What are George Harrison’s 5 Biggest US Hits?

Because he came off as someone who didn’t willingly play the pop-star game, it’s surprising to see just how much success George Harrison enjoyed with his singles. Even in the US, he stood out as a regular figure on the charts once The Beatles broke up.

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Here’s a look back at Harrison’s five biggest hits in America. Some you can probably guess. And some might surprise you.

5. “What Is Life” – No. 10 in 1971

It’s well-known Beatle lore that Harrison built up an impressive backlog of songs that were intended for the Fab Four but were never recorded by them. But there were also a few that he originally wrote for others that became solo hits for him. Harrison earmarked “What Is Life” for Billy Preston. But once The Beatles imploded, Harrison switched his plans and recorded it for All Things Must Pass. It definitely ranks as one of the most musically uplifting songs in his catalog, even as, like many Harrison songs, it searches for answers.

4. “All Those Years Ago” – No. 2 in 1981

Many people assume that Harrison wrote this song in response to the death of John Lennon. But that doesn’t quite tell the whole story behind it. He had already written the main frame of the track, including the title, for Ringo Starr to record. Ringo turned it down. When Lennon died, Harrison changed the lyrics around to reflect his feelings toward his friend. He also employed Starr on drums and Paul and Linda McCartney on backing vocals. Those choices made “All Those Years Ago” the mini-Beatles reunion people desperately needed to hear in the wake of that tragedy.

3. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” – No. 1 in 1973

All Things Must Pass turned out to be such a monumental success that it sort of dwarfed everything that Harrison did in its aftermath. We tend to forget that the follow-up, Living In The Material World, did extremely well commercially and, quite frankly, is a masterwork in its own right. In fact, plenty of songs on that record stand out as more memorable than the song that turned out to be the big hit. “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” does distill Harrison’s message quite well, however, and it features some of his loveliest slide guitar work.

2. “Got My Mind Set On You” – No. 1 in 1987

You could have won quite a bundle betting on George Harrison to put up a No. 1 single in 1987. And you could have made even more if you’d wagered that he’d do it with a song that was a quarter-century old and wasn’t really a hit the first time around. Actually, the fact that “Got My Mind Set On You”, done originally by 60s R&B artist James Ray, might have helped its success when Harrison recorded it. Fans heard it as George returning to his Beatle roots, thanks to a decidedly Cavern-ous arrangement provided by Harrison and producer Jeff Lynne.

1. “My Sweet Lord” – No. 1 in 1970

The whole plagiarism controversy surrounding this song has overshadowed just what an achievement it was. “My Sweet Lord” stormed its way to No. 1 status in just about every country you can imagine. Songs with such nakedly spiritual content just didn’t do that often, although, to be fair, those songs weren’t often released by ex-Beatles. The moment when Harrison’s buoyant slide guitar lick emerges from the quiet acoustic chords is still a grabber. On top of that, Harrison’s urgent voice allows you to hear just how important it was for him to transmit this message.

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