Music Blog

All Things Must Pass

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for the April 20 edition
of Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday.
Here’s what I have to say.  

© Wikipedia

This week for Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday the theme is ‘The Definitive List’  and our challenge is quite specific: to write about a song from an album credited by the List of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The challenge is specific but that doesn’t mean it’s easy; there are some incredible names on that 2007 list of the best albums ever produced by artists or bands throughout the history of world music.

Everything in life involves a process; today I employed the process of elimination. Right off the bat I decided to make the task a whole lot easier by going with a Beatles song or a song written by one of the Beatles. Besides being my favorite group since my pre-teen days, I have not featured the Beatles or a Beatle in quite a while. It’s time.

As you looked through the R&R Hall of Fame 200 list, you may have noticed that the Beatles are listed first. In addition, they are listed more often than anyone else …. 5 times for the group and twice by solo Beatles, 1 each for George Harrison and John Lennon. (Wings is also on the list but I’m not counting them.) If you read my blogs, you know that George is my favorite Beatle and one of my favorite people; that has very little to do with the fact that he was witty and gorgeous. He was an incredible, multi-talented artist, a deeply spiritual man and someone for which I feel a great affinity. For me, this process of elimination got real easy real fast.

Before we go any further, I want you to know I will not be discussing the biography of George Harrison; I don’t think that’s necessary. However, if you need a refresher as to who George is and his many accomplishments, you’ll find some good stuff HERE. George was also the topic of the Letter H in my A To Z Challenge earlier this month. If you missed it, you may read it HERE.

Ok, let’s do this! The George Harrison LP which appears on the List of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is #69 – All Things Must Pass, released November 27, 1970, and my song choice from that album is “Art Of Dying” …. in my mind the perfect song to be featured on Easter Sunday.

All Things Must Pass was released by Apple Records and co-produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector; it is Harrison’s third studio album. Many musicians contributed to the album, including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Pete Drake, Gary Wright, Klaus Voormann, members of Badfinger, players from Delaney and Bonnie band, and John Barham. The triple-LP topped charts around the world and earned universal acclaim as a rock masterpiece. George became the first Beatle to have a solo #1 single in both the UK and US with the album’s lead single, “My Sweet Lord” which introduced George’s signature slide guitar playing. George co-wrote the album’s opening track “I’d Have You Anytime” with Bob Dylan, whom he met at Woodstock in 1968. Harrison was one of the few musicians to co-write songs with Dylan, who became a life-long friend and was a member of the Traveling Wilburys with George, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.

“Art Of Dying” is one of the songs George Harrison began working on as early as 1966 while the Beatles were still together. The song expressed Harrison’s desire at that time to move beyond fame and seek out a greater meaning in life.

Harrison became interested in Indian philosophy and religion in the mid 60s; “Art Of Dying” shows his belief in reincarnation and the need to live a better life in order to avoid the soul returning to earth for “a million years of crying”.

The song features a hard rock arrangement. The backing musicians include Eric Clapton and the rest of his short-lived band Derek and the Dominos, as well as Gary Wright, Billy Preston, Bobby Keys and Jim Price. Harrison never performed “Art of Dying” live, although he included it in his proposed setlist for the Concert for Bangladesh, which took place at Madison Square Garden in New York on August 1, 1971.

George Harrison was a deeply spiritual and accepting man. When he was on his deathbed, friend and former Beatle Ringo Starr came to visit him. Ringo was going through a difficult time himself as his daughter was about to undergo surgery for a brain tumor. Ringo apologized to George, saying he wished he could visit with him longer. When Ringo explained what was going on with his daughter and that he was on his way to visit her, George asked him “Would you like me to come with you?” That’s just the type of man and friend George Harrison was.

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 and later battling lung cancer that metastasized to his brain, Harrison faced his illness with remarkable grace and spiritual acceptance. He passed away on November 29, 2001, leaving behind a legacy of musical brilliance and spiritual depth that continues to inspire generations.

This is “Art Of Dying” by George Harrison


LYRICS

There’ll come a time when all of us must leave here
There’s nothing sister Mary can do
Will keep me here with you
As nothing in this life that I’ve been trying
Could equal or surpass the art of dying
Do you believe me?

There’ll come a time when all your hopes are fading
When things that seemed so very plain
Become an awful pain
Searching for the truth among the lying
And answered when you’ve learned the art of dying

But you’re still with me
But if you want it
Then you must find it
But when you have it
There’ll be no need for it

There’ll come a time when most of us return here
Brought back by our desire to be
A perfect entity
Living through a million years of crying
Until you’ve realized the Art of Dying
Do you believe me?

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: George Harrison
Art of Dying lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Personnel
George Harrison – vocals, electric guitars, backing vocals
Eric Clapton – electric guitar
Gary Wright – electric piano
Billy Preston – organ
Bobby Whitlock – tubular bells
Carl Radle – bass
Jim Gordon – drums
Jim Price – trumpets, horn arrangement
Bobby Keys – saxophone

A Definitive List

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to some tunes.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

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



47 thoughts on “All Things Must Pass”

  2. He is also my pick from the Fabs. I have that album, somewhere around here. I have around 250 vinyl albums that will go to the grandkids one day: you know, the day it all ends, I don’t use the other word.

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    1. Me too, Susan. Great mathematician that I am (LOL), I figured out that the Beatles have been present for 81% of my life …. with the exception of my sister, that’s more than any other person right now. My husband comes in close at 76%! 🤪 Thanks for a great comment!

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  11. I could read about George until the cows come home. I never knew about his interactions with Ringo on his death bed. A fascinating man with a beautiful soul. Thanks for introducing me to this great little rocker by George.

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  12. Lovely track to pick Nancy. I am sure George’s beliefs in eastern religion and reincarnation helped him meet his death in this world with an open mind to what would come next for him. The lyrics of this song are very special. Thanks for sharing ☺️❤️

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    1. Thank you, Jim. My history and relationship with the Beatles runs deep. Only those who experienced the same emotions will completely understand. I believe I am a more spiritual and creative person because of them. George was never fully appreciated for the great talent he possessed. For all the wonderment the Beatles have brought into my life, I will gladly pay it forward.

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  15. Very interesting song choice. I had never heard it before. I would have loved to have heard his thoughts on this song when he actually knew he was dying, just to see if the perspective changed at all, but then I am always drawn to morbidity so that could be just me. Excellent article.

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    1. It doesn’t surprise me that you don’t know this one, Jodi. I’m sure there will be others as well. That reality didn’t stop me for a second. I love sharing new music, especially a piece as raw as this one. It really kicks ass …. in a spiritual kind of way! You raise an excellent question, something I’m going to look into. Thank you!

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  16. I’m with Willow, Nancy, …a great album, … One of my brothers sent me a CD (oh so old hat I know) …of the Traveling Wilburys band …’twas an amazing eye opener to me, … it’s here somewhere, …see? That’s why Alexa’s become a godsend, … Happy Easter Sunday to you and yours, ..💫

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