Dark Horse (song)

"Dark Horse"
Single by George Harrison
from the album Dark Horse
B-side	I Don't Care Anymore
Released	28 February 1975
Format	7"
Genre	Rock
Length	3:54
Label	Apple Records
Producer	George Harrison
George Harrison singles chronology
"Ding Dong, Ding Dong" (1974) "Dark Horse" (1975) "You" (1975)
Dark Horse track listing "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" (6) "Dark Horse" (7) "Far East Man" (8) The Best of George Harrison track listing "Bangla Desh" (11) "Dark Horse" (12) "What Is Life" (13)

"Dark Horse" is the title track to George Harrison's 1974 album Dark Horse, and later the name of his record label Dark Horse Records.

Background

While "dark horse" is usually a reference to an unlikely or surprise winner, Harrison explained in his autobiography, I Me Mine, that he actually didn't know that meaning of the term, at the time. His lyrics instead referred to a man who carried on one or more clandestine sexual relationships with women; a "dark horse" in Liverpudlian terms. The song drew on his feelings toward his disintegrating marriage to Pattie Boyd, who had left him for guitarist (and mutual friend) Eric Clapton.

Recording

Harrison had begun the recording of the song at Friar Park, but it remained unfinished when it came time to mount his 1974 American tour. With the album's release date pending, and Harrison's throat wracked by laryngitis, the track was re-recorded quickly in an American studio, with his tour band, including Billy Preston on keyboards.

Release

A single was issued in the US on November 18, 1974, reaching #15 in the U.S. pop singles chart. The single's B-side was a non-album track, "I Don't Care Anymore." It was released as a single in the UK in February 1975, with the album track, "Hari's on Tour (Express)", on the B-side, but like the album it failed to chart in Britain at all.