It was the first solo number one for any of The Beatles, but what's less widely known is that 'My Sweet Lord' was originally written for Billy Preston who recorded it first and that it was pencilled in for release as a single on Apple. For one reason or another it was pulled at the last minute and Harrison's own recording became the hit, but regardless, it's useful to compare both versions here.Preston takes the song at a fair clip with a to the fore vocal that runs a constant battle with the equally dominant backing singers until the mood is almost revivalist. After a chunky acoustic opening, Harrison takes things at a far more sedate pace, slowing the melody to a dreamlike wash of languid slide guitar that recalls his own 'Something' and which emphasises it over his own mellow, understated vocal. Preston sings like he's addressing a congregation, but Harrison almost murmurs the lyrics in quiet contemplation, so much so that listening to the repeated "I really want to see you. Really want to be with you" feels like eavesdropping on a man in prayer and an invasion of privacy. Even the backing vocals keep a respectful distance.
Ah, the backing vocals. It's hard to broker any discussion of 'My Sweet Lord' without mentioning the plagiarism suit - so, does it sound like The Chiffons' 'He's So Fine'? Well yes and no. The similarities more or less begin and end with the chorus to 'He's So Fine' and the brief melody picked out by the backing singers as they chant 'Hallelujah' and Hare Krishna'. The likeness is undoubtedly there in Harrison's, albeit fleeting, but in Preston's faster and more forceful version you'd be hard pressed to pick it out at all. Which leads to the conclusion that any similarities are purely down to the song's pacing rather than any conscious decision on Harrison's part to imitate.
The litigation dragged on for years until the judge in Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music decided Harrison had 'unintentionally copied' the tune and ordered most of the royalties to be surrendered. The merits of the argument and the decision are for another to comment on*, but the whole circus froze Harrison into creative paralysis for years. The outcome? A shocking waste of time and talent that resulted in Harrison never again sounding as carefree and at peace with himself on record as he does on 'My Sweet Lord', a non preaching song of devotion and faith that even an atheist would enjoy.
* Though I will say that it was probably Harrison's name and fame that ignited the litigation rather than any genuine belief he'd been stealing someone else's song - how else can you explain the gross unfairness when there are other, far clearer examples of tunes being ripped off shamelessly elsewhere at the same time? What is the riff of Deep Purple's 1970 hit 'Black Night' if not a blatant steal of Blues Magoos' '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet'? What is Lou Reed's 1970 song 'Sweet Jane' if not simply a sped up version of Tommy James' 'Crimson & Clover'? And so on.......
i'd been aware that richie blackmore ripped off the riff for "black night" from an earlier recording for some time. but he has apparently admitted it wasn't from "nothin' yet", but an earlier recording of "summertime" (yes, the gershwin standard) by ricky nelson. so either the blues magoos did likewise, or it was a case of coincidence. as regards litigation: it seems to be easier to (successfully) accuse others of plagiarism if it relates to a sung refrain/melody rather than an instrumental riff (as used here). although an exception was when elastica lifted the riff from "no more heroes" by the stranglers hook line and sinker. but i think the bottom line here in legal claims of plagiarism is how determined (and well-heeled/connected) the aggrieved party is to get their pound of flesh (in the stranglers case, it was their publishers rather than the band themselves). a good example of that is the contrasting fortunes between "come together" by the beatles and "i love to boogie" by t rex - both appropriated not only the basic riff and melody from other songs ("you can't catch me" by chuck berry and "teenage boogie" by webb pierce respectively), but even some of the lyrics of well. yet whilst john lennon had to pay "penance" by agreeing to record an album of old rock n roll songs that included "you can't catch me" plus others owned by the litigating party (morris levy, perhaps the most notorious shark of all in an industry teeming with them!), marc bolan's case was thrown out of court (on the basis that the riff was "too generic!)
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