Thread: George Harrison

George Harrison sings “My sweet lord” At Concert for Bangladesh (VIDEO)
February 26, 2011

In honor of what would have been George Harrison’s 68th birthday, we present what might have been the very peak of his professional career as a singer, songwriter, musician and social consciousness-raiser.


George Harrison

In the summer of 1971, George and his friend Ravi Shankar organized the now=-legendary Concert for Bangladesh to raise money to help feed and clothe the millions of refugees displaced from civil war in what was then East Pakistan.

The concert attracted a dazzling array of George’s musical friends, including Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. (John Lennon and Paul McCartney were invited, but declined to participate)

In this clip from that unforgettable event, George sings one of his most popular songs, “My Sweet Lord,” from the blockbuster “All Things Must Pass” which was released the prior year and went on to becoming the best-selling album of any solo Beatle.

uk.ibtimes.com



youtube.com

Originally Posted by Mid

George sings one of his most popular songs, “My Sweet Lord,”

Isn't that the song that he 'unconsciously copied' ? The least tallented member of all The Beatles, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by superman

The least tallented member of all The Beatles

a mantle that would not be the worst one can think of

Harrison is listed at number 21 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".[6]

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...eorge_Harrison

Originally Posted by superman

the song that he 'unconsciously copied'

The song was originally intended for Billy Preston, who had a minor hit with it in early 1970, in his album Encouraging Words. It was written in December 1969, when Harrison and Billy Preston were in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The recording of the song took place in London. Preston was the principal musician while Harrison was engineering the sessions.

Following the song's release, musical similarities between "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffons' hit "He's So Fine" led to a lengthy legal battle over the rights to the composition. Billboard magazine, in an article dated 6 March 1971, stated that Harrison's royalty payments from the recording had been halted worldwide. Harrison stated that he was inspired to write "My Sweet Lord" after hearing the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh Happy Day".[citation needed]

In the U.S. federal court decision in the case, known as Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music,[3] Harrison was found to have "subconsciously" copied the earlier song. He was ordered to surrender the majority of royalties from "My Sweet Lord" and partial royalties from All Things Must Pass. Former manager Allen Klein, who earlier had supported Harrison's case, became the owner of Bright Tunes, after they parted ways. Harrison claimed in a BBC interview with Annie Nightingale that the Judge in the case said that he liked Harrison's version of "My Sweet Lord" less.

The Chiffons would later record "My Sweet Lord" to capitalise on the publicity generated by the lawsuit. Country singer Jody Miller recorded a country chart top-five cover of "He's So Fine", which plays on the two songs' similarities by featuring the same guitar breaks played on the Harrison recording.

Shortly thereafter, Harrison (who would eventually buy the rights to "He's So Fine")[4] wrote and recorded a song about the court case named "This Song", which includes "This tune has nothing 'Bright' about it." "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Rescue Me" are also mentioned in the record.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped.../My_Sweet_Lord

I never realised Ringo Starr had such competition for the "least talented" title.

I'll have to go back and find something he wrote that is worth listening to.

Any ideas?

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

I'll have to go back and find something he wrote that is worth listening to.

The Beatles used Starr's unusual turns of phrase, or "Ringoisms" as they became known, such as "a hard day's night" and "tomorrow never knows", and turned them into songs.[36]


Starr did eventually begin composing, and is credited with "Don't Pass Me By" (on The White Album)[39][40] and "Octopus's Garden" (on Abbey Road)[41][42] as sole songwriter.


https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ki/Ringo_Starr

^

Thank God Ringo wasn't a Cockney; I hate to think of the song titles we would have suffered.

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

I'll have to go back and find something he wrote that is worth listening to.

Category:Ringo Starr songs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bear in mind that 'talent' isn't just writing music, as you seem to infer.