When Paul McCartney shared that he was no longer working with the other members of The Beatles during a press conference in 1970, the group was unofficially done and had moved into their individual solo careers. That year, McCartney released his namesake debut solo album, McCartney. John Lennon released his debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, while Ringo Starr also shared his first solo effort Sentimental Journey. By the end of 1970, George Harrison released his third solo album, All Things Must Pass.
From the album, Harrison released his first solo single “My Sweet Lord.”
On December 26, 1970, “My Sweet Lord” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first member of The Beatles to top the charts as a solo artist, where he remained for four weeks.
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The Meaning
“My Sweet Lord” was centered around the Eastern religion Harrison had started studying by the mid-’60s. In 1966, Harrison went to India and studied sitar with Pandit Ravi Shankar and met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, where he also studied yoga with his then-wife Pattie Boyd. The visit had a lasting, impact on Harrison, and the Beatles would eventually go to India together in 1968.
I really want to see you
Really want to be with you
Really want to see you, Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord
Within the lyrics, Harrison incorporated some Hindu chants of Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, and more.
Hm, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)
Hm, my sweet Lord (Krishna Krishna)
Hm, hm (Hare Hare)
Really want to see you (Hare Rama)
Really want to be with you (Hare Rama)
Really want to see you, Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord
Along with the Hindu references, “My Sweet Lord” calls for a more non-sectarian nature within religion with additional chants of the Hebrew hallelujah.
I really want to know you
Really want to go with you
Really want to show you Lord
But it won’t take long, my Lord (hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (hallelujah)
Hm, my Lord (hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (hallelujah)
The Controversy
In 1976, Harrison was sued by Bright Tunes Music and found guilty of “subconscious plagiarism” since “My Sweet Lord” had some similarities to The Chiffons’ 1963 song “He’s So Fine,” originally written by Ronnie Mack, and was ordered to pay $1.6 million.
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The Resurgence
Just two months after Harrison died in 2001 at age 58, “My Sweet Lord” had a resurgence and reentered the Billboard Hot 100 again, at the top, 31 years after it was first released.
Proceeds for the rerelease of “My Sweet Lord” in 2002 went to Harrison’s Material World Charitable Foundation and the Self Realization Fellowship.
Photo: Wolstenholme/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
