Music Blog

Feb Fab Faux Four #20

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

WARNING: THIS BLOG WAS NOT CREATED FOR BEATLEMANIACS!
If you’re on the fence about the Beatles or if you just don’t like them,
this blog is for you. My goal is not to convert you; it’s to expose you
to the lesser-known Beatles songs we don’t hear day in and day out.
These great tunes will show you just how amazing the Beatles are.
Of course, if you are a Beatles fan, pull up a chair and enjoy the tunes!

© Misky

Welcome to day 20 of Feb Fab Faux Four. We’re coming ’round the bend and the finish line is in sight!

Yesterday I hinted that today’s song was a huge hit for one of the Beatles during his solo career …. and by huge I mean HUGE. This was our Beatle’s first single as a solo artist and it topped the charts worldwide; it was the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK and the first #1 single by an ex-Beatle in the US and England. By the late 1970s, it was the most covered song written and released by any of the former Beatles since the band’s break-up. Did I say it was huge?

Our Beatle wrote today’s song in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, while intending the lyrics as a call to abandon attachment to any one religious sect through his blending of the Hebrew word “hallelujah” with chants of “Hare Krishna” and Indian prayers. 

That last bit of information was a dead giveaway, I’m sure, so let’s cut to the chase and play some music.

Here is George Harrison with “My Sweet Lord”

🪲

This is Edwin Starr’s remake of “My Sweet Lord“

My sweet lord! Can I get an “Amen”?!

I know the obvious choice for a cover version is Billy Preston but we’ve all heard that one too many times. Edwin Starr has given us a slowed down, almost gospel-like version and I have to give him kudos for taking on such a big song; his vocal range is impressive. I like his arrangement but it can’t hold a votive candle to George Harrison’s

“Every time I put the radio on, it’s ‘Oh my Lord’. I’m beginning to think there must be a God” said John Lennon after George scored the first number one hit by any solo Beatle. Sour grapes? Typical biting humor from John. And none of them thought George had what it took to write decent songs.

In 1976 George was slapped with a lawsuit claiming that “My Sweet Lord” sounded too much like the 1963 hit by the Chiffons called “He’s So Fine”. George took his guitar to the court and demonstrated how he wrote the song, but he was found to have committed “subconscious plagiarism”. It doesn’t seem to have negatively impacted his career. I’ll let you be the judge. Here are the Chiffons with “He’s So Fine”.

Well, all I can say is there’s a similarity. I think the Chiffon’s lawyers got lucky on this one.

That’s it for today, kids. Nine more vids to go before I’m outta here.

See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2024

PS – If any video won’t play for you, I’ve provided the name of the song and who did it so you can find it on YouTube. It’s a pain in the ass but it does happen from time to time. My apologies.

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR © 2017-present.

29 thoughts on “Feb Fab Faux Four #20”

  5. I like Edwin Starr, but nobody is ever going to take this song away from George. Ronnie Mack wrote the Chiffons song, but he died really young, and Holland, Dozier and Holland were inspired to write the song “Jimmy Mack” because of him.

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    1. “Jimmy Mack, when are ya coming back?”
      My sister had a boyfriend named Billy Mack at the time that song was out and, of course, we’d tease her unmercifully by singing Billy instead of Jimmy.

      You’re right, Jim. Ain’t nobody gonna take this song away from George!

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      1. A good friend of mine was named Billy Mack, and he is mentioned in that song by Steve Miller Take the Money and Run. Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas You know he knows just exactly what the facts is. 

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  7. No contest. George all the way! It’s one of my favorites, and I sing it to myself when I can’t get back to sleep in the middle of the night, but then it wakes me up because I’m trying to get the words right, then I decide I don’t care and just sing it the way I feel. Sometimes I even get back to sleep.

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  8. The original, by miles. Edwin Starr should have left well alone. As for the lawsuit – there are similarities, but not enough for George to have lost the case. They needed to have had a musician as the judge!

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    1. “By your peers shall ye be judged” …. Hey, I’m not even sure if that’s in the Bible but it sounds good to me!

      Objection! I’m with you, Clive. The whole lawsuit was flimsy. Ambulance chasers wanting to take down the big shot Beatle.

      The song? Yeah, some things are fine just as they are.

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      Reply

  9. George shouldn’t have lost that lawsuit – they do have a lot of similarities but just like in the recent case of Ed Sheeran – who won as should have George. A melody can be similar but the two songs are very different.

    George ain’t alone in losing!

    He wins here, though.

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