For You Blue" is a Beatles song written by George Harrison. It was the B-side to "The Long and Winding Road" and the eleventh track on the Beatles' final LP release, Let It Be...
" – 2:31 - "While My Guitar Gently WeepsWhile My Guitar Gently Weeps"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by George Harrison, first recorded by The Beatles in 1968 for their eponymous double album...
" – 4:45- Tracks 1–7 are performed by The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe 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...
- Tracks 1–7 are performed by The Beatles
Side two
- "My Sweet LordMy Sweet Lord"My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison from his UK number one hit triple album All Things Must Pass. The song was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna...
" – 4:38 - "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)"Give Me Love " is a song by George Harrison and is the lead track on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. The song was released as a single in May 1973, hitting number one in the US Billboard Hot 100 at the end of June and number eight on the UK Singles Chart...
" – 3:35 - "YouYou (George Harrison song)"You" is a single by George Harrison from his 1975 album Extra Texture . "You" charted as #38 in the United Kingdom and as #20 in USA.-Background:"You" was originally recorded for Ronnie Spector, who did not end up using the track...
" – 3:41 - "Bangla Desh" – 3:57
- The only album release of this 1971 single which relates Ravi ShankarRavi ShankarRavi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
's plea to Harrison to help the people of BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
- The only album release of this 1971 single which relates Ravi Shankar
- "Dark HorseDark Horse (song)"Dark Horse" is the title track to George Harrison's 1974 album Dark Horse, and later the name of his record label Dark Horse Records.-Background:...
" – 3:53 - "What Is LifeWhat Is Life"What Is Life" is a song by George Harrison and is the first track on side two of his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. It was released as the second single from that album in the United States on February 15, 1971 with another album track, "Apple Scruffs," as the B-side...
" – 4:17- Tracks 8–13 are performed by George Harrison