Isn't It a Pity
Encyclopedia
"Isn't It a Pity" is a song by George Harrison
from his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass
. It was written in 1966 but was rejected by John Lennon
. It was released as the B-side of "My Sweet Lord
" in the United States on November 23, 1970.
Two different versions of the song were included on All Things Must Pass. Version One is longer, at 7:10, while Version Two, though at a slower tempo, takes 4:47. It has a folksy melody that is similar to another song on the album, "Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
", and resembles several of Bob Dylan
's ballads from the period. The lyrics are consistent with the karmic
subject matter of much of the All Things Must Pass album. Version One from All Things Must Pass was included on the compilation album Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
. A demo
version, recorded during The Beatles 'Get Back'/'Let It Be' sessions in January 1969, is also available on Let It Roll as an iTunes Store
exclusive. A live version of the song was included on the album Live in Japan.
chart, with only "Isn't It a Pity" being listed at number one in Canada on the RPM 100
national Top Singles chart.
In 2010, AOL radio listeners chose "Isn't It a Pity" as one of the 10 Best George Harrison Songs, appearing at #7 on the list.
, Billy Preston
, Pedro Aznar
, Jay Bennett
, the Cowboy Junkies
, Peter Drake, 18th Dye
, Galaxie 500
, Nina Simone
, Television Personalities, Nicky Thomas
, The Three Degrees
Elliott Smith
, and Bettye Lavette
.
's version is included on her album Emergency Ward, which also includes an 18-minute gospel-inspired version of Harrison's "My Sweet Lord". Although the album claims to have been recorded in concert, "Isn't It a Pity" seems more like a studio recording. Nonetheless, this version is intense and drawn-out, at over 11 minutes, with Simone's piano and voice dominating most of the song. A six-minute version of the song is included on the compilation album The Essential Nina Simone.
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
from his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970. The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third LP of informal jams...
. It was written in 1966 but was rejected by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
. It was released as the B-side of "My Sweet Lord
My Sweet Lord
"My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison from his UK number one hit triple album All Things Must Pass. The song was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna...
" in the United States on November 23, 1970.
Two different versions of the song were included on All Things Must Pass. Version One is longer, at 7:10, while Version Two, though at a slower tempo, takes 4:47. It has a folksy melody that is similar to another song on the album, "Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)
"Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp " is a song written by George Harrison from his 1970 album All Things Must Pass, and a tribute to Frank Crisp, a 19th century lawyer that had been a previous owner of Harrison's Victorian residence Friar Park....
", and resembles several of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's ballads from the period. The lyrics are consistent with the karmic
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
subject matter of much of the All Things Must Pass album. Version One from All Things Must Pass was included on the compilation album Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison is the third compilation of George Harrison's music, and the first to span his entire solo career after The Beatles era...
. A demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
version, recorded during The Beatles 'Get Back'/'Let It Be' sessions in January 1969, is also available on Let It Roll as an iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
exclusive. A live version of the song was included on the album Live in Japan.
Reception
Both "Isn't It a Pity" and "My Sweet Lord" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, with only "Isn't It a Pity" being listed at number one in Canada on the RPM 100
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
national Top Singles chart.
In 2010, AOL radio listeners chose "Isn't It a Pity" as one of the 10 Best George Harrison Songs, appearing at #7 on the list.
Personnel
The musicians who performed on the recording (Version One) were as follows:- George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– vocals, backing vocals, slide guitar - Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland - acoustic rhythm guitar
- Klaus VoormannKlaus VoormannKlaus Voormann is a German Grammy Award-winning artist, noted musician, and record producer. He designed artwork for many bands including The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Wet Wet Wet and Turbonegro. His most notable work as a producer was his work with the band Trio, including their worldwide hit "Da Da...
– bass guitar - Tony AshtonTony AshtonTony Ashton was an English rock pianist, keyboardist, singer, composer, producer and artist.-Biography:...
- piano - Billy PrestonBilly PrestonWilliam Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
, Gary WrightGary WrightGary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
– keyboards - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drums - Mike Gibbins - tambourine
Cover versions
"Isn't It a Pity" has been covered by numerous artists, including Eric ClaptonEric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
, Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar
Pedro Aznar is an Argentine musician, with a lifetime of experience in jazz, Argentinian folk music, and rock and has had a successful career as a solo artist. He is very well known for giving rock songs a jazz-oriented style, by playing the fretless bass, with a big influence from Jaco Pastorius...
, Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett
Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco.-Early life and work with Wilco:...
, the Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
, Peter Drake, 18th Dye
18th Dye
18th Dye was a Berlin-based German/Danish noise rock band formed in 1992 by German Sebastian Büttrich , Danish-German Heike Rädeker and Dane Piet Bendtsen . They broke up in 1999 after 2 albums and an EP, but reformed in 2005...
, Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums.-History:Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time...
, Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
, Television Personalities, Nicky Thomas
Nicky Thomas
Nicky Thomas was a reggae singer who enjoyed considerable chart success in the 1970s.-Biography:...
, The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees are an American female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney,...
Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
, and Bettye Lavette
Bettye LaVette
Bettye LaVette is an American soul singer-songwriter who made her first record at sixteen, but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005, with her album, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise...
.
Nina Simone version
Nina SimoneNina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
's version is included on her album Emergency Ward, which also includes an 18-minute gospel-inspired version of Harrison's "My Sweet Lord". Although the album claims to have been recorded in concert, "Isn't It a Pity" seems more like a studio recording. Nonetheless, this version is intense and drawn-out, at over 11 minutes, with Simone's piano and voice dominating most of the song. A six-minute version of the song is included on the compilation album The Essential Nina Simone.
- RPM 100 Link shows single's second week at the top.