George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ Box Set Announced
George Harrison's estate will release an expansive 50th-anniversary box set of his lauded 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass on Aug. 6.
Executive produced by Harrison's son Dhani, the collection will include 70 tracks stretching across five CDs (or eight LPs), including 42 previously unheard session outtakes, studio jams and demo recordings. An accompanying scrapbook features archival notes, track-by-track annotations, rare photos and more.
The uber-deluxe set boasts the addition of an exclusively designed wooden crate containing an expanded scrapbook (curated by Harrison's widow, Olivia) with a wooden bookmark made from a felled Oak tree in Harrison's Friar Park home, as well as 1/6-scale replica figurines of Harrison and the gnomes featured on the original album cover.
The box set is available for pre-order now.
"Bringing greater sonic clarity to this record was always one of my father’s wishes, and it was something we were working on together right up until he passed in 2001," Dhani Harrison said in a statement. "Now, 20 years later, with the help of new technology and the extensive work of [mixer] Paul Hicks we have realized this wish and present to you this very special 50th Anniversary release of perhaps his greatest work of art. Every wish will be fulfilled."
You can watch a trailer for the set below.
All Things Must Pass, for which sessions began just six weeks after the breakup of the Beatles, was not Harrison's first solo album, but it did become one of his most critically and commercially successful releases. (He'd previously put out a pair of experimental instrumental records.)
The triple LP doubled down on Harrison's signature style of slide guitar as well as spiritual themes that would continue to appear in his subsequent solo work. Hit singles "My Sweet Lord" (which became the first single by a former Beatle to reach No. 1) and "What Is Life," as well as songs that had been earlier passed up for inclusion on Beatles albums like "Isn't It a Pity" and the title track.
A version of "Run of the Mill (Take 36)" has been released in advance of the album. You can watch it below.
Harrison may have been launching himself into a new era of his career at the time, but he was willing to bring some aspects of the past into his future: Ringo Starr played on several tracks, as did Beatles alum Billy Preston. A who's-who of stars filled up the rest of the session personnel, including a 20-year-old Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, Pete Ham of Badfinger, Dave Mason of Traffic, Gary Wright, Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominos, Alan White of Yes, Ginger Baker of Cream and more. Phil Spector produced, surrounding the LP in his famous Wall of Sound.
All Things Must Pass surpassed Harrison's former bandmates on the charts, overshadowing John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band, which was also produced by Spector and released a few months after All Things Must Pass, and Paul McCartney's Ram, which came out in May 1971. At the 1972 Grammy Awards, All Things Must Pass was nominated for Album of the Year, while "My Sweet Lord" received a Record of the Year nod.
You can see the track listing for the box set below.
George Harrison, 'All Things Must Pass' 50th Anniversary Edition Track Listing
Disc One (Main Album)
1. "I’d Have You Anytime"
2. "My Sweet Lord"
3. "Wah-Wah"
4. "Isn’t It A Pity (Version One)"
5. "What Is Life"
6. "If Not For You"
7. "Behind That Locked Door"
8. "Let It Down"
9. "Run Of The Mill"
Disc Two (Main Album Cont.)
1. "Beware Of Darkness"
2. "Apple Scruffs"
3. "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)"
4. "Awaiting On You All"
5. "All Things Must Pass"
6. "I Dig Love"
7. "Art Of Dying"
8. "Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two)"
9. "Hear Me Lord"
10. "Out Of The Blue" *
11. "It’s Johnny’s Birthday" *
12. "Plug Me In *
13. "I Remember Jeep" *
14. "Thanks For The Pepperoni" *
* Newly Remastered/Original Mix
Disc Three (Day 1 Demos – Tuesday 26 May 1970)
1. "All Things Must Pass (Take 1)" †
2. "Behind That Locked Door (Take 2)"
3. "I Live For You (Take 1)"
4. "Apple Scruffs" (Take 1)"
5. "What Is Life" (Take 3)"
6. "Awaiting On You All (Take 1)" †
7. "Isn’t It A Pity (Take 2)"
8. "I’d Have You Anytime (Take 1)"
9. "I Dig Love (Take 1)"
10. "Going Down To Golders Green (Take 1"
11. "Dehra Dun (Take 2)"
12. "Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna) (Take 1)"
13. "Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (Take 2)"
14. "My Sweet Lord (Take 1)" †
15. "Sour Milk Sea (Take 1)"
Disc Four (Day 2 Demos – Wednesday 27 May 1970)
1. "Run Of The Mill (Take 1)" †
2. "Art Of Dying (Take 1)"
3. "Everybody/Nobody (Take 1)"
4. "Wah-Wah" (Take 1)"
5. "Window Window (Take 1)"
6. "Beautiful Girl (Take 1)"
7. "Beware Of Darkness" (Take 1)"
8. "Let It Down" (Take 1)"
9. "Tell Me What Has Happened To You" (Take 1)"
10. "Hear Me Lord" (Take 1)"
11. "Nowhere To Go" (Take 1)"
12. "Cosmic Empire" (Take 1)"
13. "Mother Divine" (Take 1)"
14. "I Don’t Want To Do It (Take 1)"
15. "If Not For You (Take 1)"
† Previously Released
Disc Five (Session Outtakes and Jams)
1. "Isn’t It A Pity (Take 14)"
2. "Wah-Wah (Take 1)"
3. "I’d Have You Anytime (Take 5)"
4. "Art Of Dying (Take 1)"
5. "Isn’t It A Pity (Take 27)"
6. "If Not For You (Take 2)"
7. "Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine) (Take 1)"
8. "What Is Life (Take 1)"
9. "Beware Of Darkness (Take 8)"
10. "Hear Me Lord (Take 5)"
11. "Let It Down (Take 1)"
12. "Run Of The Mill (Take 36)"
13. "Down To the River (Rocking Chair Jam) (Take 1)"
14. "Get Back (Take 1)"
15. "Almost 12 Bar Honky Tonk (Take 1)"
16. "It’s Johnny’s Birthday (Take 1)"
17. "Woman Don’t You Cry For Me (Take 5)"