Recorded between Could and October 1970, George Harrison’s “What Is Life” turned the second single to be launched from All Issues Should Cross. It entered the US Sizzling 100 on February 27, 1971, and went on to change into George’s second Prime 10 hit in America.
Within the UK, “What Is Life” was issued because the B-side of “My Sweet Lord.” As a single, it topped the Swiss charts, and did very well within the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, and Norway. The tune was written shortly by George, and he thought initially that Billy Preston would file it for his solo album.
George had began work on All Issues Should Cross, however they had been working out of tracks on the well-known studio, as a result of it solely had a four-track machine, so he went to Trident at St. Anne’s Court docket in London’s Soho the place that they had an 8-track recorder. In keeping with engineer Ken Scott, “Working with George was always a joy. When he did backing vocals, it was all George. It was tedious, but it was so much fun. We would double it and bounce those down, and double some more and bounce those, getting the mix as we went along.”
It’s a tune that went via a number of totally different phases till George was proud of it. An early combine had further devices that didn’t fairly match what George wished. In keeping with George, “It had parts for piccolo trumpet and oboe that weren’t used originally because I didn’t like the feel. It sounds a bit of a novelty now.”
The observe options a lot of those that graced the All Issues Should Cross periods, together with all of Derek And The Dominos – Clapton, Whitlock, Radle, and Gordon, together with Pete Ham, Tom Evans, and Joey Molland of Badfinger. Extra instrumentation comes from Jim Worth on trumpet and Bobby Keys on saxophone, who had been within the throes of changing into The Rolling Stones‘ horn section, playing on Sticky Fingers and as part of the band’s touring social gathering.
In America, the only got here in an image sleeve that reveals George taking part in guitar whereas standing in a window of his dwelling, Friar Park. The picture was taken by Barry Feinstein, whose Camouflage Productions companion, Tom Wilkes, wished it to be a part of an elaborate poster supposed as an insert within the album bundle, however that design was rejected by George in favor of a less complicated picture of him, which turned the ultimate poster. In 1972, Olivia Newton-John recorded “What Is Life,” and it reached the UK prime 20 in March 1972, peaking at No.16.
George Harrison’s All Issues Should Cross may be purchased right here.
