by Dave Swanson November 1, 2013

Ultimate Classic Rock

With the release of ‘Wonderwall Music’ in November 1968, George Harrison was the first Beatle to step into the spotlight on his own. Recording sessions actually began a year earlier — when the Beatles were recording their annual Christmas message — with ‘India’ and ‘Swordfencing,’ both working titles that would be changed before release.

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In January 1968, Harrison traveled to EMI’s studios in Bombay for a whirlwind five-day session. There, he employed various local musicians, wrapping up work on Jan. 12. With time left on the clock in Bombay, Harrison decided to use the facilities and musicians to record a handful of ragas for possible use on future Beatles records. Only one song, ‘The Inner Light,’ was used, with the rest of the group adding its parts back home at the Abbey Road studios in London in February.

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According to Mark Lewisohn’s ‘The Beatles Recording Sessions,’ the music Harrison recorded in Bombay was brought to the Abbey Road studios, where he embellished them with some famous friends. Even though they’re not officially listed on ‘Wonderwall Music,’ Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr make appearances. Clapton, credited as Eddie Clayton, whips out some great lead guitar on ‘Ski-ing’, while Starr (Richie Snare) plays drums. Also, Peter Tork of the Monkees plays banjo on the album. He and Harrison became friends when the Monkees visited the U.K.

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Not so surprisingly, the music on the LP, which doubled as a soundtrack to the little-seen movie ‘Wonderwall,’ features a very strong Indian influence, consisting mostly of raga tunes. The music is, at times, hypnotic and dreamlike, with a vast selection of traditional Indian instruments — including sitar, tabla, harmonium, sarod and shehnai — setting the mood on songs like ‘Drilling a Home,’ ‘Red Lady Too,’ ‘Greasy Legs’ and ‘Ski-ing.’

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Most of the 19 tracks are pretty short, but they feature plenty of different sounds. In addition to being the first solo Beatles album to be released, the LP is also notable for being the first album to come out on the group’s Apple record label. It managed to climb into the Top 50 on the U.S. album chart. In 1995, Noel Gallagher borrowed its title for Oasis‘ Top 10 hit.

01. 00:00 Microbes
02. 03:43 Red Lady Too
03. 05:41 Tabla and Pakavaj
04. 06:47 In The Park
05. 10:56 Drilling a Home
06. 14:05 Guru Vandana
07. 15:11 Greasy Legs
08. 16:41 Ski-ing
09. 18:31 Gat Kirwani
10. 19:47 Dream Scene
11. 25:15 Party Seacombe
12. 29:51 Love Scene
13. 34:09 Crying
14. 35:28 Cowboy Music
15. 36:58 Fantasy Sequins
16. 38:50 On the Bed
17. 41:13 Glass Box
18. 42:20 Wonderwall To Be Here
19. 43:48 Singing Om

I've always thought it was an interesting project. Not an album that I listen to often at all, but when I was a kid and in love with all things Beatles I found it fascinating. Some of the pieces are really good (And good for mixed CDs as interesting little interludes).

What!! I didn't realize all this time this Wonderwall Music album is from 1968, and was George's first solo, let along the first solo Beatle album.

Cinny said:

What!! I didn't realize all this time this Wonderwall Music album is from 1968, and was George's first solo, let along the first solo Beatle album.

All Things Must Pass is George's 3rd album. His 2nd is Electronic Sound. There is an earlier 1967 soundtrack by The George Martin Orchestra for a movie called The Family Way in which Paul McCartney wrote it and George Martin arranged and also helped write a little, but it's not really considered a Paul solo album. Later in the same year Wonderwall Music was released, the John & Yoko album Two Virgins was released.