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SONG HOME YOUR VIEWS 63 | Top 100 My Sweet Lord George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” gave George Harrison both his highest and lowest moments as a solo star. It twice went to number one but also cost him a fortune in legal fees following a lengthy plagiarism battle. The song is a beauty. Over a lush Phil Spector production, Harrison intones the title repeatedly creating a mantra in keeping Song facts Composer George Harrison/John Gary Williams Genre Rock Album All Things Must Pass Year of Release 1970 UK Chart Position 1 with the Eastern mystical feel of the song. Harrison’s masterful slide guitar swoops and soars throughout the track and the hook is as catchy as anything he ever came up with in The Beatles. Unfortunately, the hook may not have been his to use. After it became a transatlantic chart-topper in the early Seventies, people began noticing the similarity between “My Sweet Lord” and “He’s So Fine”, a 1963 US number one for girl group The Chiffons. The resemblance was unmistakable and the song’s publisher sued Harrison for copyright infringement. The case dragged on for years but in 1976 the former Beatle was found guilty of “unconscious plagiarism” and ordered to pay a substantial sum. The controversy has detracted from the song’s brilliance, but the fact remains that Harrison’s lyrics, musicianship, vocals and overall enthusiasm still make this a great single. In fact it became the ultimate tribute after his death when it was re-released and again topped the charts. George Harrison talks about My Sweet Lord The Quiet One reveals where the inspiration came from for his number one from 1971 - "I was thinking of a way to combine Halleluiah and Hari Krishna". Audio help Other versions Listen to Nina Simone's cover version of the song. The first solo number One by a Beatle and George Harrison's message is still as relevent today as it was thirty odd years ago Allison READ MORE COMMENTS... Make a comment Your Name and Town/City: Your Message: Songwriting tips Read tips on how to write, record and get your songs noticed in our Songwriting Guide. Test your knowledge Think you know everything there is to know about My Sweet Lord? TAKE THE CHALLENGE! 62Miss You Nights 64Something Newsletter sign-up Sign up for updates on new songs, documentaries and live events Like this song? Try these... Something Beatles DON'T MISS Doves Special guests on Dermot's show this week What's on Radio 2 Documentaries Find out more about current and forthcoming documentaries on Radio 2.

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