Search - George Harrison :: My Sweet Lord

A Remarkable Tribute

Carl Savich | Detroit, MI, USA | 01/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Capitol Records and Gnome Records have re-released the classic George Harrison song from 1970 "My Sweet Lord" in a special commemorative CD single. The CD single also features "Let It Down", a demo from the 2001 All Things Must Pass remaster. The third cut on the CD is the newly recorded "My Sweet Lord (2000)" from the 30th anniversary re-release of ATMP. All three songs come from the 2001 version of ATMP. All three songs are written by George Harrison and produced by Harrison and Phil Spector. The remastering is by Jon Astley who did a superb job in bringing out the clarity of the sound. The original engineers were Ken Scott and Phil McDonald "with thanks to Eddie Klein." Ken Scott re-engineered the 2000 re-release project. The sound quality is excellent. The guitars are up front as are the vocals. George Harrison's slide guitar work can be heard clearly and distinctly. On "My Sweet Lord (2000)", Harrison even plays a sitar at the beginning of the song. The slide work throughout that song is remarkable and original. George Harrison was one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time.But he was never flashy and never showboated. He relied on subtlety and melodic nuance. The CD single captures Harrison's guitar style perfectly. The slide playing on these songs is legendary. Once you hear his solos, you can never forget them, they are that original and powerful.The cover artwork features a photograph taken by George Harrison himself which shows a greenish-blue flower. The CD itself is violet in color and features the same flower in the center. The back cover is a smaller version of the cover artwork featuring a violet flower. The packaging is very good. What is missing, however, is session information.Who, for instance, played the acoustic guitars in the original "My Sweet Lord"? Was it members of Badfinger? Who? Who is the drummer? Also, the full and complete lyrics should have been included.So the packaging is very sparse.Overall, the sound quality is excellent. The CD reissue is a fitting tribute to George Harrison and to the song "My Sweet Lord", a classic no. 1 record from 1970-71. "My Sweet Lord" was a totally original and unique song when it came out, a personal song about religious redemption and discovery. Harrison was one of the key figures seeking religious understanding beginning with the meetings with the Maharishi in 1967 and the trip to India in 1968. "My Sweet Lord" is the culmination of this religious quest. The commemorative "My Sweet Lord" CD single is an excellent tribute to both Harrison and the song. For those who have never heard the song, it is a remarkable introduction. The proceeds from the sale of this single will go to the Material World Foundation, a charity."

My Sweet George

J. Fennick | East Northport, New York United States | 01/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you loved George Harrison, obviously, the decision to buy this single is a no brainer. For anyone else, I'd suggest you buy it immediately! Not just because owning it is a fitting tribute to one of the most underrated musicians and people out there but because the other two tracks are amazing. All three songs are taken from the re-mixed and re-mastered All Things Must Pass (another must-have). "My Sweet Lord" never sounded better. "My Sweet Lord 2000" (featuring George's son Dhani on guitar and singer Sam Brown on backing vocals) is a really lovely remake of the original with a much more gospel feel and amazing slide guitar from Hari Georgeson himself. My personal fave track is the demo version of "Let It Down", one of the sexiest songs George ever wrote. This sparse version featuring just George and his guitar will just cut right through you.Other musical fads come and go but some things are forever. That includes the music of George Harrison. I only wish I could say the same thing for him. Like so many others, I'm going to miss him more than words can say."

In Lieu of Flowers. . .

Astrid Slomova | Louisiana | 06/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have read the reviews that characterize this release as an attempt to cash in on the recent death of George Harrison. I disagree.Many times, when someone passes on, notices appear requesting that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to charity in the name of the deceased. The proceeds from the sale of this single go to charity. I see this as an attempt by the record company to facilitate such donations. It seems an appropriate gesture to me. As for the music, it's George Harrison at the top of his game. Enough said."