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| from Album = <br/>] | from Album = <br/>]
| B-side = "]" | B-side = "]"
| Released = 7 May 1973 | Released = 7 May 1973 (US) <br /> 25 May 1973 (UK)
| Format = ] | Format = ]
| Recorded = | Recorded =
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| Tracks = {{Living in the Material World tracks}} | Tracks = {{Living in the Material World tracks}}
}} }}
{{Extra track listing
| Album = ]
| Type = compilation
| Tracks = {{The Best of George Harrison tracks}}
}} }}
⚫ "'''Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)'''" is a song by English musician ], released as the opening track of his 1973 album '']''. It was also issued as the ] from the album, in May that year, and became Harrison's second US number 1, after "]". In doing so, the song demoted ]' "]" from the top of the ], marking the only occasion that two former ] held the top two chart positions in America. The single also reached the top ten in Britain, Canada, Australia and in other countries around the world.
}}
⚫ "'''Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)'''" is a song by English musician ] and the opening track of his 1973 album '']''. It was released as the ] from the album in May that year and became Harrison's second US number 1, after "]". In doing so, the song demoted ]' "]" from the top of the ], marking the only occasion that two former ] held the top two chart positions in America. The single also reached the top ten in Britain and Canada, and in other singles charts around the world.


"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is one of Harrison's most popular songs, among fans and music critics, and features a series of much-praised ] solos from Harrison. The recording signalled a deliberate departure from his earlier post-Beatles work, in the scaling down of the big sound synonymous with '']'' and his other collaborations with co-producer ] over 1970–71. The musicians on the recording include ], ], ] and ]. In his lyrics, Harrison sings of his desire to be free of ] and the constant cycle of ]; he later described the song as "a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it".<ref name="IMM p 246" /> "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is one of its author's most popular songs, among fans and music critics, and features a series of much-praised ] solos from Harrison. The recording signalled a deliberate departure from his earlier post-Beatles work, in the scaling down of the big sound synonymous with '']'' and his other co-productions with ] over 1970–71. Aside from Harrison, the musicians on the recording are ], ], ] and ]. In his lyrics, Harrison sings of his desire to be free of ] and the constant cycle of ]; he later described the song as "a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it".<ref name="IMM p 246" />


Harrison performed "Give Me Love" at every concert during his rare tours as a solo artist, and a live version was included on his 1992 album '']''. The original studio recording appears on the compilation albums '']'' (1976) and '']'' (2009). At the ] tribute to Harrison in November 2002, ] performed "Give Me Love", with ] and ] playing the twin slide-guitar parts. ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] are among the other artists who have covered the song. Harrison performed "Give Me Love" at every concert during his rare tours as a solo artist, and a live version was included on his 1992 album '']''. The original studio recording appears on the compilation albums '']'' (1976) and '']'' (2009). At the ] tribute to Harrison in November 2002, ] performed "Give Me Love", with ] and ] playing the twin slide-guitar parts. ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] are among the other artists who have covered the song.
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==Background and composition== ==Background and composition==
{{quote box|quote= I want to be God-conscious. That's really my only ambition, and everything else in life is incidental.<ref>Greene, p. 184.</ref>|source= – George Harrison, speaking in early 1971<ref>Tillery, p. 154.</ref> about his plans following the success of '']''|width=20%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}} {{quote box|quote= I want to be God-conscious. That's really my only ambition, and everything else in life is incidental.<ref>Greene, p. 184.</ref>|source= – George Harrison, speaking in early 1971<ref>Tillery, p. 154.</ref> about his plans following the success of '']''|width=20%|align=left|style=padding:8px;}}
When discussing how he wrote "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", ] states in his 1980 autobiography, '']'': "Sometimes you open your mouth and you don't know what you are going to say, and whatever comes out is the starting point. If that happens and you are lucky, it can usually be turned into a song. This song is a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it."<ref name="IMM p 246">Harrison, p. 246.</ref> When discussing how he wrote "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", ] states in his 1980 autobiography, '']'':
<blockquote>Sometimes you open your mouth and you don't know what you are going to say, and whatever comes out is the starting point. If that happens and you are lucky, it can usually be turned into a song. This song is a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it.<ref name="IMM p 246">Harrison, p. 246.</ref></blockquote>

⚫ "Give Me Love" continued the precedent set by Harrison in his 1970 single "]", where he blended the ] '']'' with Western ] tradition.<ref>Leng, p. 157.</ref><ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', p. 180.</ref> Author Simon Leng notes that the song repeats another Harrison hit formula, by using a three-syllable lyrical hook as its title, like "My Sweet Lord", "]" and "]".<ref>Leng, pp. 153, 209.</ref> In a further similarity with those earlier songs, he wrote "Give Me Love" very quickly;<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 434, 444.</ref><ref>Harrison, p. 162.</ref> Harrison biographer ] describes it as having "flowed from George with an ease as devoid of ante-start agonies as a ] 'think piece'".<ref>Clayson, p. 322.</ref>


⚫ Harrison had embraced the theme of ] and ] in the songs "]" and "]", both released on his 1970 triple album '']''.<ref>Schaffner, p. 142.</ref> With "Give Me Love", he expressed his vision for life in the physical world,<ref name=autogenerated2>Kevin Howlett's liner notes, booklet accompanying ] (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani & Olivia Harrison).</ref> a life devoid of the karmic burden of rebirth, or reincarnation:<ref>Allison, pp. 79, 82, 142.</ref><ref name="Inglis p 38" />
⚫ "Give Me Love" continued the precedent set by Harrison in his 1970 single "]", where he blended the ] '']'' with Western ] tradition,<ref>Leng, p. 157.</ref><ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', p. 180.</ref> and the song repeats another Harrison hit formula by using a three-syllable lyrical hook as its title, like "My Sweet Lord", "]" and "]".<ref>Leng, pp. 153, 209.</ref> In a further similarity with those earlier songs, he wrote "Give Me Love" very quickly;<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 434, 444.</ref><ref>Harrison, p. 162.</ref> Harrison biographer ] describes it as having "flowed from George with an ease as devoid of ante-start agonies as a ] 'think piece'".<ref>Clayson, p. 322.</ref>


⚫ {{quote|text=''Give me love, give me love, give me peace on earth <br> Give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth <br> Give me hope, help me cope with this heavy load <br>Trying to touch and reach you with heart and soul.''<ref name="IMM p 245" />}}
⚫ Harrison had embraced the theme of ] and ] in the songs "]" and "]", both released on his 1970 triple album '']''.<ref>Schaffner, p. 142.</ref> With "Give Me Love", the "starting point" that Harrison refers to in ''I, Me, Mine'' led to a statement expressing the singer's vision for life in the physical world,<ref name=autogenerated2>Kevin Howlett's liner notes, booklet accompanying ] (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani & Olivia Harrison).</ref> a life devoid of the karmic burden of rebirth, or reincarnation:<ref>Allison, pp. 79, 82.</ref><ref name="Inglis p 38" />


⚫ These chorus lyrics bear a simple, universal message,<ref name="AM/Planer" /><ref name="Huntley p 90">Huntley, p. 90.</ref> one that, in the context of the time, related as much to the communal "peace and love" ] as it did Harrison's personal spiritual quest.<ref name="Allison p 142">Allison, p. 142.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison biographer Elliot Huntley views the words to "Give Me Love" as a "lyrically dummed-down version" of the singer's Hindu-aligned spiritual message.<ref>Huntley, pp. 89–90.</ref> The theme regarding deliverance from rebirth in the physical world features more overtly in other tracks on Harrison's '']'' album,<ref name="Schaffner p 159" /> notably "]" and "]".<ref>Tillery, pp. 111–12.</ref>}} The lyrics also imply a deficiency or unfulfilment on Harrison's part<ref>Allison, p. 22.</ref> – "an acknowledgment of the trials and tribulations he was facing in a more earthly setting", author Ian Inglis suggests.<ref name="Inglis p 38" /> Leng has written of Harrison's failing marriage to ] during this period, as well as a possible spiritual "crisis" in reaction to both the acclaim he had received as a solo artist since ] and the frustrations associated with his ] (formerly ]).<ref>Leng, pp. 126, 137–38.</ref>
⚫ {{quote|text=''Give me love, give me love, give me peace on earth <br> Give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth <br> Give me hope, help me cope with this heavy load <br>Trying to touch and reach you with heart and soul.''<ref>Harrison, p. 245.</ref>}}


Musically, "Give Me Love" is in the ] of F, with a ] of 4/4 throughout. As on Harrison's recording, this requires a ] on the third fret of an acoustic guitar, to transpose the chords from D up to the correct key.<ref>"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", in ''George Harrison ''Living in the Material World'': Sheet Music for Piano, Vocal & Guitar'', Charles Hansen (New York, NY, 1973), pp. 63–65.</ref> The song begins with strummed ], similar to the opening of ]'s "]",<ref name="AM/Planer">Lindsay Planer, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> before the arrival of what music critic ] terms the "beaming harmony of doubled slide ".<ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', p. 201.</ref> The ], which fully arrives only after the first ] segment,<ref name="Jackson p 95" /> provides a rhythm that Harrison biographer ] describes as "bouncy yet soothing".<ref name="Tillery p 111" />
⚫ These chorus lyrics bear a simple, universal message,<ref name="AM/Planer" /><ref name="Huntley p 90">Huntley, p. 90.</ref> one that, in the context of the time, related as much to the communal "peace and love" ] as it did Harrison's personal spiritual quest.<ref name="Allison p 142">Allison, p. 142.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison biographer Elliot Huntley views the words to "Give Me Love" as a "lyrically dummed-down version" of the singer's Hindu-aligned spiritual message.<ref>Huntley, pp. 89–90.</ref> The theme regarding deliverance from rebirth in the physical world features more overtly in other tracks on Harrison's '']'' album,<ref name="Schaffner p 159" /> notably "]" and "]".<ref>Tillery, pp. 111–12.</ref>}} The lyrics also imply a deficiency or unfulfilment on Harrison's part<ref>Allison, p. 22.</ref> – "an acknowledgment of the trials and tribulations he was facing in a more earthly setting", author Ian Inglis suggests.<ref name="Inglis p 38" /> Harrison's musical biographer, Simon Leng, has written of his failing marriage to ] during this period, as well as a possible spiritual "crisis" in reaction to both the acclaim he had received as a solo artist since ] and the frustrations associated with his ] (formerly ]).<ref>Leng, pp. 126, 137–38.</ref>


During the two ] sections in "Give Me Love", Harrison subtly blends the sacred term "]" in the drawn-out phrase "''Oh&nbsp;... my Lord''".<ref>Allison, pp. 122, 142.</ref><ref name="Tillery p 111">Tillery, p. 111.</ref> Joshua Greene describes this as an example of a theme found in a number of songs on the '']'' album, where spiritual concepts were "distilled" into phrases "so elegant they resembled ]: short codes that contain volumes of meaning".<ref name="Greene p 194">Greene, p. 194.</ref> The use of the word "Om" was a further commentary from Harrison on the universality of faith,<ref>Greene, pp. 194–95.</ref> following on from his switch from "'']''" chorus to the ] in "My Sweet Lord".<ref name="Tillery p 111" /> During the two bridge sections in "Give Me Love", Harrison subtly blends the sacred term "]" into the extended phrase "''Oh&nbsp;... my Lord''".<ref>Allison, pp. 122, 142.</ref><ref name="Tillery p 111">Tillery, p. 111.</ref> Joshua Greene describes this as an example of a theme found in a number of songs on the '']'' album, where Harrison "distilled" spiritual concepts into phrases "so elegant they resembled ]: short codes that contain volumes of meaning".<ref name="Greene p 194">Greene, p. 194.</ref> The use of the word "Om" was a further comment from Harrison on the universality of faith,<ref>Greene, pp. 194–95.</ref> following on from his switch from "'']''" chorus to the ] in "My Sweet Lord".<ref name="Tillery p 111" /> Inglis also views the drawn-out "''Please …''" (which begins the second half of the bridges)<ref name="IMM p 245">Harrison, p. 245.</ref> as "highly symbolic", given the "unresolved conflict" that appears to be at the heart of the composition.<ref name="Inglis p 38" />{{refn|group=nb|As with "Om", the word "Please" is rendered in capital letters on the printed lyrics.<ref name="IMM p 245" /><ref>Song lyrics and commentary, booklet accompanying ] (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani & Olivia Harrison), p. 18.</ref>}}


==Recording== ==Recording==
⚫ ], whose playing features prominently on the song, along with Harrison's ]]]
Harrison's commitment to overseeing the release of the ''Concert for Bangladesh'' ] and ] prevented him from being able to start on the follow-up to ''All Things Must Pass'' until midway through 1972.<ref>Leng, p. 123.</ref><ref>O'Dell, p. 234.</ref> Another delay was caused by producer ]'s unreliability, as Harrison waited for him to turn up for the start of the sessions.<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 439">Madinger & Easter, p. 439.</ref> Beatles author ] writes that "the eccentric producer's erratic attendance caused George to realize the project would never get done if he kept waiting for Spector",<ref name="Spizer p 254">Spizer, p. 254.</ref> and by October that year, Harrison had decided to produce the album alone.<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 439" /> Harrison's commitment to overseeing the release of the ''Concert for Bangladesh'' ] and ] prevented him from being able to start on the follow-up to ''All Things Must Pass'' until midway through 1972.<ref>Leng, p. 123.</ref><ref>O'Dell, p. 234.</ref> Another delay was caused by producer ]'s unreliability, as Harrison waited for him to turn up for the start of the sessions.<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 439">Madinger & Easter, p. 439.</ref> Author ] writes that "the eccentric producer's erratic attendance caused George to realize the project would never get done if he kept waiting for Spector",<ref name="Spizer p 254">Spizer, p. 254.</ref> and by October that year, Harrison had decided to produce the album alone.<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 439" />


{{quote box|quote= perfectly encapsulates Harrison's guitar technique and production: economical in notes, it demonstrates virtuosity instead in its augmentation of the melody, rendered in the layering of two or more fluid slide guitar parts painstakingly arranged and impeccably recorded.<ref>Frontani, p. 159.</ref>|source= – Michael Frontani, writing in the ''Cambridge Companion to the Beatles''|width=20%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}
⚫ ], whose playing features prominently on "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", along with Harrison's ]]]
As for the majority of ''Living in the Material World'', Harrison recorded the basic track for "Give Me Love" in the autumn of 1972 with the assistance of former Beatles engineer ].<ref name="Spizer p 254" /> The recording location was either ], Harrison's new home studio at ] in ], or ] in London.<ref name="Leng p 126" /> In a departure from previous Harrison solo hits, where a line-up of ten or more musicians was standard, "Give Me Love" featured a pared-down arrangement and more subtle instrumentation.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name="Leng p 126">Leng, p. 126.</ref> Another contrast was Harrison's adoption of a production style that some commentators have likened to ]'s work with the Beatles.<ref name="Clayson p 323" /><ref name="John Metzger/MB">John Metzger, , ''Music Box'', vol. 13 (11), November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> On "Give Me Love", Inglis notes the same "supple and clear guitar-playing that distinguished ']'" in 1969.<ref name="Inglis p 38">Inglis, p. 38.</ref> Harrison carried out ] on the backing track, including his twin ] parts, during the first two months of 1973.<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 439–40.</ref> According to ''Beatles Diary'' compiler Keith Badman, an alternative version of "Give Me Love" exists, which Harrison gave to ] DJ ] for promotional purposes.<ref>Badman, p. 104.</ref> As for the majority of ''Living in the Material World'', Harrison recorded the basic track for "Give Me Love" in the autumn of 1972 with the assistance of former Beatles engineer ].<ref name="Spizer p 254" /> The recording location was either ], Harrison's new home studio at ] in ], or ] in London.<ref name="Leng p 126" /> In a departure from previous Harrison solo hits, where a line-up of ten or more musicians was standard, "Give Me Love" featured a pared-down arrangement and more subtle instrumentation.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name="Leng p 126">Leng, p. 126.</ref> Another contrast was Harrison's adoption of a production style that some commentators have likened to ]'s work with the Beatles.<ref name="Clayson p 323" /><ref name="John Metzger/MB">John Metzger, , ''Music Box'', vol. 13 (11), November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> On "Give Me Love", Inglis notes the same "supple and clear guitar-playing that distinguished ']'" in 1969.<ref name="Inglis p 38">Inglis, p. 38.</ref> Harrison carried out ] on the backing track, including his twin ] parts, during the first two months of 1973.<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 439–40.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|According to ''Beatles Diary'' compiler Keith Badman, an alternative version of "Give Me Love" exists, which Harrison gave to ] DJ ] for promotional purposes.<ref>Badman, p. 104.</ref>}}


The song begins with Harrison's strummed ], similar to the opening of ]'s "]",<ref name="AM/Planer">Lindsay Planer, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> before the arrival of what music critic ] terms the "beaming harmony of doubled slide ".<ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', p. 201.</ref> Aside from Harrison's guitar work, the most prominent instrument on the recording is ]' piano,<ref name="AM/Planer" /> ] and played in that musician's usual melodic style.<ref>Leng, pp. 124, 125.</ref> The ] comprises bassist ] and drummer ],<ref name="Leng p 126" /> the last of whose contribution fully arrives only after the first bridge,<ref name="Jackson p 95" /> creating a rhythm that Harrison biographer ] terms "bouncy yet soothing".<ref name="Tillery p 111" /> The organ player on the song was American musician ],<ref name="Spizer p 254" /> whose 1971 album '']'' was one of many musical projects in which Harrison was involved between ''All Things Must Pass'' and ''Material World''.<ref>Leng, pp. 108, 123, 126.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison also contributed to Hopkins' solo album '']'',<ref name="Eder/AM">Bruce Eder, , ] (retrieved 22 June 2014).</ref> recording for which took place at Apple Studio in between sessions for ''Living in the Material World''.<ref>Harold Bronson, "Nicky Hopkins", ''Zoo World'', 25 October 1973; available at (''subscription required'').</ref><ref name="Leng p 125">Leng, p. 125.</ref>}} Peter Lavezzoli, author of ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', notes how quickly Harrison's "unique approach" to slide-guitar playing had matured since 1970, to incorporate ], ] and other ] stylings, and rates the mid-song solo on "Give Me Love" as "one of his most intricate and melodic".<ref>Lavezzoli, pp. 194, 198.</ref> Aside from Harrison's guitar work, the most prominent instrument on the recording is ]' piano,<ref name="AM/Planer" /> ] and played in that musician's usual melodic style.<ref>Leng, pp. 124, 125.</ref> The rhythm section consisted of bassist ] and drummer ].<ref name="Leng p 126" /> The organ player on the song was American musician ],<ref name="Spizer p 254" /> whose 1971 album '']'' was one of many musical projects in which Harrison was involved between ''All Things Must Pass'' and ''Material World''.<ref>Leng, pp. 108, 123, 126.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison also contributed to Hopkins' solo album '']'',<ref name="Eder/AM">Bruce Eder, , ] (retrieved 22 June 2014).</ref> recording for which took place at Apple Studio in between sessions for ''Living in the Material World''.<ref>Harold Bronson, "Nicky Hopkins", '']'', 25 October 1973; available at (''subscription required'').</ref><ref name="Leng p 125">Leng, p. 125.</ref>}} Peter Lavezzoli, author of ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', notes how quickly Harrison's "unique approach" to slide-guitar playing had matured since 1970, to incorporate ], ] and other ] stylings, and rates the mid-song solo on "Give Me Love" as "one of his most intricate and melodic".<ref>Lavezzoli, pp. 194, 198.</ref>
{{-}}


==Release== ==Release==
The release of ''Living in the Material World'' was further delayed to allow for other albums on ]' busy release schedule for the first half of 1973:<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 440" /> the Beatles' compilations '']'' and '']'', and ]' second album, '']''.<ref>Badman, pp. 94–95, 98.</ref> In the ensuing years since ''All Things Must Pass'', according to author Robert Rodriguez, the public bickering between ] and McCartney and their "subpar" music had done much to diminish the "cachet of being an ex-Beatle".<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 258–59.</ref> In his 1977 book ''The Beatles Forever'', ] wrote that, because of the "magnanimous" Bangladesh project compared to the twin "fiascos" of McCartney's '']'' album and the Lennon–Ono collaboration '']'', Harrison's new songs were "guaranteed" a receptive audience.<ref name="Schaffner p 159">Schaffner, p. 159.</ref> The release of ''Living in the Material World'' was further delayed to allow for other albums on ]' busy release schedule for the first half of 1973:<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 440" /> the Beatles' compilations '']'' and '']'', and ]' second album, '']''.<ref>Badman, pp. 94–95, 98.</ref> In the ensuing years since ''All Things Must Pass'', according to author Robert Rodriguez, the public bickering between ] and McCartney and their "subpar" music had done much to diminish the "cachet of being an ex-Beatle".<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 258–59.</ref> In his 1977 book ''The Beatles Forever'', ] wrote that, because of the "magnanimous" Bangladesh project compared to the twin "fiascos" of McCartney's '']'' album and the Lennon–Ono collaboration '']'', Harrison's new songs were "guaranteed" a receptive audience.<ref name="Schaffner p 159">Schaffner, p. 159.</ref>


] ]
Backed by "]", "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" was issued as a single on 7 May 1973 in America (as Apple R 5988)<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, p. 125.</ref> and 25 May in Britain (Apple 1862).<ref name="Spizer p 250">Spizer, p. 250.</ref> Three weeks later, the song appeared as the opening track on the long-awaited ''Living in the Material World''.<ref>Spizer, pp. 249, 253–54.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, p. 258.</ref> Apple's US distributor, ], mastered the single to run at a faster speed than the album track,<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 440">Madinger & Easter, p. 440.</ref> in order to make the song sound brighter on the radio, Spizer suggests.<ref name="Spizer p 249">Spizer, p. 249.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Although the ]'s running time read 3:32 on the single, "Give Me Love" actually ran to about 3:25.<ref name="Spizer p 250" />}} As with all the songs on the album bar the 1971-copyright "]" and "]",<ref>Schaffner, p. 160.</ref> Harrison assigned his publishing royalties for "Give Me Love" to the newly launched ].<ref name="Clayson p 323">Clayson, p. 323.</ref> Unusually for an Apple release by a former Beatle, the single came packaged in a plain sleeve in the main markets of Britain and the United States.<ref name="Spizer p 250" /> A variety of picture sleeves were available in European countries, including a design incorporating Harrison's signature and a red ],<ref name="nlchart" /> both of which were aspects of ]'s artwork for the ''Material World'' album.<ref name="JPGR">, Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages, 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref><ref>Spizer, p. 256.</ref> Backed by "]", "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" was issued as a single on 7 May 1973 in America (as Apple R 5988)<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, p. 125.</ref> and 25 May in Britain (Apple 1862).<ref name="Spizer p 250">Spizer, p. 250.</ref> Three weeks later, the song appeared as the opening track on ''Living in the Material World''.<ref>Spizer, pp. 249, 253–54.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, p. 258.</ref> As with all the songs on the album bar the 1971-copyright "]" and "]",<ref>Schaffner, p. 160.</ref> Harrison assigned his publishing royalties for "Give Me Love" to the newly launched ].<ref name="Clayson p 323">Clayson, p. 323.</ref>
Apple's US distributor, ], mastered the single to run at a faster speed than the album track,<ref name="Madinger & Easter p 440">Madinger & Easter, p. 440.</ref> in order to make the song sound brighter on the radio.<ref name="Spizer p 249">Spizer, p. 249.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Although the ]'s running time read 3:32 on the single, "Give Me Love" actually ran to about 3:25.<ref name="Spizer p 250" />}} Unusually for an Apple release by a former Beatle, the single was packaged in a plain sleeve in the main markets of Britain and the United States.<ref name="Spizer p 250" /> A variety of picture sleeves were available in European countries, including a design incorporating Harrison's signature and a red ],<ref name="nlchart" /> both of which were aspects of ]'s artwork for the ''Material World'' album.<ref name="JPGR">, Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages, 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref><ref>Spizer, p. 256.</ref>


===US chart feat=== ===US chart feat===
The single topped the ] at the end of June (for one week)<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, p. 353.</ref> and peaked at number 8 on the ].<ref name=autogenerated4>Badman, p. 103.</ref><ref>Schaffner, p. 167.</ref> Repeating the feat of January 1971, when "My Sweet Lord" and ''All Things Must Pass'' sat atop the ''Billboard'' charts simultaneously, "Give Me Love" hit number 1 part-way through ''Material World''{{'}}s five-week stay at the top of the albums listings.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 353, 364.</ref> The single topped the ] at the end of June (for one week)<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, p. 353.</ref> and peaked at number 8 on the ].<ref name=autogenerated4>Badman, p. 103.</ref><ref>Schaffner, p. 167.</ref> Repeating the feat of January 1971, when "My Sweet Lord" and ''All Things Must Pass'' sat atop the ''Billboard'' charts simultaneously, "Give Me Love" hit number 1 part-way through ''Material World''{{'}}s five-week stay at the top of the albums listings.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 353, 364.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|"Give Me Love" also topped the US charts compiled by '']'' and '']''.<ref name="Spizer p 249" /> In the UK, '']''{{'}}s chart recorded the single at number 7.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, p. 342.</ref>}}


"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" replaced Wings' "]" at number 1 on the Hot 100 singles chart,<ref name=autogenerated4 /> and in turn was replaced by "]",<ref name="Mapes/Billboard">Jillian Mapes, , ], 29 November 2011 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> by Harrison's former Apple Records protégé ].<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 72–73, 258, 260.</ref> For the week ending 30 June that year, the Harrison, McCartney and Preston songs were ranked numbers 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100,<ref>, '']'', 30 June 1973, p. 64 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> marking the first time since 25 April 1964 that the Beatles occupied the top two positions on that chart.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 347–53.</ref> Schaffner described this period as "reminiscent of the golden age of ]", due to the amount of Beatles-related product dominating the charts in America.<ref>Schaffner, p. 158.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Thanks to Preston's appearances in the Beatles' 1970 documentary '']'' and the ''Concert for Bangladesh'' film, he would long remain associated with the band, particularly in mid 1973 when press reports tied him to a possible Beatles reunion following the Los Angeles sessions for ]'s '']'' album.<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 72–74.</ref>}} As of October 2013, the week of 30 June 1973 remained the only time that two former members of the Beatles held the first and second positions on a US singles chart.<ref>Snow, p. 39.</ref> "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" replaced Wings' "]" at number 1 on the Hot 100 singles chart,<ref name=autogenerated4 /> and in turn was replaced by "]",<ref name="Mapes/Billboard">Jillian Mapes, , ], 29 November 2011 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> by Harrison's former Apple Records protégé ].<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 72–73, 258, 260.</ref> For the week ending 30 June that year, the Harrison, McCartney and Preston songs were ranked numbers 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100,<ref>, '']'', 30 June 1973, p. 64 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> marking the first time since 25 April 1964 that the Beatles occupied the top two positions on that chart.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 347–53.</ref> Schaffner described this period as "reminiscent of the golden age of ]", due to the amount of Beatles-related product dominating the charts in America.<ref>Schaffner, p. 158.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Thanks to Preston's appearances in the Beatles' 1970 documentary '']'' and the ''Concert for Bangladesh'' film, he would long remain associated with the band, particularly in mid 1973 when press reports tied him to a possible Beatles reunion following the Los Angeles sessions for ]'s '']'' album.<ref>Rodriguez, pp. 72–74.</ref>}} As of October 2013, the week of 30 June 1973 remained the only time that two former members of the Beatles held the first and second positions on a US singles chart.<ref>Snow, p. 39.</ref>


===Reissue=== ===Reissue===
"Give Me Love" later appeared on the 1976 compilation '']'',<ref>Inglis, p. 65.</ref> as one of just six selections from the artist's solo career.<ref>Carr & Tyler, p. 122.</ref> The song was also included on 2009's '']'',<ref>Inglis, p. 128.</ref> in the liner notes for which music historian Warren Zanes recalls of the single's original release: " was an anomaly, quite like anything around it. The song crystallized George's vision."<ref name="Zanes/Roll" /> "Give Me Love" later appeared on the 1976 compilation '']'',<ref>Inglis, p. 65.</ref> as one of just six selections from the artist's solo career.<ref>Carr & Tyler, p. 122.</ref> The song was also included on 2009's '']'',<ref>Inglis, p. 128.</ref> in the liner notes for which music historian Warren Zanes recalls of the single's original release: " was an anomaly, quite unlike anything around it. The song crystallized George's vision."<ref name="Zanes/Roll" />


In ]'s 2011 documentary '']'', released ten years after Harrison's death,<ref>Robert Lloyd, , '']'', 5 October 2011 (retrieved 3 June 2014).</ref> the song plays over footage of the Friar Park grounds and of Harrison making music in the house with Keltner and Voormann.<ref>''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 46:15 and 48:08.</ref> During the segment, Voormann discusses Harrison's practice of preparing the studio with incense to create a suitable environment, adding: "He really made it into a real tranquil, nice surrounding – everybody felt just great."<ref>Klaus Voormann interview, in ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 47:11 and 47:26.</ref> In ]'s 2011 documentary '']'', released ten years after Harrison's death,<ref>Robert Lloyd, , '']'', 5 October 2011 (retrieved 3 June 2014).</ref> the song plays over footage of the Friar Park grounds and of Harrison making music in the house with Keltner and Voormann.<ref>''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 46:15 and 48:08.</ref> During the segment, Voormann discusses Harrison's practice of preparing the studio with incense to create a suitable environment, adding: "He really made it into a real tranquil, nice surrounding – everybody felt just great."<ref>Klaus Voormann interview, in ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 47:11 and 47:26.</ref>


==Reception== ==Reception==

===Contemporary reviews=== ===Contemporary reviews===
"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" became one of Harrison's most popular songs,<ref name="Lavezzoli p 194">Lavezzoli, p. 194.</ref> both from his years with the Beatles and from his subsequent solo career.<ref name="Lundy/PM" /><ref>Allison, p. 132.</ref> On release, McCartney described it as "very nice", adding: "The guitar solo is ace and I like the time changes."<ref>Badman, p. 99.</ref> '']'' magazine's reviewer wrote: "Harrison's voice and sweet, country tinged guitar work within a rippling but controlled rhythm base, lends itself to this plea for human understanding. His sincere sound engulfs the listener and brings into the story."<ref>Eliot Tiegel (ed.), , '']'', 12 May 1973, p. 58 (retrieved 21 November 2014).</ref> In '']'', ] lauded the song for its "strong, short-phrased melody whose lyrics are sheer exhortation", and declared the single "every bit as good as 'My Sweet Lord'".<ref name="Holden/RS">Stephen Holden, , '']'', 19 July 1973 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" became one of Harrison's most popular songs,<ref name="Lavezzoli p 194">Lavezzoli, p. 194.</ref> both from his years with the Beatles and from his subsequent solo career.<ref name="Lundy/PM" /><ref>Allison, p. 132.</ref> On release, McCartney described it as "very nice", adding: "The guitar solo is ace and I like the time changes."<ref>Badman, p. 99.</ref> '']'' magazine's reviewer wrote: "Harrison's voice and sweet, country tinged guitar work within a rippling but controlled rhythm base, lends itself to this plea for human understanding. His sincere sound engulfs the listener and brings into the story."<ref>Eliot Tiegel (ed.), , '']'', 12 May 1973, p. 58 (retrieved 21 November 2014).</ref> In '']'', ] lauded the song for its "strong, short-phrased melody whose lyrics are sheer exhortation", and declared the single "every bit as good as 'My Sweet Lord'".<ref name="Holden/RS">Stephen Holden, , '']'', 19 July 1973, p. 54 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>


In Britain, where the national economy was heading into ] after the boom years of the 1960s,<ref>MacDonald, pp. 7, 32.</ref><ref>Leng, p. 141.</ref> lines such as "''help me cope with this heavy load''" "touched a raw nerve or two", Alan Clayson writes.<ref>Clayson, pp. 323, 324.</ref> In the '']'', ] derided Harrison for "lay the entire Krishna-the-Goat trip on us",<ref name="Tyler/NME73">Tony Tyler, "George Harrison: ''Living in the Material World'' (Apple)", '']'', 9 June 1973, p. 33.</ref><ref name="Tyler/NME Orig">Chris Hunt (ed.), '']: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980'', ] (London, 2005), p. 70.</ref> while Michael Watts of '']'' suggested that "]" would have been a better choice for the album's lead single.<ref name="Watts/MM">Michael Watts, "The New Harrison Album", '']'', 9 June 1973, p. 3.</ref> Writing in their 1975 book '']'', Tyler and ] opined that "Give Me Love" bore "more than a distant resemblance" to Dylan's "]", but praised the track for its "excellent and highly idiosyncratic slide-guitar playing".<ref>Carr & Tyler, p. 106.</ref> In Britain, where the national economy was heading into ] after the boom years of the 1960s,<ref>MacDonald, pp. 7, 32.</ref><ref>Leng, p. 141.</ref> lines such as "''help me cope with this heavy load''" "touched a raw nerve or two", Alan Clayson writes.<ref>Clayson, pp. 323, 324.</ref> In the '']'', ] derided Harrison for "lay the entire Krishna-the-Goat trip on us",<ref name="Tyler/NME73">Tony Tyler, "George Harrison: ''Living in the Material World'' (Apple)", '']'', 9 June 1973, p. 33.</ref><ref name="Tyler/NME Orig">Chris Hunt (ed.), '']: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980'', ] (London, 2005), p. 70.</ref> while Michael Watts of '']'' suggested that "]" would have been a better choice for the album's lead single.<ref name="Watts/MM">Michael Watts, "The New Harrison Album", '']'', 9 June 1973, p. 3.</ref> Writing in their 1975 book '']'', Tyler and ] opined that "Give Me Love" bore "more than a distant resemblance" to Dylan's "]", but praised the track for its "excellent and highly idiosyncratic slide-guitar playing".<ref>Carr & Tyler, p. 106.</ref>


===Legacy=== ===Legacy===
More recently, ]'s Lindsay Planer has been another to highlight Harrison's guitar contribution to this "serene rocker", and likewise acknowledges Hopkins' "warm and soulful keyboard runs and fills".<ref name="AM/Planer" /> Zeth Lundy of ] describes "Give Me Love" as "effervescent" and "a #1 single that remains one of Harrison's most iconic and well-loved".<ref name="Lundy/PM">Zeth Lundy, , ], 8 November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In his liner notes to the ''Let It Roll'' compilation, Warren Zanes views "Give Me Love" as "perhaps the best example" of how Harrison's "post-Beatles songwriting blurs the line between music and prayer without ever sacrificing the pure melodic force for which he was known".<ref name="Zanes/Roll">Warren Zanes' liner notes, booklet accompanying '']'' CD (Dark Horse/Parlophone/Apple, 2009; produced by George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Phil Spector, Dhani Harrison, Ray Cooper, Russ Titelman & Dave Edmunds).</ref> Writing in the 2004 '']'', Mac Randall described the tune as one of "Harrison's prettiest".<ref>Randall, Brackett & Hoard, p. 367.</ref> '']'' contributor ] cites "Give Me Love" as evidence of ''Material World''{{'}}s standing as "something of a Hindu concept album … a pleasing fusion of Eastern religion, gospel, and the ghost of ']'".<ref name="Harris/Mojo">John Harris, "Beware of Darkness", '']'', November 2011, p. 82.</ref> Reviewing the song for ], Lindsay Planer highlights Harrison's guitar contribution to this "serene rocker" and likewise acknowledges Hopkins' "warm and soulful keyboard runs and fills".<ref name="AM/Planer" /> Zeth Lundy of ] describes "Give Me Love" as "effervescent" and "a #1 single that remains one of Harrison's most iconic and well-loved".<ref name="Lundy/PM">Zeth Lundy, , ], 8 November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In his liner notes to the ''Let It Roll'' compilation, Warren Zanes views "Give Me Love" as "perhaps the best example" of how Harrison's "post-Beatles songwriting blurs the line between music and prayer without ever sacrificing the pure melodic force for which he was known".<ref name="Zanes/Roll">Warren Zanes' liner notes, booklet accompanying '']'' CD (Dark Horse/Parlophone/Apple, 2009; produced by George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Phil Spector, Dhani Harrison, Ray Cooper, Russ Titelman & Dave Edmunds), p. 9.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Writing in the 2004 '']'', Mac Randall described the tune as one of "Harrison's prettiest".<ref>Brackett & Hoard, p. 367.</ref>}} '']'' contributor ] cites "Give Me Love" as evidence of ''Material World''{{'}}s standing as "something of a Hindu concept album … a pleasing fusion of Eastern religion, gospel, and the ghost of ']'".<ref name="Harris/Mojo">John Harris, "Beware of Darkness", '']'', November 2011, p. 82.</ref> Hugh Fielder of '']'' admires Harrison's "painstaking craftsmanship" and "sublime playing" on this and other ''Material World'' tracks and describes it as "one of Harrison's finest songs".<ref>Hugh Fielder, "George Harrison ''Living In The Material World''", '']'', December 2006, p. 98.</ref>


{{quote box|quote= George had such a beautiful touch on the slide &nbsp;... When I hear certain songs that he played slide on, it just takes me right to a place&nbsp;...<ref>Jim Keltner interview, in ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 48:00 and 48:13.</ref>|source= – Drummer ], in the "Give Me Love" segment of ]'s documentary '']''|width=20%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}} {{quote box|quote= George had such a beautiful touch on the slide &nbsp;... When I hear certain songs that he played slide on, it just takes me right to a place&nbsp;...<ref>Jim Keltner interview, in ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Disc 2; event occurs between 48:00 and 48:13.</ref>|source= – Drummer ], in the "Give Me Love" segment of ]'s documentary '']''|width=20%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}
Among Harrison and Beatles biographers, Elliot Huntley attributes the success of this "heartfelt plea for love and peace" partly to its "irresistibly catchy chorus",<ref name="Huntley p 90">Huntley, p. 90.</ref> while Robert Rodriguez identifies Harrison's achievement in "cloak philosophical concerns in a thoroughly commercial package", which included his "impossibly compelling slide work".<ref name="Rodriguez p 260">Rodriguez, p. 260.</ref> In his book on Harrison's musical career, Simon Leng finds more superlatives for the song's guitar lines, which he describes as "almost too euphonious to be true".<ref name="Leng p 126" /> Leng continues: "''Living in the Material World'' could hardly have reveled in a stronger opening song&nbsp;... A gorgeous ballad, awash with marvelously expressive guitar statements, 'Give Me Love' retains the emotional power of ''All Things Must Pass'' in a compelling three minutes."<ref name="Leng p 126" /> Among Harrison and Beatles biographers, Elliot Huntley attributes the success of this "heartfelt plea for love and peace" partly to its "irresistibly catchy chorus",<ref name="Huntley p 90">Huntley, p. 90.</ref> while Robert Rodriguez identifies Harrison's achievement in "cloak philosophical concerns in a thoroughly commercial package", which included his "impossibly compelling slide work".<ref name="Rodriguez p 260">Rodriguez, p. 260.</ref> Simon Leng finds more superlatives for the song's guitar lines, which he describes as "almost too euphonious to be true".<ref name="Leng p 126" /> Leng continues: "''Living in the Material World'' could hardly have reveled in a stronger opening song&nbsp;... A gorgeous ballad, awash with marvelously expressive guitar statements, 'Give Me Love' retains the emotional power of ''All Things Must Pass'' in a compelling three minutes."<ref name="Leng p 126" />


Writing in ''Still the Greatest: The Essential Solo Beatles Songs'', author Andrew Grant Jackson considers that with "Give Me Love", Harrison "captured the essence of what he had set out to do with the concerts – and what the Beatles had tried to do in their more idealistic moments". Describing it as Harrison's "finest plea to God", Jackson adds: "'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)' stands alongside '],' '],' and ']' as the purest expression of the Aquarian Age dream."<ref name="Jackson p 95">Jackson, p. 95.</ref> Writing in ''Still the Greatest: The Essential Solo Beatles Songs'', author Andrew Grant Jackson considers that with "Give Me Love", Harrison "captured the essence of what he had set out to do with the concerts – and what the Beatles had tried to do in their more idealistic moments". Describing it as Harrison's "finest plea to God", Jackson adds: "'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)' stands alongside '],' '],' and ']' as the purest expression of the Aquarian Age dream."<ref name="Jackson p 95">Jackson, p. 95.</ref> In his Harrison obituary for '']'' in December 2001,<ref>Chris Welch, "George Harrison 1943–2001", '']'', 1 December 2001; available at (subscription required).</ref> former ''Melody Maker'' critic ] concluded with a reference to the track, saying that the ex-Beatle's "feelings and needs were best expressed in one of his simplest songs – 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)'".<ref>Spencer Leigh, "Our Sweet George: How George Harrison's death was reported in the U.K. media", '']'', 25 January 2002, p. 57.</ref>


In the '']'' documentary film (2003), ] names "Give Me Love" as one of his favourite Harrison compositions, along with "]".<ref>Eric Clapton interview, '']'' DVD (], 2003; directed by David Leland; produced by Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison, Jon Kamen & Brian Roylance), Disc 2 ("Theatrical Version with Additional Material"); event occurs between 44:05 and 44:14.</ref> ] listeners voted "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" fifth in a 2010 poll to find George Harrison's best post-Beatles songs,<ref>Boonsri Dickinson, , ], April 2010 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> while Michael Gallucci of ] placed it fourth on a similar list that he compiled.<ref name="Gallucci/UCR">Michael Gallucci, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> David Fricke includes the song in his list of "25 essential Harrison performances" for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, and describes it as "a soft, intimate hymn, a small-combo reaction to the ] spectacle of ''All Things Must Pass''".<ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', pp. 195, 201.</ref> In the '']'' documentary film (2003), ] names "Give Me Love" as one of his favourite Harrison compositions, along with "]".<ref>Eric Clapton interview, '']'' DVD (], 2003; directed by David Leland; produced by Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison, Jon Kamen & Brian Roylance), Disc 2 ("Theatrical Version with Additional Material"); event occurs between 44:05 and 44:14.</ref> ] listeners voted the track fifth in a 2010 poll to find Harrison's best post-Beatles songs,<ref>Boonsri Dickinson, , ], April 2010 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> while Michael Gallucci of ] placed it fourth on a similar list that he compiled.<ref name="Gallucci/UCR">Michael Gallucci, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> David Fricke includes the song in his list of "25 essential Harrison performances" for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, and describes it as "a soft, intimate hymn, a small-combo reaction to the ] spectacle of ''All Things Must Pass''".<ref>The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', pp. 195, 201.</ref>


==Performance== ==Performance==
Harrison performed "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" throughout both his 1974 North American tour with ] and his 1991 Japanese tour with Eric Clapton, and during his 1992 benefit show for the ].<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 447, 481–82, 484–85.</ref> The latter took place at London's ] on 6 April that year<ref>Badman, pp. 478–79.</ref> and was Harrison's only full concert as a solo artist in Britain.<ref>Leng, pp. vii, 272.</ref> Harrison performed "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" throughout both his ] and his 1991 Japanese tour with Eric Clapton, and during his 1992 benefit show for the ].<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 447, 481–82, 484–85.</ref> The latter took place at London's ] on 6 April that year<ref>Badman, pp. 478–79.</ref> and was Harrison's only full concert as a solo artist in Britain.<ref>Leng, pp. vii, 272.</ref>


In the 1974 shows, the song usually appeared midway through the set and featured Billy Preston's ] and a flute solo from ] instead of the familiar slide-guitar breaks.<ref>Leng, pp. 167, 168–69, 171.</ref> Although widely ],<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 446–47.</ref> no version of the song from this tour has been released officially.<ref>Leng, p. 170.</ref> In the 1974 shows, the song usually appeared midway through the set and featured Billy Preston's ] and a flute solo from ] instead of the familiar slide-guitar breaks.<ref>Leng, pp. 167, 168–69, 171.</ref> Although widely ],<ref>Madinger & Easter, pp. 446–47.</ref> no version of the song from this tour has been released officially.<ref>Leng, p. 170.</ref>
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==Cover versions== ==Cover versions==
Lindsay Planer writes that two ]s of the song "worth noting" are a version by Bob Koenig, issued on his ''Prose & Icons'' album in 1996, and one by Brazilian singer ] from the same year.<ref name="AM/Planer" /> Monte's version appeared on her album ''Barulhinho Bom'',<ref>Alvaro Neder, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> later released in English-speaking countries as ''A Great Noise''.<ref>John Dougan, , ] (archived version retrieved 2 June 2014).</ref> In 1998, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" was one of a number of Harrison songs that composers Steve Wood and Daniel May adapted for their soundtrack to the documentary film '']''; part of the piece "The Journey Begins" incorporates "Give Me Love".<ref>Badman, p. 588.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison had agreed to the adaptations by Wood and May on the understanding that no advance publicity would mention his connection.<ref>Badman, p. 589.</ref>}} Lindsay Planer writes that two ]s of the song "worth noting" are a version by Bob Koenig, issued on his ''Prose & Icons'' album in 1996, and one by Brazilian singer ] from the same year.<ref name="AM/Planer" /> Monte's version appeared on her album ''Barulhinho Bom'',<ref>Alvaro Neder, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> later released in English-speaking countries as ''A Great Noise''.<ref>John Dougan, , ] (archived version retrieved 2 June 2014).</ref> In 1998, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" was one of five Harrison songs that composers Steve Wood and Daniel May adapted for their soundtrack to the documentary film '']''; part of the piece "The Journey Begins" incorporates "Give Me Love".<ref>Badman, p. 588.</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Harrison had agreed to the adaptations by Wood and May on the understanding that no advance publicity would mention his connection.<ref>Badman, p. 589.</ref>}}


Artists other than Harrison who have performed the song live include ]<ref>David Greenwald, , Rawkblog (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> and, in April 2002, ], ] and ].<ref name="Rock4Rain" /> These three musicians played "Give Me Love" as part of a tribute to Harrison, six months after his death, during the ] benefit concert, held at ] in New York City.<ref name="Rock4Rain">, Fox News, 15 April 2002 (archived version retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In what Planer describes as a "stirring reading",<ref name="AM/Planer" /> ] performed the song at the ] on 29 November 2002, exactly a year after Harrison's death.<ref>Inglis, pp. 124, 155.</ref> Lynne was supported by a band comprising Harrison's friends and musical associates, including Clapton, Fairweather-Low, ], Keltner, ], Niles and Kissoon.<ref>Inglis, p. 125.</ref> Artists other than Harrison who have performed the song live include ]<ref>David Greenwald, , Rawkblog (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> and, in April 2002, ], ] and ].<ref name="Rock4Rain" /> These three musicians played "Give Me Love" as part of a tribute to Harrison, six months after his death, during the ] benefit concert, held at ] in New York City.<ref name="Rock4Rain">, Fox News, 15 April 2002 (archived version retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In what Planer describes as a "stirring reading",<ref name="AM/Planer" /> ] performed the song at the ] on 29 November 2002, exactly a year after Harrison's death.<ref>Inglis, pp. 124, 155.</ref> Lynne was supported by a band comprising Harrison's friends and musical associates, including Clapton, Fairweather-Low, ], Keltner, ], Niles and Kissoon.<ref>Inglis, p. 125.</ref>


] of ] contributed a version of "Give Me Love" to the compilation ''Songs From the Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison'' in 2003,<ref>Johnny Loftus, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> and later issued the recording on his album ''Kinked'' (2006).<ref>Stephen Thomas Erlewine, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In 2010, Broadway actress ] featured "Give Me Love" in her autobiographical musical '']'' as the show's final number.<ref>William Ruhlmann, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> Canadian singer ] has included the song in his live performances; a version by him appeared on ''Harrison Covered'',<ref>Michael Simmons, "Cry for a Shadow", '']'', November 2011, p. 86.</ref> a tribute CD accompanying the November 2011 issue of ''Mojo'' magazine.<ref>, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> ] of ] contributed a version of "Give Me Love" to the multi-artist compilation '']'' in 2003.<ref>Johnny Loftus, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> In a statement released in advance of the compilation,<ref>Koch Entertainment, , ], 11 December 2002 (retrieved 7 October 2015).</ref> Davies explained that he was normally reluctant to perform other artists' songs yet had made "an exception" with "Give Me Love", in order to honour Harrison "as a great musical talent but primarily as an advanced soul who was unafraid to share his spiritual vision and journey with us".<ref>Billbaord staff, , ], 11 December 2002 (retrieved 7 October 2015).</ref> Davies subsequently issued the recording on his 2006 album ''Kinked''.<ref>Stephen Thomas Erlewine, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>

In 2010, Broadway actress ] featured "Give Me Love" in her autobiographical musical '']'' as the show's final number.<ref>William Ruhlmann, , ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> Canadian singer ] has included the song in his live performances; a version by him appeared on ''Harrison Covered'',<ref>Michael Simmons, "Cry for a Shadow", '']'', November 2011, p. 86.</ref> a tribute CD accompanying the November 2011 issue of ''Mojo'' magazine.<ref>, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>


==Personnel== ==Personnel==
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{{Col-begin}} {{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}} {{Col-2}}

===Weekly singles charts=== ===Weekly singles charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable" {|class="wikitable sortable"
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!Peak<br />position !Peak<br />position
|- |-
|Australian '']'' Singles Chart<ref name="auschart">, '']'', 25 August 1973, p. 50 (retrieved 11 April 2014).</ref> |Australian '']'' National Top 60<ref name="auschart">, '']'', 25 August 1973, p. 50 (retrieved 11 April 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|9
|- |-
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| style="text-align:center;"|27 | style="text-align:center;"|27
|- |-
|Canadian ] Singles Chart<ref>, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> |Canadian ]<ref>, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|9
|- |-
|]<ref name="nlchart">, dutchcharts.nl (retrieved 11 April 2014).</ref> |Dutch ]<ref name="nlchart">, dutchcharts.nl (retrieved 11 April 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|7 | style="text-align:center;"|7
|- |-
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| style="text-align:center;"|7 | style="text-align:center;"|7
|- |-
|German ] Singles Chart<ref name="Germany">, charts.de (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> |]<ref name="Ireland">, irishcharts.ie (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
⚫ | style="text-align:center;"|28
⚫ |-
|Irish Singles Chart<ref name="Ireland">, irishcharts.ie (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10 | style="text-align:center;"|10
|- |-
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| style="text-align:center;"|37 | style="text-align:center;"|37
|- |-
|align="left"|New Zealand Singles Chart<ref name="NZchart">, Flavour of New Zealand/Steve Kohler, 2007 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> |align="left"|New Zealand ''Listener'' Chart<ref name="NZchart">, Flavour of New Zealand/Steve Kohler, 2007 (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|9
|- |-
|Norwegian ] Singles Chart<ref name="nochart">, norwegiancharts.com (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> |Norwegian ] Singles<ref name="nochart">, norwegiancharts.com (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|7 | style="text-align:center;"|7
|- |-
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|US ]<ref name="Billboard_singles">, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref> |US ]<ref name="Billboard_singles">, ] (retrieved 26 May 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|1
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|West German ] Chart<ref name="Germany">, charts.de (archived version retrieved 30 June 2015).</ref>
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{{col-2}} {{col-2}}
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! style="text-align:center;"|Position ! style="text-align:center;"|Position
|- |-
|Canadian ''RPM'' Singles<ref>, musicandyears.com (retrieved 10 January 2015).</ref>
|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 <ref>http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1973.htm</ref>
⚫ | style="text-align:center;"|42
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|Canada <ref>http://www.musicandyears.com/year/1973</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|70 | style="text-align:center;"|70
|- |-
|] <ref>http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1973.shtml</ref> |UK Singles Chart<ref>, uk-charts.top-source.info (retrieved 10 January 2015).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|92 | style="text-align:center;"|92
⚫ |-
|US ]<ref>, musicoutfitters.com (retrieved 10 January 2015).</ref>
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{{col-end}} {{col-end}}
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{{reflist|2|group=nb}} {{reflist|2|group=nb}}


==Citations== ==References==
{{reflist|3}} {{reflist|3}}


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* Dale C. Allison Jr., ''The Love There That's Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ISBN 978-0-8264-1917-0). * Dale C. Allison Jr., ''The Love There That's Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ISBN 978-0-8264-1917-0).
* Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ISBN 0-7119-8307-0). * Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ISBN 0-7119-8307-0).
⚫ * Nathan Brackett & Christian Hoard (eds), ''The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' (4th edn), Fireside/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2004; ISBN 0-7432-0169-8).
* Roy Carr & Tony Tyler, ''The Beatles: An Illustrated Record'', Trewin Copplestone Publishing (London, 1978; ISBN 0-450-04170-0). * Roy Carr & Tony Tyler, ''The Beatles: An Illustrated Record'', Trewin Copplestone Publishing (London, 1978; ISBN 0-450-04170-0).
* Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ISBN 0-345-25680-8). * Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ISBN 0-345-25680-8).
* Alan Clayson, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ISBN 1-86074-489-3). * Alan Clayson, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ISBN 1-86074-489-3).
* The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', ''Harrison'', Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ISBN 0-7432-3581-9). * The Editors of ''Rolling Stone'', ''Harrison'', Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ISBN 0-7432-3581-9).
* Michael Frontani, "The Solo Years", in Kenneth Womack (ed.), ''The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles'', Cambridge University Press (Cambridge, UK, 2009; ISBN 978-1-139-82806-2), pp.&nbsp;153–82.
* '']'' DVD (], 2011; directed by Martin Scorsese; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese). * '']'' DVD (], 2011; directed by Martin Scorsese; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese).
* Joshua M. Greene, ''Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison'', John Wiley & Sons (Hoboken, NJ, 2006; ISBN 978-0-470-12780-3). * Joshua M. Greene, ''Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison'', John Wiley & Sons (Hoboken, NJ, 2006; ISBN 978-0-470-12780-3).
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* Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ISBN 0-615-11724-4). * Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ISBN 0-615-11724-4).
* Chris O'Dell with Katherine Ketcham, ''Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved'', Touchstone (New York, NY, 2009; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4). * Chris O'Dell with Katherine Ketcham, ''Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved'', Touchstone (New York, NY, 2009; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4).
⚫ * Mac Randall, Nathan Brackett & Christian Hoard (eds), ''The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' (4th edn), Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2004; ISBN 0-7432-0169-8).
* Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4). * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4).
* Nicholas Schaffner, ''The Beatles Forever'', McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ISBN 0-07-055087-5). * Nicholas Schaffner, ''The Beatles Forever'', McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ISBN 0-07-055087-5).
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* Gary Tillery, ''Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison'', Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ISBN 978-0-8356-0900-5). * Gary Tillery, ''Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison'', Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ISBN 978-0-8356-0900-5).
{{refend}} {{refend}}

==External links==
* {{MetroLyrics song|george-harrison|give-me-love}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->


{{s-start}} {{s-start}}

Revision as of 04:12, 8 October 2015

For the Modern Talking song, see Give Me Peace on Earth. "Give Me Love" redirects here. For the Ed Sheeran song, see Give Me Love (Ed Sheeran song).

"Give Me Love"
Song
B-side"Miss O'Dell"

"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the opening track of his 1973 album Living in the Material World. It was also issued as the lead single from the album, in May that year, and became Harrison's second US number 1, after "My Sweet Lord". In doing so, the song demoted Paul McCartney and Wings' "My Love" from the top of the Billboard Hot 100, marking the only occasion that two former Beatles held the top two chart positions in America. The single also reached the top ten in Britain, Canada, Australia and in other countries around the world.

"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is one of its author's most popular songs, among fans and music critics, and features a series of much-praised slide-guitar solos from Harrison. The recording signalled a deliberate departure from his earlier post-Beatles work, in the scaling down of the big sound synonymous with All Things Must Pass and his other co-productions with Phil Spector over 1970–71. Aside from Harrison, the musicians on the recording are Nicky Hopkins, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voormann and Gary Wright. In his lyrics, Harrison sings of his desire to be free of karma and the constant cycle of rebirth; he later described the song as "a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it".

Harrison performed "Give Me Love" at every concert during his rare tours as a solo artist, and a live version was included on his 1992 album Live in Japan. The original studio recording appears on the compilation albums The Best of George Harrison (1976) and Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison (2009). At the Concert for George tribute to Harrison in November 2002, Jeff Lynne performed "Give Me Love", with Andy Fairweather-Low and Marc Mann playing the twin slide-guitar parts. Marisa Monte, Dave Davies, Elliott Smith, Ron Sexsmith, Sting, James Taylor and Elton John are among the other artists who have covered the song.

Background and composition

I want to be God-conscious. That's really my only ambition, and everything else in life is incidental.

– George Harrison, speaking in early 1971 about his plans following the success of All Things Must Pass

When discussing how he wrote "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", George Harrison states in his 1980 autobiography, I, Me, Mine:

Sometimes you open your mouth and you don't know what you are going to say, and whatever comes out is the starting point. If that happens and you are lucky, it can usually be turned into a song. This song is a prayer and personal statement between me, the Lord, and whoever likes it.

"Give Me Love" continued the precedent set by Harrison in his 1970 single "My Sweet Lord", where he blended the Hindu bhajan with Western gospel tradition. Author Simon Leng notes that the song repeats another Harrison hit formula, by using a three-syllable lyrical hook as its title, like "My Sweet Lord", "What Is Life" and "Bangla Desh". In a further similarity with those earlier songs, he wrote "Give Me Love" very quickly; Harrison biographer Alan Clayson describes it as having "flowed from George with an ease as devoid of ante-start agonies as a Yoko Ono 'think piece'".

Harrison had embraced the theme of karma and reincarnation in the songs "Run of the Mill" and "Art of Dying", both released on his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. With "Give Me Love", he expressed his vision for life in the physical world, a life devoid of the karmic burden of rebirth, or reincarnation:

Give me love, give me love, give me peace on earth
Give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth
Give me hope, help me cope with this heavy load
Trying to touch and reach you with heart and soul.

These chorus lyrics bear a simple, universal message, one that, in the context of the time, related as much to the communal "peace and love" idealism of the 1960s as it did Harrison's personal spiritual quest. The lyrics also imply a deficiency or unfulfilment on Harrison's part – "an acknowledgment of the trials and tribulations he was facing in a more earthly setting", author Ian Inglis suggests. Leng has written of Harrison's failing marriage to Pattie Boyd during this period, as well as a possible spiritual "crisis" in reaction to both the acclaim he had received as a solo artist since the Beatles' break-up and the frustrations associated with his aid project for the refugees of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).

Musically, "Give Me Love" is in the key of F, with a time signature of 4/4 throughout. As on Harrison's recording, this requires a capo on the third fret of an acoustic guitar, to transpose the chords from D up to the correct key. The song begins with strummed acoustic guitar, similar to the opening of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man", before the arrival of what music critic David Fricke terms the "beaming harmony of doubled slide ". The rhythm section, which fully arrives only after the first bridge segment, provides a rhythm that Harrison biographer Gary Tillery describes as "bouncy yet soothing".

During the two bridge sections in "Give Me Love", Harrison subtly blends the sacred term "Om" into the extended phrase "Oh ... my Lord". Joshua Greene describes this as an example of a theme found in a number of songs on the Living in the Material World album, where Harrison "distilled" spiritual concepts into phrases "so elegant they resembled Vedic sutras: short codes that contain volumes of meaning". The use of the word "Om" was a further comment from Harrison on the universality of faith, following on from his switch from "hallelujah" chorus to the Hare Krishna mantra in "My Sweet Lord". Inglis also views the drawn-out "Please …" (which begins the second half of the bridges) as "highly symbolic", given the "unresolved conflict" that appears to be at the heart of the composition.

Recording

Pianist Nicky Hopkins, whose playing features prominently on the song, along with Harrison's slide guitar

Harrison's commitment to overseeing the release of the Concert for Bangladesh album and film prevented him from being able to start on the follow-up to All Things Must Pass until midway through 1972. Another delay was caused by producer Phil Spector's unreliability, as Harrison waited for him to turn up for the start of the sessions. Author Bruce Spizer writes that "the eccentric producer's erratic attendance caused George to realize the project would never get done if he kept waiting for Spector", and by October that year, Harrison had decided to produce the album alone.

perfectly encapsulates Harrison's guitar technique and production: economical in notes, it demonstrates virtuosity instead in its augmentation of the melody, rendered in the layering of two or more fluid slide guitar parts painstakingly arranged and impeccably recorded.

– Michael Frontani, writing in the Cambridge Companion to the Beatles

As for the majority of Living in the Material World, Harrison recorded the basic track for "Give Me Love" in the autumn of 1972 with the assistance of former Beatles engineer Phil McDonald. The recording location was either FPSHOT, Harrison's new home studio at Friar Park in Henley-on-Thames, or Apple Studio in London. In a departure from previous Harrison solo hits, where a line-up of ten or more musicians was standard, "Give Me Love" featured a pared-down arrangement and more subtle instrumentation. Another contrast was Harrison's adoption of a production style that some commentators have likened to George Martin's work with the Beatles. On "Give Me Love", Inglis notes the same "supple and clear guitar-playing that distinguished 'Here Comes the Sun'" in 1969. Harrison carried out overdubs on the backing track, including his twin slide guitar parts, during the first two months of 1973.

Aside from Harrison's guitar work, the most prominent instrument on the recording is Nicky Hopkins' piano, double-tracked and played in that musician's usual melodic style. The rhythm section consisted of bassist Klaus Voormann and drummer Jim Keltner. The organ player on the song was American musician Gary Wright, whose 1971 album Footprint was one of many musical projects in which Harrison was involved between All Things Must Pass and Material World. Peter Lavezzoli, author of The Dawn of Indian Music in the West, notes how quickly Harrison's "unique approach" to slide-guitar playing had matured since 1970, to incorporate sitar, veena and other Hindustani musical stylings, and rates the mid-song solo on "Give Me Love" as "one of his most intricate and melodic".

Release

The release of Living in the Material World was further delayed to allow for other albums on Apple Records' busy release schedule for the first half of 1973: the Beatles' compilations 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, and Paul McCartney and Wings' second album, Red Rose Speedway. In the ensuing years since All Things Must Pass, according to author Robert Rodriguez, the public bickering between John Lennon and McCartney and their "subpar" music had done much to diminish the "cachet of being an ex-Beatle". In his 1977 book The Beatles Forever, Nicholas Schaffner wrote that, because of the "magnanimous" Bangladesh project compared to the twin "fiascos" of McCartney's Wild Life album and the Lennon–Ono collaboration Some Time in New York City, Harrison's new songs were "guaranteed" a receptive audience.

Trade ad for the single, May 1973

Backed by "Miss O'Dell", "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" was issued as a single on 7 May 1973 in America (as Apple R 5988) and 25 May in Britain (Apple 1862). Three weeks later, the song appeared as the opening track on Living in the Material World. As with all the songs on the album bar the 1971-copyright "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" and "Try Some, Buy Some", Harrison assigned his publishing royalties for "Give Me Love" to the newly launched Material World Charitable Foundation.

Apple's US distributor, Capitol Records, mastered the single to run at a faster speed than the album track, in order to make the song sound brighter on the radio. Unusually for an Apple release by a former Beatle, the single was packaged in a plain sleeve in the main markets of Britain and the United States. A variety of picture sleeves were available in European countries, including a design incorporating Harrison's signature and a red Om symbol, both of which were aspects of Tom Wilkes's artwork for the Material World album.

US chart feat

The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of June (for one week) and peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. Repeating the feat of January 1971, when "My Sweet Lord" and All Things Must Pass sat atop the Billboard charts simultaneously, "Give Me Love" hit number 1 part-way through Material World's five-week stay at the top of the albums listings.

"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" replaced Wings' "My Love" at number 1 on the Hot 100 singles chart, and in turn was replaced by "Will It Go Round in Circles", by Harrison's former Apple Records protégé Billy Preston. For the week ending 30 June that year, the Harrison, McCartney and Preston songs were ranked numbers 1, 2 and 3, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time since 25 April 1964 that the Beatles occupied the top two positions on that chart. Schaffner described this period as "reminiscent of the golden age of Beatlemania", due to the amount of Beatles-related product dominating the charts in America. As of October 2013, the week of 30 June 1973 remained the only time that two former members of the Beatles held the first and second positions on a US singles chart.

Reissue

"Give Me Love" later appeared on the 1976 compilation The Best of George Harrison, as one of just six selections from the artist's solo career. The song was also included on 2009's Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison, in the liner notes for which music historian Warren Zanes recalls of the single's original release: " was an anomaly, quite unlike anything around it. The song crystallized George's vision."

In Martin Scorsese's 2011 documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World, released ten years after Harrison's death, the song plays over footage of the Friar Park grounds and of Harrison making music in the house with Keltner and Voormann. During the segment, Voormann discusses Harrison's practice of preparing the studio with incense to create a suitable environment, adding: "He really made it into a real tranquil, nice surrounding – everybody felt just great."

Reception

Contemporary reviews

"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" became one of Harrison's most popular songs, both from his years with the Beatles and from his subsequent solo career. On release, McCartney described it as "very nice", adding: "The guitar solo is ace and I like the time changes." Billboard magazine's reviewer wrote: "Harrison's voice and sweet, country tinged guitar work within a rippling but controlled rhythm base, lends itself to this plea for human understanding. His sincere sound engulfs the listener and brings into the story." In Rolling Stone, Stephen Holden lauded the song for its "strong, short-phrased melody whose lyrics are sheer exhortation", and declared the single "every bit as good as 'My Sweet Lord'".

In Britain, where the national economy was heading into recession after the boom years of the 1960s, lines such as "help me cope with this heavy load" "touched a raw nerve or two", Alan Clayson writes. In the NME, Tony Tyler derided Harrison for "lay the entire Krishna-the-Goat trip on us", while Michael Watts of Melody Maker suggested that "Living in the Material World" would have been a better choice for the album's lead single. Writing in their 1975 book The Beatles: An Illustrated Record, Tyler and Roy Carr opined that "Give Me Love" bore "more than a distant resemblance" to Dylan's "I Want You", but praised the track for its "excellent and highly idiosyncratic slide-guitar playing".

Legacy

Reviewing the song for AllMusic, Lindsay Planer highlights Harrison's guitar contribution to this "serene rocker" and likewise acknowledges Hopkins' "warm and soulful keyboard runs and fills". Zeth Lundy of PopMatters describes "Give Me Love" as "effervescent" and "a #1 single that remains one of Harrison's most iconic and well-loved". In his liner notes to the Let It Roll compilation, Warren Zanes views "Give Me Love" as "perhaps the best example" of how Harrison's "post-Beatles songwriting blurs the line between music and prayer without ever sacrificing the pure melodic force for which he was known". Mojo contributor John Harris cites "Give Me Love" as evidence of Material World's standing as "something of a Hindu concept album … a pleasing fusion of Eastern religion, gospel, and the ghost of 'For You Blue'". Hugh Fielder of Classic Rock admires Harrison's "painstaking craftsmanship" and "sublime playing" on this and other Material World tracks and describes it as "one of Harrison's finest songs".

George had such a beautiful touch on the slide  ... When I hear certain songs that he played slide on, it just takes me right to a place ...

– Drummer Jim Keltner, in the "Give Me Love" segment of Martin Scorsese's documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World

Among Harrison and Beatles biographers, Elliot Huntley attributes the success of this "heartfelt plea for love and peace" partly to its "irresistibly catchy chorus", while Robert Rodriguez identifies Harrison's achievement in "cloak philosophical concerns in a thoroughly commercial package", which included his "impossibly compelling slide work". Simon Leng finds more superlatives for the song's guitar lines, which he describes as "almost too euphonious to be true". Leng continues: "Living in the Material World could hardly have reveled in a stronger opening song ... A gorgeous ballad, awash with marvelously expressive guitar statements, 'Give Me Love' retains the emotional power of All Things Must Pass in a compelling three minutes."

Writing in Still the Greatest: The Essential Solo Beatles Songs, author Andrew Grant Jackson considers that with "Give Me Love", Harrison "captured the essence of what he had set out to do with the concerts – and what the Beatles had tried to do in their more idealistic moments". Describing it as Harrison's "finest plea to God", Jackson adds: "'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)' stands alongside 'All You Need Is Love,' 'Let It Be,' and 'Imagine' as the purest expression of the Aquarian Age dream." In his Harrison obituary for The Guardian in December 2001, former Melody Maker critic Chris Welch concluded with a reference to the track, saying that the ex-Beatle's "feelings and needs were best expressed in one of his simplest songs – 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)'".

In the Concert for George documentary film (2003), Eric Clapton names "Give Me Love" as one of his favourite Harrison compositions, along with "Isn't It a Pity". AOL Radio listeners voted the track fifth in a 2010 poll to find Harrison's best post-Beatles songs, while Michael Gallucci of Ultimate Classic Rock placed it fourth on a similar list that he compiled. David Fricke includes the song in his list of "25 essential Harrison performances" for Rolling Stone magazine, and describes it as "a soft, intimate hymn, a small-combo reaction to the Wagnerian spectacle of All Things Must Pass".

Performance

Harrison performed "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" throughout both his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar and his 1991 Japanese tour with Eric Clapton, and during his 1992 benefit show for the Natural Law Party. The latter took place at London's Royal Albert Hall on 6 April that year and was Harrison's only full concert as a solo artist in Britain.

In the 1974 shows, the song usually appeared midway through the set and featured Billy Preston's synthesizer and a flute solo from Tom Scott instead of the familiar slide-guitar breaks. Although widely bootlegged, no version of the song from this tour has been released officially.

Live in Japan version

The Japanese tour in December 1991 was Harrison's only other tour as a solo artist. His 1992 album Live in Japan contains a version of "Give Me Love" from this tour, recorded at Tokyo Dome on 15 December 1991. Harrison again delegated the solos to a fellow musician: in this case Andy Fairweather-Low reproduced the slide-guitar parts from the original studio recording. Ian Inglis notes the "impressive interplay", particularly towards the end of the song, between Harrison and his backup singers, Tessa Niles and Katie Kissoon.

This live version of "Give Me Love", along with the accompanying concert footage, was subsequently included in the Living in the Material World reissue in September 2006, as part of a deluxe CD/DVD package. The performance also appears on the DVD included in the eight-disc Apple Years 1968–75 box set, released in September 2014.

Cover versions

Lindsay Planer writes that two covers of the song "worth noting" are a version by Bob Koenig, issued on his Prose & Icons album in 1996, and one by Brazilian singer Marisa Monte from the same year. Monte's version appeared on her album Barulhinho Bom, later released in English-speaking countries as A Great Noise. In 1998, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" was one of five Harrison songs that composers Steve Wood and Daniel May adapted for their soundtrack to the documentary film Everest; part of the piece "The Journey Begins" incorporates "Give Me Love".

Artists other than Harrison who have performed the song live include Elliott Smith and, in April 2002, Sting, James Taylor and Elton John. These three musicians played "Give Me Love" as part of a tribute to Harrison, six months after his death, during the Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert, held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In what Planer describes as a "stirring reading", Jeff Lynne performed the song at the Concert for George on 29 November 2002, exactly a year after Harrison's death. Lynne was supported by a band comprising Harrison's friends and musical associates, including Clapton, Fairweather-Low, Marc Mann, Keltner, Dhani Harrison, Niles and Kissoon.

Dave Davies of the Kinks contributed a version of "Give Me Love" to the multi-artist compilation Songs from the Material World: A Tribute to George Harrison in 2003. In a statement released in advance of the compilation, Davies explained that he was normally reluctant to perform other artists' songs yet had made "an exception" with "Give Me Love", in order to honour Harrison "as a great musical talent but primarily as an advanced soul who was unafraid to share his spiritual vision and journey with us". Davies subsequently issued the recording on his 2006 album Kinked.

In 2010, Broadway actress Sherie Rene Scott featured "Give Me Love" in her autobiographical musical Everyday Rapture as the show's final number. Canadian singer Ron Sexsmith has included the song in his live performances; a version by him appeared on Harrison Covered, a tribute CD accompanying the November 2011 issue of Mojo magazine.

Personnel

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1973) Peak
position
Australian Go-Set National Top 60 9
Belgian Singles Chart 27
Canadian RPM 100 9
Dutch MegaChart Singles 7
French Singles Chart 7
Irish Singles Chart 10
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart 37
New Zealand Listener Chart 9
Norwegian VG-lista Singles 7
UK Singles Chart 8
US Billboard AC 4
US Billboard Hot 100 1
West German Media Control Chart 28

Year-end charts

Chart (1973) Position
Canadian RPM Singles 70
UK Singles Chart 92
US Billboard Year-End 42

Notes

  1. Harrison biographer Elliot Huntley views the words to "Give Me Love" as a "lyrically dummed-down version" of the singer's Hindu-aligned spiritual message. The theme regarding deliverance from rebirth in the physical world features more overtly in other tracks on Harrison's Living in the Material World album, notably "The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord)" and "Living in the Material World".
  2. As with "Om", the word "Please" is rendered in capital letters on the printed lyrics.
  3. According to Beatles Diary compiler Keith Badman, an alternative version of "Give Me Love" exists, which Harrison gave to BBC Radio 1 DJ Alan Freeman for promotional purposes.
  4. Harrison also contributed to Hopkins' solo album The Tin Man Was a Dreamer, recording for which took place at Apple Studio in between sessions for Living in the Material World.
  5. Although the A-side's running time read 3:32 on the single, "Give Me Love" actually ran to about 3:25.
  6. "Give Me Love" also topped the US charts compiled by Cash Box and Record World. In the UK, Melody Maker's chart recorded the single at number 7.
  7. Thanks to Preston's appearances in the Beatles' 1970 documentary Let It Be and the Concert for Bangladesh film, he would long remain associated with the band, particularly in mid 1973 when press reports tied him to a possible Beatles reunion following the Los Angeles sessions for Ringo Starr's Ringo album.
  8. Writing in the 2004 Rolling Stone Album Guide, Mac Randall described the tune as one of "Harrison's prettiest".
  9. Harrison had agreed to the adaptations by Wood and May on the understanding that no advance publicity would mention his connection.

References

  1. ^ Harrison, p. 246.
  2. Greene, p. 184.
  3. Tillery, p. 154.
  4. Leng, p. 157.
  5. The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 180.
  6. Leng, pp. 153, 209.
  7. Madinger & Easter, pp. 434, 444.
  8. Harrison, p. 162.
  9. Clayson, p. 322.
  10. Schaffner, p. 142.
  11. ^ Kevin Howlett's liner notes, booklet accompanying Living in the Material World reissue (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani & Olivia Harrison).
  12. Allison, pp. 79, 82, 142.
  13. ^ Inglis, p. 38.
  14. ^ Harrison, p. 245.
  15. ^ Lindsay Planer, "George Harrison 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)'", AllMusic (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  16. ^ Huntley, p. 90.
  17. Allison, p. 142.
  18. Huntley, pp. 89–90.
  19. ^ Schaffner, p. 159.
  20. Tillery, pp. 111–12.
  21. Allison, p. 22.
  22. Leng, pp. 126, 137–38.
  23. "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", in George Harrison Living in the Material World: Sheet Music for Piano, Vocal & Guitar, Charles Hansen (New York, NY, 1973), pp. 63–65.
  24. The Editors of Rolling Stone, p. 201.
  25. ^ Jackson, p. 95.
  26. ^ Tillery, p. 111.
  27. Allison, pp. 122, 142.
  28. Greene, p. 194.
  29. Greene, pp. 194–95.
  30. Song lyrics and commentary, booklet accompanying Living in the Material World reissue (EMI Records, 2006; produced by Dhani & Olivia Harrison), p. 18.
  31. Leng, p. 123.
  32. O'Dell, p. 234.
  33. ^ Madinger & Easter, p. 439.
  34. ^ Spizer, p. 254.
  35. Frontani, p. 159.
  36. ^ Leng, p. 126.
  37. ^ Clayson, p. 323.
  38. ^ John Metzger, "George Harrison Living in the Material World", Music Box, vol. 13 (11), November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  39. Madinger & Easter, pp. 439–40.
  40. Badman, p. 104.
  41. Leng, pp. 124, 125.
  42. Leng, pp. 108, 123, 126.
  43. Bruce Eder, "Nicky Hopkins The Tin Man Was a Dreamer", AllMusic (retrieved 22 June 2014).
  44. Harold Bronson, "Nicky Hopkins", Zoo World, 25 October 1973; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  45. Leng, p. 125.
  46. Lavezzoli, pp. 194, 198.
  47. ^ Madinger & Easter, p. 440.
  48. Badman, pp. 94–95, 98.
  49. Rodriguez, pp. 258–59.
  50. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 125.
  51. ^ Spizer, p. 250.
  52. Spizer, pp. 249, 253–54.
  53. Rodriguez, p. 258.
  54. Schaffner, p. 160.
  55. ^ Spizer, p. 249.
  56. ^ "George Harrison – Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", dutchcharts.nl (retrieved 11 April 2014).
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  58. Spizer, p. 256.
  59. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 353.
  60. ^ Badman, p. 103.
  61. Schaffner, p. 167.
  62. Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 353, 364.
  63. Castleman & Podrazik, p. 342.
  64. Jillian Mapes, "George Harrison's 10 Biggest Billboard Hits", billboard.com, 29 November 2011 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  65. Rodriguez, pp. 72–73, 258, 260.
  66. "Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, 30 June 1973, p. 64 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  67. Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 347–53.
  68. Schaffner, p. 158.
  69. Rodriguez, pp. 72–74.
  70. Snow, p. 39.
  71. Inglis, p. 65.
  72. Carr & Tyler, p. 122.
  73. Inglis, p. 128.
  74. ^ Warren Zanes' liner notes, booklet accompanying Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison CD (Dark Horse/Parlophone/Apple, 2009; produced by George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Phil Spector, Dhani Harrison, Ray Cooper, Russ Titelman & Dave Edmunds), p. 9.
  75. Robert Lloyd, "TV Review: 'George Harrison: Living in the Material World'", Los Angeles Times, 5 October 2011 (retrieved 3 June 2014).
  76. George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Disc 2; event occurs between 46:15 and 48:08.
  77. Klaus Voormann interview, in George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Disc 2; event occurs between 47:11 and 47:26.
  78. Lavezzoli, p. 194.
  79. ^ Zeth Lundy, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World", PopMatters, 8 November 2006 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  80. Allison, p. 132.
  81. Badman, p. 99.
  82. Eliot Tiegel (ed.), "Top Single Picks", Billboard, 12 May 1973, p. 58 (retrieved 21 November 2014).
  83. Stephen Holden, "George Harrison, Living in the Material World", Rolling Stone, 19 July 1973, p. 54 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  84. MacDonald, pp. 7, 32.
  85. Leng, p. 141.
  86. Clayson, pp. 323, 324.
  87. Tony Tyler, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World (Apple)", NME, 9 June 1973, p. 33.
  88. Chris Hunt (ed.), NME Originals: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980, IPC Ignite! (London, 2005), p. 70.
  89. Michael Watts, "The New Harrison Album", Melody Maker, 9 June 1973, p. 3.
  90. Carr & Tyler, p. 106.
  91. Brackett & Hoard, p. 367.
  92. John Harris, "Beware of Darkness", Mojo, November 2011, p. 82.
  93. Hugh Fielder, "George Harrison Living In The Material World", Classic Rock, December 2006, p. 98.
  94. Jim Keltner interview, in George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Disc 2; event occurs between 48:00 and 48:13.
  95. Rodriguez, p. 260.
  96. Chris Welch, "George Harrison 1943–2001", The Guardian, 1 December 2001; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  97. Spencer Leigh, "Our Sweet George: How George Harrison's death was reported in the U.K. media", Goldmine, 25 January 2002, p. 57.
  98. Eric Clapton interview, Concert for George DVD (Warner Strategic Marketing, 2003; directed by David Leland; produced by Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison, Jon Kamen & Brian Roylance), Disc 2 ("Theatrical Version with Additional Material"); event occurs between 44:05 and 44:14.
  99. Boonsri Dickinson, "10 Best George Harrison Songs", AOL Radio, April 2010 (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  100. Michael Gallucci, "Top 10 George Harrison Songs", Ultimate Classic Rock (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  101. The Editors of Rolling Stone, pp. 195, 201.
  102. Madinger & Easter, pp. 447, 481–82, 484–85.
  103. Badman, pp. 478–79.
  104. Leng, pp. vii, 272.
  105. Leng, pp. 167, 168–69, 171.
  106. Madinger & Easter, pp. 446–47.
  107. Leng, p. 170.
  108. Rodriguez, p. 60.
  109. Stephen Thomas Erlewhine, "George Harrison Live in Japan", AllMusic (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  110. Madinger & Easter, p. 483.
  111. ^ Leng, p. 270.
  112. Shawn Perry, "George Harrison, Living In The Material World – CD Review", vintagerock.com, October 2006 (retrieved 29 November 2014).
  113. Inglis, p. 109.
  114. "Album: Living in the Material World", georgeharrison.com (retrieved 2 June 2014).
  115. Joe Marchese, "Give Me Love: George Harrison’s 'Apple Years' Are Collected On New Box Set", The Second Disc, 2 September 2014 (retrieved 29 September 2014).
  116. Kory Grow, "George Harrison's First Six Studio Albums to Get Lavish Reissues", rollingstone.com, 2 September 2014 (retrieved 29 September 2014).
  117. Alvaro Neder, "Marisa Monte Barulhinho Bom", AllMusic (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  118. John Dougan, "Marisa Monte A Great Noise", AllMusic (archived version retrieved 2 June 2014).
  119. Badman, p. 588.
  120. Badman, p. 589.
  121. David Greenwald, "Elliott Smith – The Complete Live Covers", Rawkblog (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  122. ^ "Sting Strips for Charity, Elton Puts on Pearls", Fox News, 15 April 2002 (archived version retrieved 26 May 2014).
  123. Inglis, pp. 124, 155.
  124. Inglis, p. 125.
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  126. Koch Entertainment, "KOCH Entertainment Presents Songs From The Material World: A Tribute To George Harrison", PR Newswire, 11 December 2002 (retrieved 7 October 2015).
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  128. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "Dave Davies Kinked", AllMusic (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  129. William Ruhlmann, "Sherie René Scott Everyday Rapture", AllMusic (retrieved 26 May 2014).
  130. Michael Simmons, "Cry for a Shadow", Mojo, November 2011, p. 86.
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  144. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973", musicoutfitters.com (retrieved 10 January 2015).

Sources

  • Dale C. Allison Jr., The Love There That's Sleeping: The Art and Spirituality of George Harrison, Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ISBN 978-0-8264-1917-0).
  • Keith Badman, The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001, Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ISBN 0-7119-8307-0).
  • Nathan Brackett & Christian Hoard (eds), The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn), Fireside/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2004; ISBN 0-7432-0169-8).
  • Roy Carr & Tony Tyler, The Beatles: An Illustrated Record, Trewin Copplestone Publishing (London, 1978; ISBN 0-450-04170-0).
  • Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975, Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ISBN 0-345-25680-8).
  • Alan Clayson, George Harrison, Sanctuary (London, 2003; ISBN 1-86074-489-3).
  • The Editors of Rolling Stone, Harrison, Rolling Stone Press/Simon & Schuster (New York, NY, 2002; ISBN 0-7432-3581-9).
  • Michael Frontani, "The Solo Years", in Kenneth Womack (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles, Cambridge University Press (Cambridge, UK, 2009; ISBN 978-1-139-82806-2), pp. 153–82.
  • George Harrison: Living in the Material World DVD (Village Roadshow, 2011; directed by Martin Scorsese; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese).
  • Joshua M. Greene, Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison, John Wiley & Sons (Hoboken, NJ, 2006; ISBN 978-0-470-12780-3).
  • George Harrison, I Me Mine, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA, 2002; ISBN 0-8118-3793-9).
  • Elliot J. Huntley, Mystical One: George Harrison – After the Break-up of the Beatles, Guernica Editions (Toronto, ON, 2006; ISBN 1-55071-197-0).
  • Ian Inglis, The Words and Music of George Harrison, Praeger (Santa Barbara, CA, 2010; ISBN 978-0-313-37532-3).
  • Andrew Grant Jackson, Still the Greatest: The Essential Solo Beatles Songs, Scarecrow Press (Lanham, MD, 2012; ISBN 978-0-8108-8222-5).
  • Peter Lavezzoli, The Dawn of Indian Music in the West, Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ISBN 0-8264-2819-3).
  • Simon Leng, While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison, Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ISBN 1-4234-0609-5).
  • Ian MacDonald, Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties, Pimlico (London, 1998; ISBN 0-7126-6697-4).
  • Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium, 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ISBN 0-615-11724-4).
  • Chris O'Dell with Katherine Ketcham, Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved, Touchstone (New York, NY, 2009; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4).
  • Robert Rodriguez, Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980, Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4).
  • Nicholas Schaffner, The Beatles Forever, McGraw-Hill (New York, NY, 1978; ISBN 0-07-055087-5).
  • Mat Snow, The Beatles Solo: The Illustrated Chronicles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo After The Beatles (Volume 3: George), Race Point Publishing (New York, NY, 2013; ISBN 978-1-937994-26-6).
  • Bruce Spizer, The Beatles Solo on Apple Records, 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ISBN 0-9662649-5-9).
  • Gary Tillery, Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison, Quest Books (Wheaton, IL, 2011; ISBN 978-0-8356-0900-5).
Preceded by"My Love" by Paul McCartney and Wings Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
30 June 1973 (one week) 		Succeeded by"Will It Go Round in Circles" by Billy Preston
George Harrison
Studio albums
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George Harrison singles discography
1970s
1970
1971
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1979
1980s
1981
1982
1983
1985
1986
  • "Shanghai Surprise" (promo)
1987
1988
1989
  • "Cheer Down" / "That's What It Takes" (US)
  • "Cheer Down" / "Poor Little Girl" (UK)
  • "Poor Little Girl" (promo)
2000s
2001
2002
2003
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