The Beatles were over. All four former member released their solo efforts in 1970 along with a last Beatles’ album Let It Be, which was considered a mess by critics. There are a few gems on it, such as “Let It Be” and “The Long and Winding Road“. The latter song I know George Michael’s version better. It is a sad song and he expresses that desperate sadness a bit better than Paul McCartney did on his own lyrics:
Many times I’ve been alone
And many times I’ve cried
Any way you’ll never know
The many ways I’ve tried.
The point in this is that we are now in a new era without The Beatles. We have four, well three individual Beatles who are making some decent music of their own. George Harrison’s album was not the first to be released nor was the previously reviewed John Lennon album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. McCartney released his in April, Harrison in November, and Lennon in December. Ringo does not really matter. Does he?
Without a doubt the best song on this album is “My Sweet Lord“. I remember liking this song so much as a kid. This song has been remade many times, even for Christian audiences by removing the references to Krishna. Oddly, Harrison took the song from a Christian hymn “Oh Happy Day”. I guess there is nothing new under the sun or whatever comes around goes around.
Harrison recorded a version of Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You“, but I fell in love with Olivia-Newton-John‘s version as a child. Nobody can sing it like her. She was my first crush. She will always have a special place in my heart. I used to have an older woman friend who was kind to me during a difficult time and we would listen to ON-J all the time. This also reminds me of a neighbour who had a car that I would wash to earn some spending money. I became good friends with her and her husband or whatever he was. Her name was Barbara and she looked exactly like ON-J. People would literally stop and stare at her. I had some few times as a child when someone would help me along the way. I would have been dead sooner if not for them.
This is a solid album from Harrison. He has grown as a songwriter and musician. There are only a couple songs that I did not care for, but not enough to hate. I think his first solo is better than Lennon’s first. The only thing I find wrong with it is that it is a bit long at 105:59. He could have shaved off the time by removing “Wah-Wah“, “Behind That Locked Door” and “Apple Scruffs”. I think both sides are equally great. I discovered a bunch of new songs, but “My Sweet Lord” is still my favourite song. 9.5/10.
an ocean roars 