"All Things Must Pass"

"All Things Must Pass" is a song written by George Harrison.

During The Beatles' Get Back sessions in January 1969, this was one of many songs the group rehearsed to be part of their new album. As the sessions progressed, the song was pushed to the side. After the project was abandoned, Harrison recorded a solo demo of the song on multi-track tape on February 25, 1969. The song was never formally recorded by The Beatles by the time of their break-up, although considering the subject matter of the song, it may have been suitable for their final release Let It Be in 1970.

Harrison recorded the definitive version on his landmark All Things Must Pass album later that year.

The song underwent a number of small changes from when it was first written in late 1968. The line "a mind can blow those clouds away" was originally written as the more literal "a wind can blow those clouds away," but bootlegs from the January 1969 Beatles sessions reveal John Lennon suggesting the change to "mind" to include a bit of "psychedelia" in the song. Perspective on one line was slightly changed from "It's not always been this grey" (with The Beatles) on the demo to "It's not always gonna be this grey" (on his own) on the final recording.

Billy Preston, who played keyboard during Get Back/Let It Be sessions and later performed with The Beatles at the Rooftop Concert, recorded his version of the song (as well as Harrison's "My Sweet Lord") on the album Encouraging Words before it surfaced on Harrison's triple album.

The title and lyrics of the song probably come from the last words of Buddha: "All composite things pass away. Strive for your own liberation with diligence." This is often shortened to "All things must pass away."

Paul McCartney sang this song at the Concert for George memorial for Harrison on November 29, 2002.

Album: All Things Must Pass
Published: Harrisongs Ltd.
Released: November 27, 1970
Genre: Rock music
Length: 3:47
Label: Apple Records
Writer: George Harrison
Producer: George Harrison, Phil Spector

Wikipedia