Living in the Material World

George Harrison | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 28, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Emd/Capitol
• ASIN: B000008GEF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,572 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)

2. Sue Me, Sue You Blues

3. The Light That Has Lighted The World

4. Don't Let Me Wait Too Long

5. Who Can See It

6. Living In The Material World

7. The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)

8. Be Here Now

9. Try Some Buy Some

10. The Day The World Gets 'Round

11. That Is All

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

To say that George Harrison's post-Beatles career peaked early is an understatement. Long frustrated by the dominance of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting juggernaut, Harrison's pent-up creative juices (and a wealth of unrecorded songs penned during the Fabs' final years) infused his 1970 epic multidisc All Things Must Pass with a grandeur that rivaled his former band's best. Three years passed before this distinctly more humble studio follow-up was released (with 1971's live Concert for Bangladesh sandwiched in between) to tepid reviews and some fan grumbling. But as Harrison hinted in his 2000 notes to the reissued All Things (which curiously complained about Phil Spector's typically bigger-than-life production), Material World may well represent Harrison's artistic vision in its purest form: an often perplexingly ironic stew of spiritualism ("Living in the Material World," the more accessible single "Give Me Love," and others) and misanthropy (especially regarding his ex-band and their lawyers on the "Sue Me, Sue You Blues"). Despite the presence of many of All Things' core session men (Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, Kalus Voorman), Harrison's self-production is low-key funky and more organic than its predecessor, even as he tellingly tends to shortchange his own voice in the bargain. Rife with subtle country and folk touches, there are some warm surprises here (the quietly introspective "Be Here Now," the pop smarts of "Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" and "The Lord Loves the One," with "Try Some, Buy Some" briefly revisiting Phil Spector and his wall of sound), even if it's an album that largely suffers from the curse of expectations. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Remastered reissue of George Harrison's "Living In The Material World" album, originally released in 1973. Contains the #1 Pop single "Give Me Love."

Limited Edition CD+DVD comes in a digipack with a 40 page booklet. Deluxe booklet includes lyrics (some handwritten) and many additional photographs from the original session.

DVD Content: 4 videos and all visual content is previously unreleased. Features a new video for the ‘Living in the Material World’ track with footage of the original UK/US LP pressing. ‘Give Me Love’ performed live in Japan during the 1991 tour (in 5.1 surround sound and stereo). Along with unreleased versions of the songs Miss O'Dell and Sue Me, Sue You Blues. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars greatly needed update, keep 'em coming, October 1, 2006

By 

Albert G. Smith Jr. (Daytona Beach, Fl USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Living in the Material World (CD+DVD) (Audio CD)

I pre-ordered this set, knowing that I was going to buy it regardless of the reviews that had not yet been posted. I got it locked in at $23.99, which was subsequently changed to $29.88 as of the day of this review. So there may be a lesson about the value of the pre-order, especially if you just know that you will indeed make the purchase.

Being a big George Harrison fan, and now knowing that all we can look forward to are the things that already exist, I was happy to see the expansion of his catalog in the modern age of sound engineering as well as the visual arena with this set.

The DVD made me go this route rather than the CD only, and at about nine or ten dollars for the less than 15 minute disc, I am not sure about the monetary value. I guess in the years to come, I will be happy that I spent up to the expanded set. This DVD does one thing for my expectations for the future. Both the previously issued "Dark Horse" DVD and this one have nicely rendered 5.1 videos from the 1991 Japan concerts, which must mean that there are videos from all of the songs on that double CD. I hope that we can see those songs on a concert DVD in the future. The DVD was a bit of a shock for me, because for years of listening to the CDs from that tour of Japan, I had assumed that the terrific slide work on "Give me love" was from George himself. It was surprising to watch both Harrison and Clapton strumming acoustics, while Andy Fairweather-Low replicated the slide sound in the Harrison style. Still, it was nice to see George playing in front of a crowd. The rest of the songs on the DVD were basically audio soundtracks with a montage of stills and non-related video that support the songs. The alternate take on "Sue me, sue you blues" was really stripped down and raw. It would have been nice to have that on the CD too.

The actual album is as nicely rendered as it has ever been. George's voice is strong and clear, while the band's musical playing comes through exactly where it needs to. The elements of the sounds are very nicely in balanced. The quality of the songs is a historical data point in George's post-Beatles career. He had a really strong album to be measured against with for this sophomore studio recording. My opinion is that he had such a deep catalog waiting to be put on "All things must pass", that he may have set the bar too high for any future endeavors. This is a very good album, but for me "All things must pass" was a better one, especially on first listen. I have played this new rendering of "Living in the material world" about 5 times now, and I am just beginning to get to the point of being able to "know" the songs. Still, this is a must have for anyone wishing to fill out their Harrison collection in a more modern media (my first LITMW was on 8 track!).

FWIW, my enjoyment of this album and indeed all of my George Harrison albums, including the Wilbury's, has been greatly enhanced by my purchase of the book, "While my guitar gently weeps, the music of George Harrison" (available on Amazon). It chronologically breaks down every era of George's music and offers nice details about the recording sessions for all of his work. For this album for example, there are 15 pages devoted to the band he used, who played on which songs and even a review of how the record was received by the fans and critics. For true fans of George's music, this book will make all of your albums more fun to listen to, and will open your eyes to parts of his thinking that you may not have known about.

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Harrison's second #1 album in remastered sound with nice extras, October 4, 2006

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Living in the Material World (CD+DVD) (Audio CD)

First the important question does this remaster/reissue improve on the previous version released nearly a decade ago? Yes. The sound is fuller with slightly better detail. It is remastered a bit louder as well but the most important improvement is the inclusion of the B-sides "Deep Blue" and "Miss O'Dell" The former song was the B-side to "Bangela Desh" written about George's loss of his father and the latter is a lark with a Dylanesque quality to the music. The lyrics go from serious to humourous with George cracking up during the chorus.

As to the DVD well it's nice to have the two bonus tracks (with "Give Me Love" in 5.1) as well as the video footage. I suspect that many fans will not watch the videos more than once (although the live footage was nice). I'd like to see the full live show for "Live in Japan" get a DVD release separate from the re-releases/remasters of his back catalog. I don't feel that the CD/DVD set is essential but fans who pay for it will enjoy the second disc I was just hoping for more live footage/outtakes/demos or even the other mix of the album.


I'm a bit disappointed that George's rehearsal for "It Don't Come Easy" with George on lead vocals (he co-wrote the song with Ringo even though he wasn't credited as such until recently)isn't included as he provides a spirited version of the song (this has also been available on bootlegs for years. My suspicion is that if it is eventually released it will find its way onto "Dark Horse" although it really belongs here).Finally it's a pity that the single version of "Bangela Desh" wasn't included as well.

The booklet included has some nice rare photos from the inside cover shoot which feature George along with musicians that appeared on the album. We also get a brief essay discussing the recording of the album and the secular world's reaction to one that focuses so much on spiritual issues. Although it isn't George's finest album ("All Things Must Pass", "Cloud 9" and "Brain Washed" are my favorites ahead of this one)it has two songs that rank high up there in the Beatles/Harrison canon; "Give Me Love" and the bluesy "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" a witty take on The Beatles legal square dance.

All things being equal in the material world, I'd suggest going for the CD version vs. the 2 disc set unless you absolutely MUST have the two additional tracks on the second disc and the videos. Are they worth it for hardcore Harrison/Beatles fans? Sure but you could get by just as easily with the CD edition and I don't know that the price for the second set is justified given how thin the pickings are on the second disc.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Madonna must have heard this record, March 16, 2000

By 

Eric D. Putnam "erocky" (The USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Living in the Material World (Audio CD)

Living in the Material World is the third album in a row that George Harrison released after the breakup of the Beatles that was very successful. All Things Must Pass (1970) was number one on the album charts for two months. The Concert For the Bangla Desh (1971) won the Grammy for album of the year. Living In the Material World followed suit by hitting number one when it was released in May of 1973. This album is currently out of print in the United States and that is a pity, because for the Exception of All Things Must Pass and Cloud Nine, this is the best George Harrison record to buy. This is also the last album that Harrison really seems to go all out on until Cloud Nine which didn't come out until 14 years after this one did. The songwriting on Living In the Material World is mostly good with only a couple of throwaway tracks. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) was the single the album's hit single and was number one for four weeks when it was released in 1973. But some other songs also deserve special mention. The song Living in the Material World is one of the very best that Harrison has written. The song also has a very good sitar section that fans of the Beatle days will enjoy. Sue Me, Sue You Blues is a bluesy acoustic rocker that finds Harrison in fine vocal and guitar form.

There have been many that have said that this record is too preachy in regards to Harrison's religious beliefs. There is something to this critism to be sure but Living in the Material world is not a first listen record. Living in the Material World is a record that grows on the listener after many listens. Living in the Material World is also at times a very dark and very personal record for those who are fans of the Beatles music only. There problably hasn't been a more personal statement released by any of the Beatles since their breakup for the exception of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. Whatever it's flaws, Living In the Material World remains a rewarding listen more than 25 years after it was first released.

Note: this album needs remastered in the worst way because it sounds flat on CD. It might have gotten five stars by this reviewer if someone cared enough about Mr. Harrison's music to remaster as well as reissue it in the United States.