When We Was Fab

Infobox Single
Name = When We Was Fab


Caption =
Artist = George Harrison
from Album = Cloud Nine
A-side =
B-side = "Zig Zag", "That's The Way It Goes (remix)", "When We Was Fab (reverse end)"
Released = January 25 1988
Format = 7", 12", CD
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:59
Label = Dark Horse Records
Writer = Jeff Lynne, George Harrison
Producer = Jeff Lynne, George Harrison
Certification =
Chart position = * #25 (UK Singles Chart)
* #23 (U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100)
Last single = "Got My Mind Set on You" (October 1987)
This single = "When We Was Fab" (January 1988)
Next single = "This Is Love" (June 1988)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Picture disc
Type = Single


Lower caption = 12" (W8131TP)Extra tracklisting
Album = Cloud Nine
Type = studio
prev_track = "This Is Love"
prev_no = 5
this_track = "When We Was Fab"
track_no = 6
next_track = "Devil's Radio"
next_no = 7

"When We Was Fab" is a song written by George Harrison and Jeff Lynne about the days of Beatlemania, when The Beatles were sometimes referred to as the "Fab Four". The song appears as the sixth track on Harrison's 1987 album "Cloud Nine" and was later released as the second single from that album in January 1988. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at #25 in the UK Singles Chart, and in the United States, the song peaked at #23 in "Billboard" magazine's Hot 100 singles chart.

Track listings

*7" W8131
#"When We Was Fab" - 3:59
#"Zig Zag" - 2:45
#*"An instrumental track originally appearing on the 1986 soundtrack for the film "Shanghai Surprise"."
*12" W8131T, 12" picture disc W8131TP, 3" CD W8131CD
#"When We Was Fab" (unextended version)
#"Zig Zag" - 2:45
#"That's The Way It Goes" (remix)
#*"The original version appears on Harrison's 1982 album "Gone Troppo"."
#"When We Was Fab" (reverse end)

Cover art

The single cover incorporates Klaus Voormann's 1966 line drawing of Harrison, which was used in the album art for The Beatles' album "Revolver" (the letters ER from the title are visible), along with a similar, updated drawing of Harrison 22 years later.

Music video

The music video that accompanied the song (directed by Godley and Creme) also referenced the other three former Beatles. Ringo Starr appears prominently first as Harrison's "assistant" and then as the drummer. A man dressed up in a Walrus costume playing a left-handed bass guitar refers to Paul McCartney (who was asked to appear as well but was not available). [According to a a 1995 interview with McCartney, quoted [http://homepage.mac.com/doctorlev/newclues.htm here] .] ) John Lennon, who died in 1980, is represented by a passer-by carrying his "Imagine" album.

Also making guest appearances in the video are Gary Wright, Elton John, Derek Taylor, Jeff Lynne, Ray Cooper and Neil Aspinall.

External links

* [http://www.jpgr.co.uk/w8131.html George Harrison - When We Was Fab] at Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages.

References