GEORGE HARISSON - WAH WAH | FIRST TIME HEARING AND REACTION

[@DJBilodeau]

That's Billy Preston coming in on the keyboards. Notice how perfectly that fits in with the song. If he doesn't play that part, you would notice it immediately.

[@robertkerr4201]

This is a great song which got muddled up in the mix on the album. Try listening to the live version on the concert for Bangladesh album. Just brilliant.

[@johnrenshaw5319]

This song is the shit!!!!! Whole album. Everything

[@LanceHall]

A fan did a home-brew remix of the whole album using the new spectral algorithms and was able to strip off much of the added reverb, pull out buried elements and increase the clarity. It sounds amazing.

[@flight505]

Wow. Didn't know I needed that! PS I know it's muddled. I like the mix.

[@ArniePorter]

Me too. Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production on this album gets dissed a lot but I love it. He was a miserable human being, but brilliant music producer.

[@DJBilodeau]

Just got done looking at George's biography movie "All Things Pass-Full Movie" on which George, many years later, is being interviewed about this song. Phil Spector is the producer, but George said Phil was scared at first, being somewhat intimidated by working with an ex-Beatle. George talked him down, said it would be alright, and for Phil to "do his thing" with his famous "Wall of Sound" producing technique. They showed the musicians participating on this track, which included Eric Claption, Billy Preston, and Ringo on the drums. They worked for some hours to get the song down, and when Phil let George and the rest hear the playback, George said he told Phil "he hated the way this song sounded(!)". Eric Clapton stepped in and said to George, "I think it sounds great" to which George replied, "well, good then. You put it on YOUR album!". George went on to say in this movie that, slowly, over the years, he has grown to "like this song better". Hard to say what another person thinks that you've never met or known, but I'm not sure George was ever a fan of this song.

[@zenpuppy6025]

I hope you will try the song by George Harrison.. “Isn’t It A Pity”.

[@DJBilodeau]

Yes, that "wah-wah" style guitar is what first got my attention about this song as well.

[@zenpuppy6025]

Music critics and biographers recognise the song as Harrison's statement of personal and artistic freedom from the Beatles.

[@DJBilodeau]

A great solo Beatles reaction Philip! Nice job!

[@thoru4367]

Please more from this album

[@DJBilodeau]

George's first wife, Patti Boyd, said George used to come home from Beatles sessions "absolutely furious" and in a generally bad state. This song, from what I understand, was written in a fury after one of those sessions with a bad day with both John and Paul. "Wah-wah" to George was a euphemism for a headache-"You're giving me a wah-wah"= you're giving me a headache!

[@ktcarl]

Most of the songs on 'All Things Must Pass' were written while recording the White Album through Abbey Road. John and Paul kept disallowing his songs on albums and George had quite a list of tunes. No wonder his first album was a double record. John and Paul should of allowed 'Isn't It a Pity' and 'Apple Scruffs' on the White Album. Those two tunes fit in well and at the least would give John and Paul a break from the song writing chores. George was lucky to be in the 'Lennon/McCartney school of song writing hits' from '63 to '67.

[@bobcorbin3294]

George confirms this in his Autobiography I Me Mine

[@DJBilodeau]

Yes, agreed with the vocals. Phil Spector did ok with the instrumentation, but George's lead vocal is buried way too deep in this mix, and it comes across to me as "muddy" in quality.

[@DJBilodeau]

So, Phil Spector was famous for his "Wall of Sound" production techniques. Personally, I feel George's vocals are too buried in this mix. Question: does anyone else feel that the "Wall of Sound" technique led to a "muddy" mix with this song? I'm on the fence with this one.

[@ArniePorter]

Not me. But I bought the album when it came out and loved it then. No question his vocals are buried which my guess was intentional by Spector. George’s vocals are great but the backing track is even more brilliant and deserves to be front and centre in this song. I know my take isn’t popular but I love the way the original album was recorded and produced. Call me a dinosaur. 😅

[@hungfao]

Good song but over produced. It's my understanding 'wah wah' is another term for headache. It is allegedly directed at Paul McCartney who was driving George nuts with his micromanaging George's guitar playing. You can see the argument in the movie 'Let It Be' which was a catalyst for him leaving the Beatles for several days. John wasn't much help either in this capacity. He wanted out of the group as well and mostly sat back and watched them fight.