All Those Years Ago
George Harrison originally wrote the song with different lyrics for Ringo Starr to record. The session took place before John Lennon's death in December 1980. Starr felt the vocal was too high for his range and disliked the lyrics. Harrison took the track back and changed the words after Lennon was murdered. He tailored the new lyrics to serve as a personal tribute to his former Beatles bandmate. In the song, Harrison makes reference to the Lennon-penned Beatles song All You Need Is Love. He also references the Lennon song Imagine with the line you were the one who Imagined it all. This transformation turned a rejected demo into a memorial.
Harrison and Starr recorded the song at Harrison's Friar Park studio between the 19th of November and the 25th of November 1980. After Lennon's death the following month, Harrison removed Starr's vocals but kept Starr's drumming track. Paul McCartney visited Friar Park along with his wife Linda and their Wings bandmate Denny Laine. They recorded backing vocals as an overdub to the original track. This session marked the first recording on which Harrison, McCartney and Starr all appeared since the Beatles I Me Mine in 1970. It remained their last recording together until Free as a Bird in 1995. The album liner notes thank the Beatles' former producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick. Martin, Emerick and the members of Wings had traveled to Harrison's studio to record a Harrison guitar overdub for McCartney's Tug of War album. The session instead turned into a vocal session for All Those Years Ago. Harrison's guitar piece for McCartney's album was never recorded.
The lineup included Al Kooper on electric piano and Herbie Flowers on bass. Percussionist Ray Cooper played tambourine alongside Ringo Starr on drums. Harrison co-produced the recording with Cooper. Harrison himself performed lead vocals, electric guitars, synthesizer, and backing vocals. The song has appeared on the Harrison compilations Best of Dark Horse 1976, 1989 and Let It Roll. A live version recorded in 1991 with Eric Clapton was included on Harrison's Live in Japan double album. Record World described the song as a buoyant reminiscence that features George's fluid guitar lines with help from Paul, Ringo and Linda.
All Those Years Ago was released in May 1981 as a single from his ninth studio album Somewhere in England. The single spent three weeks at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 behind Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. The track topped Canada's RPM singles chart and spent one week at number 1 on Billboards Adult Contemporary listings. In Australia the Kent Music Report placed it at number 9. The Swiss Singles Chart ranked it at number 8 while the Swedish Singles Chart reached number 11. Year-end charts showed the song ranking at number 74 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 38 on the US Cash Box Top 100.
The music video features a slide show-type presentation of stills and short archival video clips. The emphasis is on Lennon and to a lesser degree Harrison. Post-Beatles stills of Lennon at older ages are countered with stills of Harrison from the same time frame. This visual approach highlighted the passage of time since their band days ended. The imagery served to reinforce the tribute nature of the lyrics without showing new performance footage. The archival material provided context for listeners who remembered the Beatles era.
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Common questions
Why did George Harrison change the lyrics of All Those Years Ago?
George Harrison changed the lyrics to serve as a personal tribute after John Lennon was murdered in December 1980. The original version featured Ringo Starr on vocals but was rejected because Starr felt the vocal range was too high and disliked the initial words.
When were the recording sessions for All Those Years Ago held at Friar Park?
Harrison and Starr recorded the song between the 19th of November and the 25th of November 1980. Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, and Denny Laine later visited Friar Park to record backing vocals during this same timeframe.
Who performed on the track All Those Years Ago besides George Harrison?
The lineup included Al Kooper on electric piano, Herbie Flowers on bass, Ray Cooper on tambourine, and Ringo Starr on drums. Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, and Denny Laine provided backing vocals as an overdub to the original track.
How did All Those Years Ago perform on music charts in May 1981?
All Those Years Ago spent three weeks at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 behind Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart while topping Canada's RPM singles chart and spending one week at number 1 on Billboards Adult Contemporary listings.
What is the significance of the music video for All Those Years Ago?
The music video features a slide show presentation of stills and short archival video clips emphasizing John Lennon and George Harrison. This visual approach highlighted the passage of time since their band days ended without showing new performance footage.