40 Year Itch: Every Time I See Your Face

On September 24, 1973 Ringo Starr released the future #1 single "Photograph" which he wrote with George Harrison, setting high expectations for the Ringo album that would follow six weeks later. After all, the word was out that all the Beatles played on the album...if not at the same time. The single debuted on the charts at #74 and needed just seven weeks to go Number One. 

The bittersweet lyrics ( Every time I see your face /It reminds me of the places we used to go /But all I've got is a photograph /And I realize you're not coming back anymore) had deeper meaning for Ringo and fans when he performed "Photograph" at the Concert for George in 2002.

"What a night. I loved George and George loved me," he told the crowd. 

40 Year Itch: Top 20 Albums August 4, 1973

1. Chicago VI

2. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon

3. Carpenters Now And Then

4. George Harrison Living in the Material World

5. Seals and Crofts : Diamond Girl

6. Carole King Fantasy

7. Paul Simon There Goes Rhymin Simon

8 Deep Purple Machine Head

9 Sly and the Family Stone Fresh

10 Leon Russell Leon Live

11 Deep Purple Made In Japan

12 Jethro Tull A Passion Play

13 Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy

14 Al Green Call Me

15 Carlos Santana and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin Love Devotion and Surrender

16 Curtis Mayfield Back to the World

17 John Denver Farewell Andromeda

18 Doobie Brothers The Captain and Me

19 Paul McCartney and Wings Red Rose Speedway

20 Diana Ross Touch Me in the Morning

Top 3 Single Debuts

1. Paul Simon "Loves Me Like a Rock" (US#2)

2. Elton John "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" (US#7)

3. Cher "Half Breed" (US#1) 

40 Year Itch : Use My Body Like A Car

[Purchase]

It's easy to see why so many fans consider Living in the Material World George Harrison's most spiritual album. The album cover is a Kirlian photograph of Harrison's hand holding a Hindu medallion in his palm.
And then there are the songs.
   There's the future #1 single "Give Me Love ( Give Me Peace on Earth)" which Harrison called "a prayer and a personal statement between him, the Lord and whoever likes it". Just as Harrison had slipped some of the Hare Krishna mantra into "My Sweet Lord", he managed to incorporate the sacred word OM into the single. (It comes just before he says "My Lord").
   There are other songs of devotion: "The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord)", "The Light That Has Lighted the World" and the title cut most obviously.





Perhaps turning 30 was a big deal for the youngest Beatle. He would have known it was at that age that the Buddha left his palace to seek the truth and Jesus started his public ministry.

The album isn't all spiritual. "Sue Me Sue You Blues", written in 1971,  is one of the most caustic statements about the Beatles break up.


Well, you serve me and I'll serve you
 Swing your partners, all get screwed
 Bring your lawyer and I'll bring mine
Get together, and we could have a bad time.



   After All Things Must Pass, Harrison's career was considered the most promising of all the former Beatles. But after waiting two and a half years, critics couldn't muster up a lot of enthusiasm for Living in the Material World. While Rolling Stone hailed it as a pop classic others tired of the album's "preachy overtones". "So damn holy, I could scream" said the NME reviewer. The album still managed to top the US charts and peaked at a respectable #2 in the UK.

  40 years later, it sounds a bit monotonous to these ears. Harrison sounds whiny at times and so does his slide guitar. But there are some very nice moments as well: the single, "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" and the beautiful "That is All.". Still, I'd rank it among his best,  after All Things Must Pass and the overlooked 1979 lp George Harrison.