George Harrison’s favorite record, the triple album All Things Must Pass was released a few months after the Beatles’ official implosion
“ It was a great experience making this album., even if I didn’t really believe it » Harrison said a few years later. “ I remember thinking in the studio that it was marshmallowy, but the people around me were enthusiastic. That’s when I realized it was good. »
For the album’s 30th anniversary in 2000, Harrison himself oversaw a new mix, which included a remake of his hit “My Sweet Lord”. And today, to commemorate the album’s 50th anniversary, its rights holders are releasing a sparkling new mix of the title track “All Things Must Pass,” which also heralds a major project in the works.
The songs told Harrison’s story in multiple, sometimes undetectable ways. With subtle references that probably went over most fans’ heads, “Wah-Wah” and “Run of the Mill” were jabs at the Beatles’ crashing reunions and their chaotic histories. “Beware of Darkness” was his take on the less savory side of the music industry, and his newfound devotion to Hare Krishna was the focus of “My Sweet Lord” and “Awaiting on You All.” All Things Must Pass made Harrison his own creative and commercial force. Despite a sale price of $12 – a high price for the time – the three-disc set rose to the top of the American charts, where it remained for seven weeks.
Years later, Harrison would admit that “ big production that seemed appropriate at the time ” was ” a little exaggerated with reverb and Spector’s ‘wall of sound’“. As you can hear on this new mix of the album’s title track, it hasn’t completely disappeared but thanks to a new mix from Paul Hicks, who worked on the Beatles reissues and the recent tribute box set to John Lennon Gimme Some Truththe upgraded version of “All Things Must Pass” sounds airier and cleaner, and Harrison’s vocals are a bit more present in the mix.
“ The new stereo mix of the album’s title track is just a taste of what’s to come in 2021, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of my father’s legendary album All Things Must Pass” Harrison’s son Dhani said. “ Making this album clearer was always one of my father’s greatest wishes and was something we worked on together until he passed away. But with the help of new technologies and the work of Paul Hicks on this project, we are now able to make this wish come true. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been working on“.
A complete reissue of All Things Must Pass seems likely. In an interview with WECB earlier this year, Harrison’s widow Olivia, who manages his estate, mentioned the new studio recordings that were discovered during the sessions. “ Much of it has been pirated, but we have better versions“, she said. “ We found lots of different takes and discussions recorded in the studio. »
