Living in the Material World

George Harrison

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 28, 1992)
• Original Release Date: May 30, 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Emd/Capitol
• ASIN: B000008GEF
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,683 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

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

2. Sue Me, Sue You Blues

3. Light That Had Lighted the World

4. Don't Let Me Wait Too Long

5. Who Can See It

6. Living in the Material World

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

8. Be Here Now

9. Try Some Buy Some

10. 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

#1 album originally released in 1973 that contains the #1 Pop single "Give Me Love". Now remastered and repackaged with two bonus tracks. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a worthy sequel to All things Must Pass, November 5, 1999

By A Customer

I was never able to find it in vinyl back in the days before CD, but then I lived in Puerto Rico at the time...however I found this American pressing of the CD, and fell in love with this album...it is not as long as All Things Must Pass...and it is much better than anything put out by McCartney at the time...sure there are preachy overtones to the songs, but the music is much better than many "inspirational" albums by mediocre Christian artists .."Give Me love" was a hit..."sue Me Sue You Blues" gives insight to the Beatle court complications...."Don't Let Me Wait Too Long" is catchy...the title track is mystical and the trademark sitar is in the background....."try Some , buy Some" is an overlooked gem......"Be Here Now"...is another beautiful song....the album is really exquisite, and does age well.....if George ever releases his own anthology it'll be interesting to hear outtakes and alternate versions of these wonderful songs....

27 of 30 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 (REAL NAME)

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.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We got Richie on a tour..., October 3, 2006

By	Ed Kaz "Ed Kaz" (Shell Pile, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living in the Material World (Audio CD)

George Harrison may sound a tad "preachy" on this, his second album, but the sneaky humor is still very much intact. For example, in the title track of 1973's Living in the Material World he delivers a brief history of his previous band:

Met them all here in the material world
John and Paul here in the material world
Though we started out quite poor
we got Richie on a tour...
[Ringo drum fill]

Ya gotta love it.

OK, so this record is no All Things Must Pass, but then again, nothing could be. It certainly has its moments of glory though (Give Me Love, (Give Me Peace on Earth), and Don't Let Me Wait Too Long). There would be much mediocrity in his future (Extra Texture or Gone Troppo anyone?), followed by triumphant mature comebacks (Cloud Nine! Traveling Wilburys! Brainwashed!). So, in retrospect, this is a strong and satisfying collection of songs.

When this album was first released, I was all of sixteen and working as a dishwasher on the New Jersey Turnpike. As I scrubbed egg off plates, this album (in particular the song Don't Let Me Wait Too Long), used to dance through my head, making my miserable first job infinitely more bearable.

Living in the Material World covers an interesting period of a young pop-star learning about his life and his precarious place in the mad mad world of show business. Eventually, he found his way.

Minor grumble: I'm thrilled to have B-sides Miss O'Dell and Deep Blue attached to this release, but where the heck is the studio version of Bangladesh, the latter's A-side?

Huh?
Dhani?
Olivia?

Anyone?