Early Takes: Volume 1
George Harrison · 2012
30 min · 10 tracks · folk rock
Intimate demos reveal George Harrison's songwriting process, blending folk influences with his signature spirituality and melodic sensibility.
Top tracks — play these first
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My Sweet Lord (demo) Start here — This demo captures the spiritual essence of one of Harrison's most celebrated songs, highlighting its melodic beauty before it became a chart-topping hit.
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All Things Must Pass (demo) — As a foundational piece in Harrison's catalog, this early take showcases the song's contemplative themes, reflecting the transition from band member to solo artist.
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I'd Have You Any Time (early take) — Co-written with Bob Dylan, this track demonstrates the collaborative spirit of Harrison's early work while hinting at the lyrical depth he would explore in his later albums.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album offers an intimate look at Harrison's songwriting but lacks the polish of fully realized studio works.
What we noticed
- Each track maintains a consistent acoustic instrumentation, primarily featuring guitar and vocals, which emphasizes the intimacy of the recordings.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- intimate moments of creative exploration
- steady pacing for focused listening
- raw and heartfelt emotional resonance
- short tracks for quick engagement
Maybe skip if you
- prefer polished studio productions
- seek high-energy anthemic tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Deep Cut — A collection of early demos that provides insight but is not a primary entry point.
- Themes
- spiritual longing· personal reflection· creative genesis
- Career context
- Released in 2012, Early Takes: Volume 1 marks George Harrison's posthumous exploration of his early, unreleased work. This compilation arrives over a decade after his passing in 2001, offering fans an intimate glimpse into the formative stages of songs that would later become classics during his solo career, particularly around the time of All Things Must Pass.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Jeff Lynne· David Crosby· Nick Drake
Tracklist
- 1 My Sweet Lord (demo) Start here 3:33
- 2 Run of the Mill (demo) 1:56
- 3 I’d Have You Any Time (early take) 3:06
- 4 Mama You’ve Been on My Mind (demo) 3:04
- 5 Let It Be Me (demo) 2:56
- 6 Woman Don’t You Cry for Me (early take) 2:44
- 7 Awaiting on You All (early take) 2:40
- 8 Behind That Locked Door (demo) 3:29
- 9 All Things Must Pass (demo) 4:38
- 10 The Light That Has Lighted the World (demo) 2:23
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Shares intimate songwriting and reflective themes, with a raw, stripped-back acoustic sound.
Either/Or
Elliott Smith
Captures personal introspection and emotional vulnerability through lo-fi production and melodic simplicity.
Songs of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Explores spiritual longing and personal reflection with a similar poetic depth and sparse instrumentation.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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