The Crate
George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison’s self-titled 1979 album is Harrison’s eighth solo studio record and a bright, melodic pivot in his Dark Horse era. It features the hit “Blow Away” and revisits the spirit of his best late-60s work with a polished Los Angeles–Oxfordshire blend and a cameo by several celebrated collaborators.
Recording History
- Recording took place primarily at FPSHOT in Oxfordshire and AIR Studios in London, with sessions running April–October 1978. Producers were George Harrison and Russ Titelman.
- Core players included Steve Winwood, Neil Larsen, Willie Weeks and Andy Newmark; guests included Eric Clapton and Gary Wright.
- Notable techniques: the track Soft-Hearted Hana features pub ambience and varispeed effects, culminating in dramatic pitch shifts; Faster uses Formula 1 sounds for mood. Notably, some material was begun at Amigos Studios in Los Angeles before completing at FPSHOT.
- The album’s lead single, Blow Away, was accompanied by a music video, further promoting the record.
- Engineering credits on some releases include Lee Herschberg, Phil McDonald, and Kumar Shankar.
Chart Performance & Recognition
- In the United States, the album peaked at 14 on Billboard’s Top LPs & Tapes chart; in the United Kingdom it reached 39. Canada’s RPM and several European charts also recognized the release.
- The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States.
- The lead single Blow Away reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, with modest performance in the UK. It also had a contemporary music video release.
- Critics welcomed the album at release, and it is often cited as among Harrison’s stronger post-Beatles works.
Cultural Impact & Legacy
- Today, George Harrison is frequently praised for its brightness and warmth, with the 2004 remasterkeeping it in circulation; Billboard’s 2019 retrospective called it Harrison’s “most peaceful album.”
- The record is viewed as a mature, less aggressive stylistic shift that influenced Harrison’s later, more understated solo projects. Listeverse (2022) and contemporary retrospectives continue to highlight its melodic craft and accessible arrangements.
- Trivia: the album’s blend of American and British session chemistry, plus Winwood’s and Clapton’s appearances, underscored Harrison’s evolving collaborative approach during this period.
Complete.