I spent a lot of time in Dobbs Ferry, NY as a kid, rarely of my own volition. I could have stayed home, would have stayed home, would rather have stayed home. Someone who had more say in it wasn’t having it. Seems it was more important for me to listen to 5 women play Mah Jongg than stay home and play records. One of the first albums I remember owning, or simply taking possession of, was a Sonny & Cher album All I Ever Need Is You.

At my age, it was limited offerings, but I dug playing records. I still do. If a new album I want is available on vinyl, I’m getting it. Even though it isn’t truly analog in this day and age, I’ll take it. So anyway, there were some days when being in Dobbs Ferry wasn’t such a drag. That was if my cousin Diane was around.

She had a great stereo set-up, courtesy of my Uncle who sometimes traveled to Japan on business. It was during one such visit when headphones were placed on me, and Side 2 was played of the album that hit #1 52 years ago today: The Concert for Bangla Desh. Side 1 was Ravi Shankar’s side, which she knew I wasn’t ready for. Here’s my original copy, with the booklet, on Apple Records:

I still return to this album from time to time. Although there was a remastered 40th anniversary release a few years back, it’s this original I play. Phil Spector aimed to recreate the Wall of Sound live by assembling a house band of 3 electric guitarists, 3 acoustic guitarists, piano, organ, percussion, 2 drummers, bass, a 6-piece horn section, and a 7 member Soul Choir lead by Don Nix. Work on assembling the live album began August 2, 1971, one day after the concerts (afternoon and evening shows took place). Assembling the album was the least of the work. George had promised each of the main artists taking part in the show that if they were dissatisfied with their performances, they could be excluded from the album. He took recordings to Bob Dylan, Billy Preston, Ringo, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. Leon was the only one that stepped in and remixed his contribution himself, and edited in the audio of the “Youngblood” part of his medley from the evening show over the film from the afternoon show. The only other post-productions to the album were George double-tracking his vocal on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and constructing the take of “Wah Wah” with verses from both shows.

George said it may be possible to issue the album in 10 days to stop bootlegs hitting the stores first. That didn’t work out. Due to record company obstruction over production costs and the individual contracts of the participants, a stalemate lasted into late November. That month, George appeared on The Dick Cavett Show, ostensibly to promote the Raga! documentary on Ravi Shankar. During his interview, he went public with his anger over Capitol Records’ position on demanding $400,000 in reimbursement for costs, despite Apple Records paying for the packaging and all of the artists having donated their services. Capitol was immediately portrayed as profiting on the backs of those starving in war-torn Bangla Desh. George called out EMI chairman Bhaskar Menon directly: “This record should’ve been out a month ago really, and the problem is with our distributor. I mean, I’ll just put it out with CBS and, you know, Bhaskar will have to sue me. [raises fist] Bhaskar Menon!” Capitol backed down and released the album the way George wanted it done. It was December 20, 1971, close to 5 months after the shows.

Some of the performances on the album are knockouts. It’s one of the only times in his career that Bob Dylan gave the people exactly what they wanted. And this despite his sarcastic response when George asked if he’d play “Blowin’ In The Wind”: “Uh, are you gonna play “I Want To Hold Your Hand?” Dylan played “Blowin’ In The Wind.” George and Clapton’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” really did benefit from the 40th Anniversary remastered album in 2011, especially in their call and response solos for the last couple of minutes:

But two other performances remain my personal stand-out’s.

Billy Preston raising the roof on “That’s The Way God Planned It.” Even George was skipping around:

And “Beware of Darkness,” one of Harrison’s greatest songs, with the most stunning chord sequence, and a contribution from Leon Russell:

For Today’s Playlist, a SomethingIsHappening compendium of George Harrison covers in honor of The Concert for Bangla Desh…

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