This may also have been my first George album, so when I bought it I had not heard any of the reviews. I was listening to it on it sown merit and I liked it. I bought it around 1976.
I've only recently started listening to this album - bad reviews kept me from trying it for the longest time. George's voice is strained but it's quite a good album, and even its flaws somehow work for it. I'm starting to think of it as George's "Tonight's the Night."
Thank you for such an in-depth review . I bought this album when I was in grade 10 , way back in '75 . Now I don't know if it's because it's such a intricate part of my teen-age years , but I always loved this album , and i could never understand the negative reviews . I always enjoyed it's repeated listening's , over Living in the Material World and Extra Texture . It certainly has an edgy feel to it , and I always thought his voice , or lack of it , was a benefit to the style of it's material . To me , I would even go as far to say it has a rock classic album feel to it .
Loving all of your reviews. Throughout the 70's as a teenager I would eagerly anticipate the release of every solo Beatle LP including Dark Horse. I also remember reading the Melody Maker and NME reviews and ending up with filthy hands from all the print ink that the publishers used. Many years later in 2019 I found myself in an amateur Liverpool theatre production acting with a former classmate of Paul and George. He is in that photo.
Cheers John. Really enjoyed your take on the album. Not George’s best but some interesting and compelling moments. You give a good, fair and insightful take on the album. Thanks.
Enjoyed the review which was very fair. I didn't like the album when I originally purchased it in 1976 but it has grown on me and now I like a lot of it - not crazy about "Bye Bye Love" but love Maya Love and Far East Man.
I liked hearing your opening story about George Martin for starters. You certainly talked about a lot of details regarding this album, and it's packaging information which I glossed over or didn't even know about when I did my video on DARK HORSE. I love "Simply Shady" very much myself -- might be my favorite track. You know, the more I think about this album the more I think I enjoy it better now than I used to.
+MeanMr Mayo I don't expect to see a full reappraisal like we've seen with 'Ram' but it's as honest a record in its way as even JL POB although much more flawed of course.
I always get defensive when this record is brought up. This is my other favorite George album. I love the song Far East Man. Just goes to show how subjective music is. I think people let the the history of what surrounds the making of “Dark Horse” over shadow the music itself. The tour and his broken marriage. Forget about that. I’ve loved this album since 1974 and get tired of the slagging it gets. Good, it was more for the rest of us to enjoy without it having been over saturated on the radio. I’ve always had mixed feelings for that book “The Beatles Illustrated”. Those writers seemed to have been bigger Rolling Stones fans and should of not of bothered writing a book about The Fabs. They demonstrated little love in their writings for the subject matter. So why did they bother? For example “I Am The Walrus” gets a bad review? Or comments about John’s penis size on the cover of “Two Virgins”. Ha Ha. Their Stones book acts as if just about everything they did was gold. Just ranting. I enjoy your videos and thanks for taking the time to make them. Just defending Dark Horse as I’m tired of the criticism it gets by people (your review was a rare good one and reasonable}. Also tired of the reviews that a lot of the critics gave the Let It Be album. But that’s another story. I probably have a soft spot for “Dark Horse” as it’s one of the early albums I bought in my youth just as you seem to have a fond memory for “London Town”. Keep up the good work John. I wish I had the energy to make videos like the ones you post on The Beatles.
Oh thank you, John! Just have found your video. Since the album was released, I‘ve been loving it. But I always thought I‘m the only one who does. Everything you told about it in the video I can relate to. It‘s an honest and brave album - with some really wonderful music. My favorite tracks are Dark Horse and - even more - Simply Shady. What a song! Listen to the brass arrangement, it‘s so beautiful and sad at the same time. An album to sit down and listen, really listen. - Just have subscribed your most wonderful channel. - Greetings from Berlin, Harry
Very under rated album - the first Harrison album i bought . Some great moments on it, Simply Shady, So Bad, Dark horse, Far East man. Harison with one R, as in Hari Krishna !
I like the review that said "it's a mess but a fascinating one". Very much how I see/hear it. Yes his voice is ravaged but I think it works well on the title track which is a favourite George song for me. I also think that beneath the doom and gloom some lovely melodies come through,
Another great review, John. BTW, funny you mentioned how the backside could or should have been the cover. I purchased the LP in the US in the late 70's, I believe, which was a Capitol re-release version and it featured that photo on the cover. I didn't even know until a few years later that the "class/lotus" cover was in existance (this was way before the internet as you know). I've always loved this album actually - still do. I listen to it more often than his self-titled album, for instance, which is a bit slick in comparison, great though it is.
Bye bye love is awful but he did a gorgeous cover of Let it be me which he recorded in 1983 after seeing the Everleys live. The film of the 74 tour exists but not sure whether it will ever come out
Is that a UK version with the lyric sheet ? Don't think the US version had that. The demo of Dark Horse with Klaus and Ringo is well worth seeking out as well.
It amazes me how prolific the former Beatles as well as other artist were back then. Compared to today's standards The Beatles have given us 20 years worth of music in the 7 they spent making records. You're absolutely right, George was a wonderful lyricist. The Pirate Song springs to mind and in the bootleg liner notes is pictured the lyrics with George's scribbles and changes which are all very clever imho. In '74 a reporter asked him about his private life at a press conference and he told him it's all there in the lyrics if they want to know. He was right, I think.
Yes the lyrics certainly tell the story of this period very honestly. And that's one of the things I love about this album. The dichotomy between the spiritual and the material world there for all to see!
It maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite george harrison album love the depressing and happy tone of this album don't know why also great review and good beginning
I remember George doing a radio interview and talking about Ding Dong failing to chart and what a rude awakening it was after so many years of success. A sign of changing times and reverence for the Beatles fading.
Hi John. I'm really enjoying your videos defending various critically mauled albums. It's very refreshing to hear an honest yet fair appraisal. I'm looking forward to rediscovering this album via the forthcoming remaster. I have an odd Dutch copy (bought in Amsterdam) which has the back cover from the original release as the front cover, and the original front cover nowhere in sight.
Great review John. Strangely, I've always preferred listening to this album compared to 'Living in the material world'. I love the musicianship (particularly the rhythm section) and clean production overall. GAZZA (Melbourne/Australia)
I never even heard the album until a couple of years ago, when I listened to it on RUclips (on George's channel). I was surprised at how good a lot of it is, so that I ended up buying a new copy of it on CD. His voice is better on the demo of the "Dark Horse" song (recorded a few months earlier). I think your commentary is good, and I generally agree with you, though I do like "Far East Man."
dark horse , is my very fave george , lp, [and a fave since , i got in 1974, , i think georges [horse voice suits the songs ], /love the cover, espcialy back cover of george on bench [i got the lp, when i worked at emi, [i was responsible for the beatles[solo ] catalouge , /ive always love the album [i never take what the critics think, i listen myself ]
Another Album I didn't own as a teenager, but I did have the 'Dark Horse' 45 rpm single. When I was in my 30's someone played 'Far East Man' for me, and I was blown away, asking where did this come from. And I either tracked a used LP of it down or might have just got it on CD. I know you sort of panned 'Far East Man' in the review but this is a favorite song of mine and has it's following in the US and Japan, search RUclips for Far East Man and will find at least 100 video's of bands from Japan note for note remakes of it. This track could almost be something off Extra Texture. And I kind of like this album, even if it is sort of a mess. I always liked the 'Dark Horse' single and love the fact that a acoustic version was included on the remaster which was recorded before his voice went horse. This is one of the albums where I really like half the songs a lot, and the other half not so much. Nice review of a tough album to get a handle on, plus you gave a lot of nice background notes. And here is one more tidbit of information: George was puzzled at the time that 'Ding Dong' wasn't a bigger hit, he thought it would replace 'AULD LANG SYNE' as the song everyone played on New Year's Eve. 'Ring out the old, ring in the new'.
Thanks Ron. I do quite like the feel of 'Far East Man'. Sorry if I seem to pan it. Did you check out Ron Wood's version on his 'I've Got My Own Album To Do' LP from the same year. Interesting they wrote a song together considering all the wive swapping going on around this time. I like 'Ding Dong Ding Dong' and I would personally play it on New Year's Eve although I can maybe understand why it didn't catch on with the general public.
You hit home with the comment on studying the packaging for hours. I've been doing that with albums since I was 8 or 9 years old. I've never really heard this, just "Ding Dong" and the title track, like the latter can take or leave the former. I bought every solo album up to 1980 with exception of this, "Rock 'n' Roll," "Red Rose" and "Beaucoups of Blues." Of that bunch the only one I've bought since is "Red Rose," which I don't much like to be honest. This was always supposed to be George's worst, according to critics and all at least, so I never bothered. Was always on my list just never got around to it. Still hope to one of these days.
+Matthew Smith Thanks for your comments Mathew. Give this album a chance as it's very honest. And whilst it may never compare to the Ramones, it is an interesting album where he bears' soul (ala JL POB) to mixed effect. The hoarse vocal actlually helps on some tracks.
+John Heaton It's always at my record store. One of these days I'll pick it up. I'm a big fan of George the stuff I've heard at any rate. Well, "Extra Texture" isn't that great. Never got around to "Gone Troppo" or "Somewhere in England" either.
I've always liked George's version of "Bye Bye Love". Compared to Simon and Garfunkel's version it's blistering, and the lyrics are a bit too candid for my personal tastes, but I think the raw sound is great.
Terrific review John. For years - decades actually, I found very little value in this album at all, until fairly recently when I found a copy in which someone had mimeographed the lyrics to the songs on it. I could be wrong, but I don't think that US copies ever had them printed. Previously I never could understand what George was singing on this record, and having the lyrics threw new light on the songs for me. Still, I can't say that "Dark Horse" is a great album, but I'm glad to have it - and the packaging, as you noted, is very nice.
+Thomas Calden Thanks Thomas. I seem to have fallen into the habit of defending the much derided solo records, which I am happy to do! I actually found the wikipedia material on this album very detailed and informative. If I was Scorcese I would have featured much more material from this his only major solo tour. I read that Weeks, Newmark and Preston all said it was a great experience.
Ok wow I love the story !!!. And the autograph this lp I feel of George was lost ?? . I did learn about this lp that I did not know . Ok so how did you do with your poem grade ? Thanks.
Sorry you know almost NIL concerning Krishna Consciousness and or ISKCON. TONS of errors firstly there is NO religion called "Hare Krsna". Hari is a name of Krsna. More research on the spiritual side, please. I LOVE George's Krsna philosophy!
Living in the material world should have come out earlier in 72 but was delayed as the Bangladesh film and album took up so much time and by 73 glam rock was all the rage and George’s spiritualism was a bit out dated
Nice Review! Ggeorge himself said about the album that it was "a Peyton Place". I think he Needed to get this out of his system. i enjoy the loose guitar playing on this LP. Cheers!
Well not only critics back in the day hated this album, various recent websites crap all over this album. I think his 3 albums after ATMP are good, it was still the same George, had some edge, after that he adopted a soft rock, adult contemporary style I can't stand really, not my thing. This album in particular is grungy and fun and has some beatlesque melodies. After this he became a cross between Sha na na and Phil Collins.
Stronger, imo, than LITMW, musically. It is more rocking, more varied, from the cynical Ding-dong to the melancholic ballads such as Simply Shady. The brass section delivers from the first track. His hoarseness, for me, isn't a factor as George's voice is always variable. And lyrically, I prefer to listen to him airing his recent dirty washing than the preachiness of the previous album(s).
Great review. Not a fan of this album myself, though i do really like the songs Hari's on tour and dark horse. His voice doesnt bother me too much I just think the song quality isnt here on this album.
I think Tyler and Carr's book is very much a period piece, as are Rolling Stone articles from the time. They may be intetesting, but they are not Holy Writ. I think everything is up for reappraisal, good and bad, and certainly Dark Horse deserves to be rescued from the "look at me" writers of the mid 1970s. People still know George Harrison. How many people can name a Rolling Stone or NME journalist?
I disagree this is one of George's best albums. A great follow-up to living in the material world. The songwriting the playing the production the artwork are all top notch. Number one is all things must pass number two living in the material world this album along with 33 1/3 I would put in third place as his best recorded work.
Overall I really like the "Dark Horse" album. I give it an 8.3 but only due to the obvious strain in George's voice in certain songs, 🎵 especially "Dark Horse". Otherwise I give the album a 9.0.
I wish George fully recovered from laryngitis before he recorded the "Dark Horse" song. Not sure why he did that. Really good instrumentation all throughout the song but the strain in George's voice is a painful listen. The demo is much better as his clear voice is the George we all know.
I must be an Apple Scruff then. I think the average fan doesn't critique albums in the same way that critics do. I for one enjoy a good tune. That's why I detest rap 'music'. (I hate to give it the compliment of calling it music).
I really like the first 3 songs. I would think wow this is going to be great, but then that cover song!? What is it with Harrison and cover songs on albums. I hardly like any of them. Bye Bye Love is about as bad as Really Love You On Gone Troppo. I do think Far East Man is a very good song. And Dark Horse the song is very good but much prefer the other version. 9 songs on an album is not enough songs. I even complain about many of his albums having 10. I like 11 or more. Something McCartney mostly gave us on his albums. I will say though there are enough really good songs for it to deserve more respect. If he could have kept to standard of the 5 best songs throughout then it might have been one of Harrison's better albums.
Sinceramente es un album muy pobre hablando de calidad. Quizás sea uno de los 20 0 30 albumnes mas malo de todos los que he escuchado, ya que ver un disco tan malo en el rock clásico no es fácil.
Great review, I like some of the songs on the album, most notably "Simply Shady"; "So Sad"; "Ding Dong:Ding Dong" and "Dark Horse". I have two copies of this one, on with the light blue color on the label and the other like yours with the more black color. I have "Dark Horse" single with the light blue color label and "Ding Dong:Ding Dong" in black color label on Apple. I read where George was dealing with his cocaine addiction during this period, so it might explain why his voice was shot. Too bad he didn't tour in 1973 it may have turned out better.
This may also have been my first George album, so when I bought it I had not heard any of the reviews. I was listening to it on it sown merit and I liked it. I bought it around 1976.
I've only recently started listening to this album - bad reviews kept me from trying it for the longest time. George's voice is strained but it's quite a good album, and even its flaws somehow work for it. I'm starting to think of it as George's "Tonight's the Night."
I like it too. Ding Dong made number 36 in US. Darkhorse 15. So Ding Dong was released as a single in USA.
Thank you for such an in-depth review . I bought this album when I was in grade 10 , way back in '75 . Now I don't know if it's because it's such a intricate part of my teen-age years , but I always loved this album , and i could never understand the negative reviews . I always enjoyed it's repeated listening's , over Living in the Material World and Extra Texture . It certainly has an edgy feel to it , and I always thought his voice , or lack of it , was a benefit to the style of it's material . To me , I would even go as far to say it has a rock classic album feel to it .
jeff christiansen thanks jeff i agree it's vastly underrated..i came to it a bit later around 79 when i was 15 or so...it has a unique feel to it
Loving all of your reviews. Throughout the 70's as a teenager I would eagerly anticipate the release of every solo Beatle LP including Dark Horse. I also remember reading the Melody Maker and NME reviews and ending up with filthy hands from all the print ink that the publishers used.
Many years later in 2019 I found myself in an amateur Liverpool theatre production acting with a former classmate of Paul and George. He is in that photo.
I'm a fan of all Georges 70 albums. The good thing about them is one can listen to them again and again inclusive Dark Horse & Extra Texture.
Cheers John. Really enjoyed your take on the album. Not George’s best but some interesting and compelling moments. You give a good, fair and insightful take on the album. Thanks.
Enjoyed the review which was very fair. I didn't like the album when I originally purchased it in 1976 but it has grown on me and now I like a lot of it - not crazy about "Bye Bye Love" but love Maya Love and Far East Man.
I liked hearing your opening story about George Martin for starters. You certainly talked about a lot of details regarding this album, and it's packaging information which I glossed over or didn't even know about when I did my video on DARK HORSE. I love "Simply Shady" very much myself -- might be my favorite track. You know, the more I think about this album the more I think I enjoy it better now than I used to.
+MeanMr Mayo I don't expect to see a full reappraisal like we've seen with 'Ram' but it's as honest a record in its way as even JL POB although much more flawed of course.
+John Heaton And thanks for your comment. My meeting with George M was brief...no time to discuss The White Album unfortunately :- )
This was another mediocre album. Ding Dong Ding Dong.....and Dark Horse......nothing after that
It was a Joni Mitchell concert at which Harrison saw L.A. Express perform.
I thoroughly enjoy your album reviews John.
I always get defensive when this record is brought up. This is my other favorite George album. I love the song Far East Man. Just goes to show how subjective music is. I think people let the the history of what surrounds the making of “Dark Horse” over shadow the music itself. The tour and his broken marriage. Forget about that. I’ve loved this album since 1974 and get tired of the slagging it gets. Good, it was more for the rest of us to enjoy without it having been over saturated on the radio. I’ve always had mixed feelings for that book “The Beatles Illustrated”. Those writers seemed to have been bigger Rolling Stones fans and should of not of bothered writing a book about The Fabs. They demonstrated little love in their writings for the subject matter. So why did they bother? For example “I Am The Walrus” gets a bad review? Or comments about John’s penis size on the cover of “Two Virgins”. Ha Ha. Their Stones book acts as if just about everything they did was gold. Just ranting. I enjoy your videos and thanks for taking the time to make them. Just defending Dark Horse as I’m tired of the criticism it gets by people (your review was a rare good one and reasonable}. Also tired of the reviews that a lot of the critics gave the Let It Be album. But that’s another story. I probably have a soft spot for “Dark Horse” as it’s one of the early albums I bought in my youth just as you seem to have a fond memory for “London Town”. Keep up the good work John. I wish I had the energy to make videos like the ones you post on The Beatles.
Oh thank you, John! Just have found your video. Since the album was released, I‘ve been loving it. But I always thought I‘m the only one who does. Everything you told about it in the video I can relate to. It‘s an honest and brave album - with some really wonderful music. My favorite tracks are Dark Horse and - even more - Simply Shady. What a song! Listen to the brass arrangement, it‘s so beautiful and sad at the same time. An album to sit down and listen, really listen. - Just have subscribed your most wonderful channel. - Greetings from Berlin, Harry
Very under rated album - the first Harrison album i bought . Some great moments on it, Simply Shady, So Bad, Dark horse, Far East man. Harison with one R, as in Hari Krishna !
I like the review that said "it's a mess but a fascinating one". Very much how I see/hear it. Yes his voice is ravaged but I think it works well on the title track which is a favourite George song for me. I also think that beneath the doom and gloom some lovely melodies come through,
Another great review, John. BTW, funny you mentioned how the backside could or should have been the cover. I purchased the LP in the US in the late 70's, I believe, which was a Capitol re-release version and it featured that photo on the cover. I didn't even know until a few years later that the "class/lotus" cover was in existance (this was way before the internet as you know). I've always loved this album actually - still do. I listen to it more often than his self-titled album, for instance, which is a bit slick in comparison, great though it is.
Great George Martin story John! And never knew that Olivia was on the label either!
I always assumed the pound symbol on the cover referred to parlophone, isn't it all record company references?
In my opinion, I think Far East Man is one of the best tracks of this record
.well.said
Great version of this song on Ron Woods first solo l.p. featuring George and Ronnie
Bye bye love is awful but he did a gorgeous cover of Let it be me which he recorded in 1983 after seeing the Everleys live. The film of the 74 tour exists but not sure whether it will ever come out
Is that a UK version with the lyric sheet ? Don't think the US version had that. The demo of Dark Horse with Klaus and Ringo is well worth seeking out as well.
It amazes me how prolific the former Beatles as well as other artist were back then. Compared to today's standards The Beatles have given us 20 years worth of music in the 7 they spent making records. You're absolutely right, George was a wonderful lyricist. The Pirate Song springs to mind and in the bootleg liner notes is pictured the lyrics with George's scribbles and changes which are all very clever imho. In '74 a reporter asked him about his private life at a press conference and he told him it's all there in the lyrics if they want to know. He was right, I think.
Yes the lyrics certainly tell the story of this period very honestly. And that's one of the things I love about this album. The dichotomy between the spiritual and the material world there for all to see!
I like the opening instrumental and simply shady and so sad and by by love and the title track and ding 🛎
It maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite george harrison album love the depressing and happy tone of this album don't know why also great review and good beginning
I remember George doing a radio interview and talking about Ding Dong failing to chart and what a rude awakening it was after so many years of success. A sign of changing times and reverence for the Beatles fading.
Hi John. I'm really enjoying your videos defending various critically mauled albums. It's very refreshing to hear an honest yet fair appraisal. I'm looking forward to rediscovering this album via the forthcoming remaster. I have an odd Dutch copy (bought in Amsterdam) which has the back cover from the original release as the front cover, and the original front cover nowhere in sight.
James Griffiths thanks james yes i think that's the mfp reissue circa 1980
Great review John. Strangely, I've always preferred listening to this album compared to 'Living in the material world'. I love the musicianship (particularly the rhythm section) and clean production overall. GAZZA (Melbourne/Australia)
+Gazza P Thanks for your comments as always! An honest if flawed album.
I never even heard the album until a couple of years ago, when I listened to it on RUclips (on George's channel). I was surprised at how good a lot of it is, so that I ended up buying a new copy of it on CD. His voice is better on the demo of the "Dark Horse" song (recorded a few months earlier). I think your commentary is good, and I generally agree with you, though I do like "Far East Man."
dark horse , is my very fave george , lp, [and a fave since , i got in 1974, , i think georges [horse voice suits the songs ], /love the cover, espcialy back cover of george on bench [i got the lp, when i worked at emi, [i was responsible for the beatles[solo ] catalouge , /ive always love the album [i never take what the critics think, i listen myself ]
Another Album I didn't own as a teenager, but I did have the 'Dark Horse' 45 rpm single. When I was in my 30's someone played 'Far East Man' for me, and I was blown away, asking where did this come from. And I either tracked a used LP of it down or might have just got it on CD. I know you sort of panned 'Far East Man' in the review but this is a favorite song of mine and has it's following in the US and Japan, search RUclips for Far East Man and will find at least 100 video's of bands from Japan note for note remakes of it. This track could almost be something off Extra Texture. And I kind of like this album, even if it is sort of a mess. I always liked the 'Dark Horse' single and love the fact that a acoustic version was included on the remaster which was recorded before his voice went horse. This is one of the albums where I really like half the songs a lot, and the other half not so much. Nice review of a tough album to get a handle on, plus you gave a lot of nice background notes. And here is one more tidbit of information: George was puzzled at the time that 'Ding Dong' wasn't a bigger hit, he thought it would replace 'AULD LANG SYNE' as the song everyone played on New Year's Eve. 'Ring out the old, ring in the new'.
Thanks Ron. I do quite like the feel of 'Far East Man'. Sorry if I seem to pan it. Did you check out Ron Wood's version on his 'I've Got My Own Album To Do' LP from the same year. Interesting they wrote a song together considering all the wive swapping going on around this time. I like 'Ding Dong Ding Dong' and I would personally play it on New Year's Eve although I can maybe understand why it didn't catch on with the general public.
Yes, I've heard Ron Wood's version of 'Far East Man' and i like it also. I think it came out first and I think George play's on the track.
You hit home with the comment on studying the packaging for hours. I've been doing that with albums since I was 8 or 9 years old.
I've never really heard this, just "Ding Dong" and the title track, like the latter can take or leave the former.
I bought every solo album up to 1980 with exception of this, "Rock 'n' Roll," "Red Rose" and "Beaucoups of Blues."
Of that bunch the only one I've bought since is "Red Rose," which I don't much like to be honest.
This was always supposed to be George's worst, according to critics and all at least, so I never bothered. Was always on my list just never got around to it. Still hope to one of these days.
+Matthew Smith Thanks for your comments Mathew. Give this album a chance as it's very honest. And whilst it may never compare to the Ramones, it is an interesting album where he bears' soul (ala JL POB) to mixed effect. The hoarse vocal actlually helps on some tracks.
+John Heaton It's always at my record store. One of these days I'll pick it up.
I'm a big fan of George the stuff I've heard at any rate. Well, "Extra Texture" isn't that great. Never got around to "Gone Troppo" or "Somewhere in England" either.
+Matthew Smith Yeah well I'd pick up DH first before any others you haven't got, in my opinion.
Beaucoups Of Blues will bring you much joy 👍🏻
I've always liked George's version of "Bye Bye Love". Compared to Simon and Garfunkel's version it's blistering, and the lyrics are a bit too candid for my personal tastes, but I think the raw sound is great.
No way....Far East Man is fantastic!
Agree! Good song. Better than Ding Dong, Ding Dong, for sure.
Isn’t Ding Dong a New Year’s song, not a Christmas song?
Terrific review John. For years - decades actually, I found very little value in this album at all, until fairly recently when I found a copy in which someone had mimeographed the lyrics to the songs on it. I could be wrong, but I don't think that US copies ever had them printed. Previously I never could understand what George was singing on this record, and having the lyrics threw new light on the songs for me. Still, I can't say that "Dark Horse" is a great album, but I'm glad to have it - and the packaging, as you noted, is very nice.
+Thomas Calden Thanks Thomas. I seem to have fallen into the habit of defending the much derided solo records, which I am happy to do! I actually found the wikipedia material on this album very detailed and informative. If I was Scorcese I would have featured much more material from this his only major solo tour. I read that Weeks, Newmark and Preston all said it was a great experience.
Ok wow I love the story !!!. And the autograph this lp I feel of George was lost ?? . I did learn about this lp that I did not know . Ok so how did you do with your poem grade ? Thanks.
Beatle Brad I think the teacher gave me a B but may have been suspicious:- )
Sorry you know almost NIL concerning Krishna Consciousness and or ISKCON. TONS of errors firstly there is NO religion called "Hare Krsna". Hari is a name of Krsna. More research on the spiritual side, please. I LOVE George's Krsna philosophy!
Living in the material world should have come out earlier in 72 but was delayed as the Bangladesh film and album took up so much time and by 73 glam rock was all the rage and George’s spiritualism was a bit out dated
I often wonder how I would feel about this album if Georges voices wasn't so bad on it. I can imagine liking a few of the songs a lot more than I do.
Nice Review! Ggeorge himself said about the album that it was "a Peyton Place". I think he Needed to get this out of his system. i enjoy the loose guitar playing on this LP. Cheers!
I loved it!
Obrigada!!🇧🇷
Well not only critics back in the day hated this album, various recent websites crap all over this album. I think his 3 albums after ATMP are good, it was still the same George, had some edge, after that he adopted a soft rock, adult contemporary style I can't stand really, not my thing. This album in particular is grungy and fun and has some beatlesque melodies. After this he became a cross between Sha na na and Phil Collins.
I really like George Harrison's version of "Bye Bye Love" ❤️
Stronger, imo, than LITMW, musically. It is more rocking, more varied, from the cynical Ding-dong to the melancholic ballads such as Simply Shady. The brass section delivers from the first track. His hoarseness, for me, isn't a factor as George's voice is always variable. And lyrically, I prefer to listen to him airing his recent dirty washing than the preachiness of the previous album(s).
I bet you like it. What a brragart. Is there any thing/one you don't know? And don't mind letting us less unfortunate know bout it.
Great review. Not a fan of this album myself, though i do really like the songs Hari's on tour and dark horse. His voice doesnt bother me too much I just think the song quality isnt here on this album.
+Ross Goodall Thanks for watching. Hoarses for courses :- )
I think Tyler and Carr's book is very much a period piece, as are Rolling Stone articles from the time. They may be intetesting, but they are not Holy Writ. I think everything is up for reappraisal, good and bad, and certainly Dark Horse deserves to be rescued from the "look at me" writers of the mid 1970s. People still know George Harrison. How many people can name a Rolling Stone or NME journalist?
Great review.
+DarkHorse17 Thanks and thanks for watching.
I disagree this is one of George's best albums. A great follow-up to living in the material world. The songwriting the playing the production the artwork are all top notch. Number one is all things must pass number two living in the material world this album along with 33 1/3 I would put in third place as his best recorded work.
This album definitely has highs and lows, but "Bye Bye Love" was really embarrassingly bad, and still is.
Overall I really like the "Dark Horse" album. I give it an 8.3 but only due to the obvious strain in George's voice in certain songs, 🎵 especially "Dark Horse". Otherwise I give the album a 9.0.
I think Dark Horse is a fine album and gets dissed unfairly. Better than Extra Texture. But there are better George albums, for sure.
I wish George fully recovered from laryngitis before he recorded the "Dark Horse" song. Not sure why he did that. Really good instrumentation all throughout the song but the strain in George's voice is a painful listen. The demo is much better as his clear voice is the George we all know.
I must be an Apple Scruff then. I think the average fan doesn't critique albums in the same way that critics do. I for one enjoy a good tune. That's why I detest rap 'music'. (I hate to give it the compliment of calling it music).
I really like the first 3 songs. I would think wow this is going to be great, but then that cover song!? What is it with Harrison and cover songs on albums. I hardly like any of them. Bye Bye Love is about as bad as Really Love You On Gone Troppo.
I do think Far East Man is a very good song. And Dark Horse the song is very good but much prefer the other version.
9 songs on an album is not enough songs. I even complain about many of his albums having 10. I like 11 or more. Something McCartney mostly gave us on his albums.
I will say though there are enough really good songs for it to deserve more respect. If he could have kept to standard of the 5 best songs throughout then it might have been one of Harrison's better albums.
Hopefully, in this time of COVID, Macca's 'Wonderful Christmastime' will be played a whole lot less than usual...
Not unfair. It was shit.
Sinceramente es un album muy pobre hablando de calidad. Quizás sea uno de los 20 0 30 albumnes mas malo de todos los que he escuchado, ya que ver un disco tan malo en el rock clásico no es fácil.
george is crap on his own cant listen to none of it except for my sweet lord and a few on cloud 9
Great review, I like some of the songs on the album, most notably "Simply Shady"; "So Sad"; "Ding Dong:Ding Dong" and "Dark Horse". I have two copies of this one, on with the light blue color on the label and the other like yours with the more black color. I have "Dark Horse" single with the light blue color label and "Ding Dong:Ding Dong" in black color label on Apple. I read where George was dealing with his cocaine addiction during this period, so it might explain why his voice was shot. Too bad he didn't tour in 1973 it may have turned out better.
+beatleman69 Thanks for your comments. Yes I think George had just overdone things in 74 and the drugs certainly didn't help.
I forgot to mention the photo on the back of the album cover was used when Capitol reissued this album on a cassette tape.