Written by: Harrison
Recorded: March – October 1980; November 1980 – February 1981
Producers: George Harrison, Ray Cooper
Released: 1 June 1981 (US), 5 June 1981 (UK)
Available on:
Somewhere In England
Personnel
George Harrison: vocals, electric guitar
Neil Larsen: keyboards
Al Kooper: organ
Willie Weeks: bass guitar
Jim Keltner: drums
Ray Cooper: percussion
‘Life Itself’ is the third song on George Harrison’s ninth solo album Somewhere In England.
There’s one I liked a lot called ‘Life Itself’. But it’s not a rock and roll song; it’s a mystical kind of lyric.
George Harrison On George Harrison, Ashley Kahn
The song was Harrison’s most overtly devotional song since 1975’s Dark Horse album.
They call you Christ, Vishnu, Buddha, Jehovah, our Lord
You are, Govindam, Bismillah, creator of all
Harrison recorded a demo of ‘Life Itself’ in 1980, playing all instruments: four guitar tracks, four vocal parts, and ukulele.
Warner Bros rejected the original version of Somewhere In England, which had ‘Life Itself’ on side two. The song was slightly reworked for the final release, with the addition of an organ part by Al Kooper.
Harrison included ‘Life Itself’ on the 1989 compilation Best Of Dark Horse 1978-1989.
The book Songs By George Harrison 2 was published by Genesis in 1992, limited to 2,500 copies with a bonus EP. The tracks included Harrison’s demo of ‘Life Itself’.
