George Harrison’s Biggest Songs: Worst to Best
George Harrison‘s songs rarely became hits. After all, only five of his singles reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Despite this, some of those songs are all-time classics.
5. ‘All Those Years Ago’
The Beatles were so big they inspired tribute songs by … The Beatles. For example, The Beatles’ “Glass Onion” is littered with callbacks to the band’s earlier work.
Two of George’s singles were Beatles tributes: “When We Was Fab” and “All Those Years Ago.” The former is sarcastic and actually sounds like a Fab Four song. “All Those Years Ago” is sincere and it’s more of a tribute to John Lennon than the band as a whole. It’s a nice idea for a song, but “All Those Years Ago” doesn’t have much of a hook. According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, the tune peaked at No. 2 for three weeks.
4. ‘Got My Mind Set on You’
“Got My Mind Set on You” is probably the most divisive song in George’s discography. To some, it’s a fun, upbeat song that’s a touch like The Beatles’ early hits. To others, it’s a kitschy track with a tasteless blunt-force hook. It’s kind of both.
There’s nothing deep or especially artful about this No. 1 single, but it’s a lot of fun if you hear it in the right mood. It also proves George could’ve been more like Paul McCartney if he wanted to be.
3. ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’
“Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” isn’t just a song, it’s a prayer. It’s simple, but it’s a very comforting song in dark times. The line “Give me hope / Help me cope with this heavy load” is direct yet so powerful. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)” isn’t as well-remembered or as loved as George’s other No. 1 hit hymn (“My Sweet Lord”), but it definitely deserves more recognition.
2. ‘What Is Life’
“What Is Life” is a great song because it combines George’s spiritual side with his pop sensibilities. The tune has a great hook that’s reminiscent of Motown at its finest. Phil Sector really brought his best to this track, and it has one of his best Wall of Sound productions from the 1970s. It’s a shame this single has mostly been forgotten as well, even though it peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1. ‘My Sweet Lord’ / ‘Isn’t It a Pity?’
“My Sweet Lord” was George’s first No. 1 single and it remains his defining song. By the 1970s, little of Western popular culture was overtly religious, so it’s a testament to the song’s quality that it became such a huge hit. The simple touch of combining Judeo-Christian and Hindu terminology in a call for spiritual awakening is still striking.
The song was a double A-side with “Isn’t It a Pity?” That track is a slog, but “My Sweet Lord” is so good that the pairing of the two songs still counts as a classic No. 1 single.
