George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ to Get Deluxe Boxed-Set Treatment — Complete With Gnomes

While some fans may point to John Lennon’s “Imagine” or Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run,” a larger number may well agree that the greatest Beatles solo album is George Harrison’s sprawling 1970 triple-set “All Things Must Pass.”

Along with such classic Harrisongs as “My Sweet Lord,” “What Is Life,” “Beware of Darkness,” the title track and more, the album boasts a murderer’s row of the era’s rock royalty — Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Dave Mason, Peter Frampton, Gary Wright, Bobby Keyes, members of Badfinger and Derek & the Dominos, along with two songwriting contributions from Bob Dylan (eerily, there were also two future convicted murderers: co-producer Phil Spector and drummer Jim Gordon). Whether the songs are anthems or laments or ballads, they’re all gigantic, and it’s a tour de force of Harrison’s writing: Recorded just weeks after the Beatles split, it consists almost entirely of songs that had been passed over for inclusion on the Fab Four’s albums in the preceding five years. “I had so many songs and I had so much energy.” Harrison said. “For me to do my own album after all that – it was joyous. Dream of dreams.” Apart from a remixed version that Harrison himself oversaw shortly before his death in 2001, the album was also one of the few in the Beatles canon not to receive the deluxe-boxed-set treatment.

But that will certainly change on Aug. 6, when Capitol/UMe presents the “All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary Edition” in a variety of formats, the most “Are you crazy?” of which is the limited “Uber Deluxe Edition”: a toybox-sized wooden crate that includes the album and dozens of demos and outtakes spread across piles of vinyl, discs (in 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos and Blu-Ray), books and other ephemera, and — perhaps best of all — the miniature facsimiles of the garden gnomes depicted on the cover, which were immortalized in a recent PvNew article… all for just $998.98!

Other, less-bonkers editions (including much more reasonably priced standard vinyl and CD sets) are available as well — full details below; prices here.

Included in the set are Harrison’s demos for the album, 26 of them never before officially released, and several songs that didn’t make the cut: “Cosmic Empire,” “Going Down to Golders Green,” “Dehra Dun,” “Sour Milk Sea,” and “Mother Divine.” The album is previewed with a previously unreleased take of the album’s track “Run of the Mill.”

This version of “All Things Must Pass” was remixed from the original tapes; executive produced by Harrison’s son Dhani, product produced by David Zonshine and mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Paul Hicks.

“Since the 50th anniversary stereo mix release of the title track to my father’s legendary All Things Must Pass album in 2020, my dear pal Paul Hicks and I have continued to dig through mountains of tapes to restore and present the rest of this newly remixed and expanded edition of the album you now see and hear before you,” says Dhani Harrison. “Bringing greater sonic clarity to this record was always one of my father’s wishes and it was something we were working on together right up until he passed in 2001. Now, 20 years later, with the help of new technology and the extensive work of Paul Hicks we have realized this wish and present to you this very special 50th Anniversary release of perhaps his greatest work of art. Every wish will be fulfilled.”

UBER DELUXE EDITION

Exclusive to GeorgeHarrison, uDiscover, and Sound of Vinyl, All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary Edition will be available as a very limited Uber Deluxe Edition box set, which includes the album on 8LP (180g) and 5CD + 1 Blu-ray audio disc housed in an artisan designed wooden crate (approx. 12.4” X 12.4” X 17.5”). The collection explores the 1970 album sessions through 47 (42 previously unreleased) demos and outtakes, offering an inside look into the creative process. The Blu-ray allows fans to experience the main album in high-res stereo, enveloping 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes.

The crate contains two books,an elaborate and expanded 96-page scrapbook curated by Olivia Harrison, with unseen imagery and memorabilia from the era, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, studio notes, tape box images, a comprehensive track-by-track and more; while a second 44-page book chronicling the making of All Things Must Pass through extensive archival interviews with notes is also contained herein. The elegantly designed book pays homage to Harrison’s love of gardening and nature. The book also contains a wooden bookmark made from a felled Oak tree (Quercus Robur) in George’s Friar Park. This truly unique box will also contain 1/6 scale replica figurines of Harrison and the gnomes featured on the iconic album cover, a limited edition illustration by musician and artist Klaus Voormann, as well as a copy of Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Light from the Great Ones” and Rudraksha beads, contained in individual custom-made boxes.

SUPER DELUXE EDITION

The Super Deluxe Edition box set, presented on 8LP (180g) or 5CD + 1 Blu-ray audio disc, explores the 1970 album sessions through 47 (42 previously unreleased) demos and outtakes. The Blu-ray allows fans to experience the main album in high-res stereo, enveloping 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes. The collection contains a beautiful 60-page scrapbook curated by Olivia Harrison, with unseen imagery and memorabilia from the era, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, studio notes, tape box images, a comprehensive track-by-track and more. It also includes a replica of the original album poster.

All Things Must Pass will be released in multiple physical and digital configurations, including as a 5LP or 3CD Deluxe Edition that pairs the main album with the sessions outtakes and jams. The main album will be available on its own as 2CD, 3LP or limited edition 3LP color vinyl. All versions are available for pre-order now.

ALL THINGS MUST PASS
SUPER DELUXE EDITION

TRACKLISTING

(5CD/BR)

Disc One (Main Album)

• I’d Have You Anytime
• My Sweet Lord
• Wah-Wah
• Isn’t It A Pity (Version One)
• What Is Life
• If Not For You
• Behind That Locked Door
• Let It Down
• Run Of The Mill

Disc Two (Main Album Cont.)

• Beware Of Darkness
• Apple Scruffs
• Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
• Awaiting On You All
• All Things Must Pass
• I Dig Love
• Art Of Dying
• Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two)
• Hear Me Lord

10. Out Of The Blue *
11. It’s Johnny’s Birthday *
12. Plug Me In *
13. I Remember Jeep *
14. Thanks For The Pepperoni *

* Newly Remastered/Original Mix

Disc Three (Day 1 Demos – Tuesday 26 May 1970)

• All Things Must Pass (Take 1) †
• Behind That Locked Door (Take 2)
• I Live For You (Take 1)
• Apple Scruffs (Take 1)
• What Is Life (Take 3)
• Awaiting On You All (Take 1) †
• Isn’t It A Pity (Take 2)
• I’d Have You Anytime (Take 1)
• I Dig Love (Take 1)

10. Going Down To Golders Green (Take 1)
11. Dehra Dun (Take 2)
12. Om Hare Om (Gopala Krishna) (Take 1)
13. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (Take 2)
14. My Sweet Lord (Take 1) †
15. Sour Milk Sea (Take 1)

Disc Four (Day 2 Demos – Wednesday 27 May 1970)

• Run Of The Mill (Take 1) †
• Art Of Dying (Take 1)
• Everybody/Nobody (Take 1)
• Wah-Wah (Take 1)
• Window Window (Take 1)
• Beautiful Girl (Take 1)
• Beware Of Darkness (Take 1)
• Let It Down (Take 1)
• Tell Me What Has Happened To You (Take 1)

10. Hear Me Lord (Take 1)
11. Nowhere To Go (Take 1)
12. Cosmic Empire (Take 1)
13. Mother Divine (Take 1)
14. I Don’t Want To Do It (Take 1)
15. If Not For You (Take 1)

† Previously Released

Disc Five (Session Outtakes and Jams)

• Isn’t It A Pity (Take 14)
• Wah-Wah (Take 1)
• I’d Have You Anytime (Take 5)
• Art Of Dying (Take 1)
• Isn’t It A Pity (Take 27)
• If Not For You (Take 2)
• Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine) (Take 1)
• What Is Life (Take 1)
• Beware Of Darkness (Take 8)

10. Hear Me Lord (Take 5)
11. Let It Down (Take 1)
12. Run Of The Mill (Take 36)
13. Down To the River (Rocking Chair Jam) (Take 1)
14. Get Back (Take 1)
15. Almost 12 Bar Honky Tonk (Take 1)
16. It’s Johnny’s Birthday (Take 1)
17. Woman Don’t You Cry For Me (Take 5)

Blu-ray Audio Disc (Main Album Only; Surround, Atmos, Hi-Res)

• I’d Have You Anytime
• My Sweet Lord
• Wah-Wah
• Isn’t It A Pity (Version One)
• What Is Life
• If Not For You
• Behind That Locked Door
• Let It Down
• Run Of The Mill

10. Beware Of Darkness
11. Apple Scruffs
12. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
13. Awaiting On You All
14. All Things Must Pass
15. I Dig Love
16. Art Of Dying
17. Isn’t It A Pity (Version Two)
18. Hear Me Lord
19. Out Of The Blue
20. It’s Johnny’s Birthday
21. Plug Me In
22. I Remember Jeep
23. Thanks For The Pepperoni

For more information and other configurations go to GeorgeHarrison