WHAT IS LIFE

(Redirected from What is Life)

{{Infobox Single
| Name = What Is Life
| Cover = 63779wil.jpg
| Caption =
| Artist = George Harrison
| from Album =
| A-side = "My Sweet Lord" & "What Is Life" (UK)
| B-side = "Apple Scruffs" (US)
| Released = February 15, 1971
| Format = 7"
| Recorded =
| Genre = Rock
| Length = 4:18
| Label = Apple Records 1828
| Writer = George Harrison
| Producer = George Harrison, Phil Spector
| Certification =
| Chart position =
★ #1 (Switzerland)

★ #10 (U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100)

★ #19 (Japan Oricon singles chart)
| Last single = "My Sweet Lord"
(1970)
| This single = "What Is Life"
(1971)
| Next single = "Bangla-Desh"
(1971)
| Misc =
"'What Is Life'" is a riff-driven song by George Harrison and is the first track on side two of his 1970 solo album ''All Things Must Pass''. It was released as the second single from that album in the United States on February 15, 1971 with another album track "Apple Scruffs" as the B-side. On March 27, "What Is Life" peaked at #10 in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.^[1]
The song was written for Billy Preston in 1969, but Harrison decided not to ask Preston to record the song during his "funky" phase, seeing the song as too much of a "catchy pop tune".^[2]
The song is written about George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, a model whom he married during the shooting of The Beatles ''A Hard Day's Night''. Eric Clapton, who was a good friend of Harrison's, had an affair with Boyd. Boyd divorced Harrison, and two years later married Clapton. Harrison remained friends with Clapton, and actually showed up to the wedding.
While Harrison and Boyd were still married, Eric Clapton recorded the song "Layla" with his band at the time, Derek and the Dominos, about the affair with Boyd, making "What Is Life" and "Layla" written about the same woman. Clapton also wrote the song "Wonderful Tonight" about Boyd while he was married to her.
German studio trio The Discoteques made a cover of the song, making the Swedish charts in the winter of 1972.
Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John's cover of "What Is Life" reached the UK top 20 and the US Adult Contemporary singles chart in 1972.
An instrumental outtake version of the song appears on the 2001 re-release of ''All Things Must Pass''. Featuring a piccolo trumpet and oboe, it was discarded because Harrison "didn't like the feel".
Harrison's original version is featured in the movie ''Goodfellas'', during the "May 11th, 1980" sequence, while Clapton's "Layla" is, coincidentally, featured in an earlier sequence. It is also featured in the movies ''Patch Adams'' and ''Big Daddy'', the latter being a cover by Shawn Mullins during the end credits.

Contents

Credits

References

External link

Credits

★ George Harrison - guitar and vocals

★ Eric Clapton - guitar

★ Bobby Whitlock - piano

★ Pete Ham - acoustic guitar

★ Tom Evans - acoustic guitar

★ Joey Molland - acoustic guitar

★ Peter Frampton - acoustic guitar (possibly)

★ Carl Radle - bass guitar

★ Bobby Keys - saxophone

★ Jim Price - trumpet

★ Jim Gordon - drums

★ Mike Gibbins - tambourine

★ Strings arranged by John Barham

References

1. ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', , Bruce, Spizer, 498 Productions, L.L.C., 2005,
2. ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', , Bruce, Spizer, 498 Productions, L.L.C., 2005,

External link

★ George Harrison - What Is Life at Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages