What Is Life

Infobox Single
Name = What Is Life


Caption =
Artist = George Harrison
from Album = All Things Must Pass
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 =
Last single = "My Sweet Lord" (1970)
This single = "What Is Life" (1971)
Next single = "Bangla-Desh" (1971)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = All Things Must Pass
Type = studio
prev_track = "Isn't It A Pity"
prev_no = Side One, Track 4
this_track = "What Is Life"
track_no = Side Two, Track 1
next_track = "If Not For You"
next_no = Side Two, Track 2

"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.cite book |last= Spizer |first= Bruce |title= "The Beatles Solo on Apple Records" |publisher= 498 Productions, L.L.C. |year= 2005 |month= March |pages= 231 |isbn= 0-9662649-5-9 ]

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".cite book |last= Spizer |first= Bruce |title= "The Beatles Solo on Apple Records" |publisher= 498 Productions, L.L.C. |year= 2005 |month= March |pages= 222 |isbn= 0-9662649-5-9 ]

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".

Cover versions

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 recorded a cover of "What Is Life" and reached the UK top 20 and the US Adult Contemporary singles chart in 1972. Les Fradkin has a cover version included on his 2005 tribute CD "Something for George".

Harrison's original version is featured in the movie "Goodfellas", during the "May 11th, 1980" 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.

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

Charts

George Harrison version

Olivia Newton-John version

References

External links

* [http://www.jpgr.co.uk/cap1828.html George Harrison - What Is Life] at Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages