One at a Time: "All Things Must Pass" (1970) by George Harrison

What is One at a Time? Check out the introduction here.

 
#437 "All Things Must Pass" (1970) by George Harrison

I'm jumping around a little bit, picking things out on purpose. I jumped ahead a few albums to the very best Beatles solo album, because I know it well, and I know very well that it's the best Beatles solo album, and even better than some actual Beatles albums.

This is one of those albums that is way longer than it should be, but it actually works. I mean, it's a triple album with 23 tracks on it, including two versions of "Isn't It a Pity", an 8 minute instrumental called "I Remember Jeep", and a whole 50 second track devoted to Johnny's birthday. Did we really need so much excess? The answer is yes. All Things Must Pass is perfect in so many ways.

The album is like Beatles music with a more worldly flair, which often gives the songs a deeply genuine feel and makes us believe George when he sings about spirituality and the like. There's the wonderfully spiritual songs like "My Sweet Lord", "Art of Dying", and "Hear Me Lord" but there's also a lot of songs that Harrison wrote out of frustration with his former band members. "Wah-Wah" might just be my favorite song on the album. It's a really fun-sounding song, full of noise in the background as Harrison laments the blase attitude of John Lennon. The title track is a song that was turned down for the Beatles Get Back album.

There's sweeping melodies all of this album, with Harrison's voice never feeling like it's belting, but always just loud enough to be at the center of the cacophony behind him. "What is Life" is transcendent, and there's a run of excellence on this album that can hardly be matched anywhere else.

1. "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (1963) by Bob Dylan
2. "Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ" (1973) by Bruce Springsteen 
3. "All Things Must Pass" (1970) by George Harrison
4. "Tapestry" (1971) by Carole King
5. "Document" (1987) by REM
6. "Tea for the Tillerman" (1970) by Cat Stevens 
7. "Car Wheels On a Gravel Road" (1998) by Lucinda Williams 
8. "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" (1974) by Richard and Linda Thompson
9. "Number One Record" (1972) by Big Star
10. "Bookends" (1968) by Simon and Garfunkel
11. "Elton John" (1970) by Elton John
12. "The Bends" (1995) by Radiohead
13. "Armed Forces" (1979) by Elvis Costello and The Attractions
14. "Stop Making Sense" (1984) by The Talking Heads
15. "Honky Chateau" (1972) by Elton John 
16. "Tunnel of Love" (1987) by Bruce Springsteen
17. "Green River" (1969) by Creedance Clearwater Revival
18. "Burnin'" (1973) by The Wailers 
19. "The Rolling Stones Now!" (1965) by The Rolling Stones
20. "Born Under A Bad Sign" (1967) by Albert King
21. "Heaven Up Here" (1981) by Echo and the Bunnymen
22. "The Slim Shady LP" (1999) by Eminem