Song:My Sweet Lord
Album:Let It Roll
Of course George Harrison was known as The Quiet Beatle. But he had a significant solo career after The Beatles. My Sweet Lord was his first number one hit in 1970. He was born Feb. 25, 1943 in Liverpool, England. He went to the same school as John Lennon but was several years younger. He joined The Quarrymen in 1958, Lennon thought he was too young but liked his guitar playing. Of course the Quarrymen became The Beatles. Because Lennon & McCartney wrote and sang most of The Beatles songs, Harrison didn't get many opportunities to shine. But when he did on songs like Here Comes the Sun and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, it was great. Harrison recorded two solo albums, Wonderwall Music and Electronic Sounds, while The Beatles were still together. But both albums were experimental and not intended as commercial music. All Things Must Pass was his first real solo album in 1970. The most unusual thing about the album is it was a 3LP set. That was unheard of in those days. But his first two singles, My Sweet Lord and Isn't It A Pity, topped the Billboard Hot 100. And All Things Must Pass topped the Billboard Hot 200 and was certified 6XPlatinum. As you probably know, Harrison was sued for plagiarism because My Sweet Lord resembled The Chiffons hit He's So Fine. Harrison lost as the court ruled "unconscious plagiarism". Though he didn't do it intentionally, the general feeling is he should have known how similar My Sweet Lord was to He's So Fine. Harrison's only other number one hit was Give Me Love from the 1973 album Living In The Material World. Harrison started his own label Dark Horse in 1976 and continued to record. This comp covers his whole career. He was also a member of the 80s supergroup The Traveling Wilburys. And he was a co-owner of HandMade Films. George Harrison was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 and despite aggressive treatment, he died Nov. 29, 2001 at age 58. For more about George Harrison, check out Martin Scorsese's documentary Living In The Material World. Here's George Harrison performing My Sweet Lord at the Concert For Bangla Desh at Madison Square Garden in New York Aug. 1, 1971.
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