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My Sweet Lord

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For other uses, see My Sweet Lord (disambiguation).
"My Sweet Lord"
Song
A-side"My Sweet Lord"
B-side
* "Isn't It a Pity" (U.S.)
  • "What Is Life" (U.K.)
  • "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" (1997 re-release)
  • "Let It Down (acoustic)" and "My Sweet Lord (2000) (2002 re-release)

"My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatle George Harrison from his UK number one hit triple album All Things Must Pass. Session musicians on the track included Eric Clapton. The song is primarily about God, and features repetitions of the avatars of Lord Vishnu, the preserving god in Hinduism. It is ranked #454 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

When released as a single, "My Sweet Lord" topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. In October 1970 Harrison told the British press that it was going to be his first solo single, but a few days later he changed his mind and said it would not be made available thus, as he did not want sales in that format to detract from those of the album. (The other three former Beatles had also released solo albums earlier that year, without releasing a single in Britain from any of them). It was released as a single in the US on 23 November 1970. Within a few weeks, EMI and Apple Records bowed to media and public demand, and the UK release followed on 15 January 1971.

Entering the British charts in the first week at No. 7 and then hitting the summit for five weeks, it was the first single by an ex-Beatle to reach No. 1. It did so again in the UK when reissued in January 2002 after Harrison's death from cancer. It also reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 26, 1970.

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 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. The drumming was performed by Alan White, now better known for his long association with Yes. White was introduced to Harrison by John Lennon, after he had worked with the Plastic Ono Band and on Lennon's second solo album, Imagine.

When All Things Must Pass was re-issued for its thirtieth anniversary in 2000, Harrison recorded a new version of the song as a bonus track, sharing vocals with Sam Brown.

In Britain the original single was officially a double-A Side with "What Is Life", so both sides had a full Apple label. In the US it was paired with "Isn't It a Pity", which was not included on the 2002 re-release. The latter, on CD only, included "My Sweet Lord (2000)" and "Let It Down" as additional tracks.

After Harrison's death, at the tribute Concert for George in November 2002, the song was performed by Preston, with Sam Brown joining on background vocals.

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".

In the U.S. federal court decision in the case, known as Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music,[1] Harrison was found to have unintentionally 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. In the long run this worked against Klein, but it resulted in the case continuing for years in court.

The Chiffons would later record "My Sweet Lord" to capitalize on the publicity generated by the lawsuit.

Shortly thereafter, Harrison (who would eventually buy the rights to "He's So Fine")[2] wrote and recorded a song about the court case named "This Song", which includes "This song, there's nothing 'Bright' about it." "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Rescue Me" are also mentioned in the record.

Vaisnava Prayers

Early in the song, the background singers repeat the Jewish and Christian word of praise, "Hallelujah". Later, the background singers chant two Vaisnava 'Hindu' prayers:

Hare Krishna/Hare Krishna/Krishna Krishna/Hare Hare/Hare Rama/Hare Rama

This prayer consists of part of the principal mantra of devotees of the Gaudiya Vaisnavite faith, popularised in the West by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), colloquially known as the 'Hare Krishnas'. Harrison was a devotee of this religious path. The mantra in full is "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare."

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu/Gurur Devo Maheshwaraha/Gurur Saakshat Para Brahma/Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha

This prayer is chanted by Hindu devotees prior to beginning any action. It is typically used when the devotee is not recognizing any Guru in particular but to the Creator in general (as opposed to specific avatars of the Creator). In Harrison's case the Supreme Creator is recognised as Krishna. The prayer translates as:

"The God of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva creates, sustains knowledge, and destroys the weeds of ignorance. I salute such a God."

Other Versions

In 1972, pianist and singer-songwriter Nina Simone performed a 18min+ version of "My Sweet Lord" at Fort Dix before a group of black soldiers (recorded on Emergency Ward). She mingled the song with the David Nelson poem "Today is a killer", in which at the end God himself is accused of being a killer, giving the otherwise exuberant atmosphere of the performance an apocalyptical ending. No references to Hare Krishna were used.

Notes

  1. ^ 420 F. Supp. 177 (SDNY 1976). http://www.columbia.edu/ccnmtl/projects/law/library/cases/case_brightharrisongs.html
  2. ^ Huntley, Elliot J.(2004). Mystical One: George Harrison: After the Breakup of the Beatles.Guernica Editions Inc. ISBN 1-55071-197-0
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number one single
December 26 1970 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK number one single
January 30 1971 - March 5 1971 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK number one single
January 20 2002 - January 26 2002 		Succeeded by
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