Dark Horse - George Harrison

...'dark horse, running on a dark race course'. Musically this is another high point, with a subtly funky tempo, and flutes adding a faintly Eastern flavour. Unfortunately, it's almost 'Dark Hoarse'. He was under pressure to record the album quickly for release prior to his US tour, despite an attack of laryngitis. On several tracks you can hear his voice is flat and below par, particularly here. Someone forgot the lemsip.

'Far East Man' ...
...(According to the credits, 'Ron Would if you let him'. Hee hee). One of those introspective songs about 'doing what we can in a war-ravaged world', it's pleasant, if rather less than inspired.

Finally, 'It Is he (Jai Sri Krishna)' is George back in Eastern mysticism mood. Let's not knock the man for his beliefs, but - well - after hearing it once you might not want to bother again.

So overall in my view, two great numbers, ... more

George Harrison, 'the quiet one' of the Beatles, has recently been in the news for none-too-happy reasons. Time, I thought, to go back into my record collection and refresh myself on one or two of his albums I hadn't listened to properly for a while.

'Dark Horse' was first released in December 1974. Critics had expected the world from him after the high point on which he started his solo career, notably the 1971 Bangla Desh benefit gig, and failure to come up to expectations, plus his outspoken religious beliefs, brought the knives out. This was greeted with a univeral thumbs-down, especially in Britain, and apart from various experimental Beatles-connected projects issued in the late 60s, it was the first solo set by an ex-member to miss the UK chart completely, remarkable given that his previous album had peaked at No. 2 18 months previously. In the US, where he was touring at the time, it reached No. 4.

When 'Dark Horse' is good, it's very good. When it's bad, it's abysmal.

The first track is an uncharacteristic instrumental, 'Hari's on Tour (Express)', with which he and his band opened their set on tour (no surprise). A lively number driven by attacking piano and lead guitar riff, with horn section, saxes and pedal steel guitar, it's a great opener, especially with unexpected changes in tempo here and there.

After that come a couple of low-key, melancholy songs, 'Simply Shady' and 'So Sad'. The first is passable if verging on dull, but 'So Sad' really grows on you. Starting off with a bit of crisp acoustic guitar plucking, it adds what sounds like either a celeste or 12-string guitar. Whatever - it's lovely, and when allied to one of George's mournful lyrics about sadness, loneliness et al, and pretty chorus, the effect is superb. He should have resurrected this for the Traveling Wilburys and got Roy Orbison to sing it.

Now for the nosedive. Remember 'Bye Bye Love', the Everly Brothers standard? So, unfortunately, does George. At the time his marriage to Patti was on the rocks, and she was getting close to his best friend and favourite guitarist Eric Clapton. But why did they have to take it out on this song? He has twisted the tune, slowed it down to a dirge, and rewritten the lyrics with allusions to his lady and 'old Clapper'. To add insult to injury, the new words don't even scan or rhyme properly, and he sings flat. It probably sounded hilarious after supper when they were drunkenly strumming guitars in the living room. In that case, guys, couldn't you have buried it on a fan club flexidisc and left it at that? (Still, at least he didn't do a John Lennon and issue an album containing one side's worth of his lady's heartbeats).

'Maya Love' follows, a kind of religious mantra with very simple lyrics, no doubt sincerely meant. It's redeemed by a half-decent melody, sterling guitar work, Billy Preston's chunky electric piano, and spirited sax section. Like 'Hari's On Tour', it may have been recorded initially as an instrumental, so maybe it should have stayed that way.

'Ding Dong, Ding Dong' has divided fans and critics over the years, with lyrics that are childlike in their simplicity, and an irresistible refrain based on the notes from Big Ben. George claims on the credits that he wrote the song himself, though he later admitted most of the lines were taken from wood carvings around the fireplace of his home, Friar Park, the work of Victorian eccentric and millionaire Sir Frank Crisp, who built the place. It's a pathetic nursery rhyme, 'lyrically challenged', say some.

But I love it - if nothing else, it has gained immortality with its 'Ring out the old, ring in the new' chorus every 31st December party, as the record played immediately before midnight, the chimes of Big Ben and 'Auld Lang Syne'. As one who’s hosted many a new year's eve disco, this record is part of my life. Massed tambourines, saxes and acoustic guitars, and multi-tracked vocal sounding like a full choir, all do their thing(s). George's plaintive, often quavery voice generally needs that massive Phil Spectorish, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sound to do it justice, and on this track that sound is here with bells (yes, sleigh bells too) on. Why it was omitted from the compilation 'Best Of George Harrison' (1976), I'll never know.

On the autobiographical title track, George declares he was the 'dark horse, running on a dark race course'. Musically this is another high point, with a subtly funky tempo, and flutes adding a faintly Eastern flavour. Unfortunately, it's almost 'Dark Hoarse'. He was under pressure to record the album quickly for release prior to his US tour, despite an attack of laryngitis. On several tracks you can hear his voice is flat and below par, particularly here. Someone forgot the lemsip.

'Far East Man' was co-written by George and Faces guitarist Ron Wood. (According to the credits, 'Ron Would if you let him'. Hee hee). One of those introspective songs about 'doing what we can in a war-ravaged world', it's pleasant, if rather less than inspired.

Finally, 'It Is he (Jai Sri Krishna)' is George back in Eastern mysticism mood. Let's not knock the man for his beliefs, but - well - after hearing it once you might not want to bother again.

So overall in my view, two great numbers, two good ones, though one is marred by his strained voice, and two or three which are pleasant. Add two stinkers, one of them an unfunny parody, and you've got a pretty mixed bag. Listening to it again years later, I don't think it's the disaster everyone tried to make out at the time, and I'll recommend with reservations. If you (like me) have a soft spot for him, you'll enjoy part of it; if not, it won't convert you. Moreover, given its poor sales performance, and the lack of any bonus tracks on the CD reissue, I'm surprised it's still full, not mid, price.

 

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