It was 1966. George Harrison had this song. He played it for John Lennon, and John basically ignored it. He played it for the band during the Get Back sessions in 1969, and it still didn't make the cut. Imagine sitting on a masterpiece for four years because your bandmates are too busy arguing or focusing on their own egos. That is the origin story of isn't it a pity george harrison. It wasn't just a song; it was a sigh of relief.
When the Beatles finally imploded, George didn’t just release a single album. He dropped a triple-LP behemoth. All Things Must Pass was his manifesto, and "Isn't It a Pity" was the emotional anchor. It’s a six-minute-plus epic (actually, seven depending on the version) that tackles the universal pain of human disconnect. It’s raw. It’s cinematic. It’s arguably the most "Harrison" song he ever wrote because it blends his deep spiritual yearning with a very grounded, almost cynical observation of how people treat each other.
Honestly, the song feels more relevant now than it did in 1970. We live in a world of digital walls and constant misunderstanding. George was calling that out before the internet even existed.
The Long Wait for Isn't It a Pity George Harrison
The timeline of this track is wild. George actually wrote it years before the public ever heard a note. According to various Beatles biographers like Mark Lewisohn, George was consistently bringing high-quality material to the table that was being sidelined by the Lennon-McCartney powerhouse.
Think about the "Let It Be" film. You can actually see the tension. During those rehearsals at Twickenham Film Studios in January 1969, George brought up the song again. The tapes from those sessions show the band fiddling with it, but the enthusiasm wasn't there. It’s heartbreaking to listen to in retrospect. You have this sweeping, gospel-tinged anthem being treated like a rehearsal throwaway.
But maybe that was a blessing.
If the Beatles had recorded it, it might have been polished into a three-minute pop song. Instead, George took it to Phil Spector. Under Spector’s "Wall of Sound" guidance, the song transformed. It became an orchestral tidal wave. It needed that space to breathe. It needed the layers of slide guitar and the choir-like backing vocals to truly hit home.
Two Versions, One Message
One of the weirdest and coolest things about the original All Things Must Pass release is that isn't it a pity george harrison appears twice. You have Version 1 and Version 2.
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Version 1 is the big one. It’s the one everyone knows—the slow build, the massive orchestration, the "Hey Jude"-style coda that seems to go on forever but never feels long enough. It’s a sonic mountain. Then you have Version 2, which is a bit more restrained, a bit more intimate.
Why do both?
George was obsessed with getting the vibration right. He felt the song was so central to the album's theme—this idea that we’re all breaking each other's hearts for no reason—that he wanted to show it from two different angles. It was his way of saying, "Look at this from over here, now look at it from over there." It’s a rare move for a rock artist, but George wasn't exactly following the rulebook by that point. He had enough songs backed up in his mental "waiting room" to fill three discs, so he had the luxury of repeating himself if he felt like it.
The Phil Spector Influence and the Slide Guitar
You can't talk about this song without talking about the sound. By 1970, George had found his voice on the slide guitar. It became his signature. On "Isn't It a Pity," the slide doesn't just play a solo; it weeps. It mimics a human voice.
Phil Spector, despite all his later infamy, was the perfect producer for this specific moment in George's life. He understood drama. He knew how to stack instruments until the sound felt like it was physically pushing against your chest. The arrangement of isn't it a pity george harrison uses double drums—Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner—which gives it this heavy, grounded heartbeat.
Then you have the lyrics.
"Isn't it a pity, isn't it a shame / How we break each other's hearts, and cause each other pain."
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It’s so simple. It’s almost nursery-rhyme simple. But that’s the genius of George Harrison. He didn't hide behind complex metaphors. He just stated the obvious truth that everyone else was too "cool" to say. He was mourning the Beatles, sure, but he was also mourning the end of the 1960s idealism. The dream was over, and it was a pity.
The Eric Clapton Connection and the "Derek" Sessions
There’s a lot of lore surrounding the musicians on this track. You had a revolving door of legends in the studio. Eric Clapton was there, though his contributions are sometimes overshadowed by George’s own dominant slide work.
It’s worth noting that around this same time, the sessions for Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos were happening or looming. The cross-pollination of musicians was insane. Bobby Whitlock, Klaus Voormann, Gary Wright—everyone was contributing to this atmosphere of collective mourning and celebration.
The recording of isn't it a pity george harrison captured a very specific lightning-in-a-bottle moment. It was the sound of a man who had been told "no" for years finally being allowed to say "yes" to every musical impulse he had. If he wanted eighteen acoustic guitars, he got them. If he wanted a long, chanting finish, he did it.
Why the Song Still Hits Different Today
If you look at the 2021 remix of All Things Must Pass, supervised by Dhani Harrison, the song gets even clearer. You can hear the separation in the instruments better. It highlights how much of a technical achievement the song was, not just an emotional one.
People often compare it to "Hey Jude" because of the long outro. But while "Hey Jude" is an upbeat, "na-na-na" singalong meant to cheer someone up, "Isn't It a Pity" is a meditation. It’s a mantra. It’s meant to put the listener in a trance. George was heavily influenced by his Hindu faith and the concept of karma. The song is essentially a musical explanation of how our actions ripple out and hurt others, and how we "take what we can get" without giving back.
It’s a heavy lesson wrapped in a beautiful melody.
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Cultural Impact and Notable Covers
The song didn't just stay in 1970. It traveled. Nina Simone did a version that will absolutely wreck you. She stripped away the rock elements and turned it into a soul-baring gospel lament.
- Nina Simone: Her 11-minute live version is legendary.
- Galaxie 500: They brought it to the indie-rock crowd in the late 80s.
- The Concert for George: When Billy Preston sang it at the tribute concert after George's death, there wasn't a dry eye in the Royal Albert Hall.
Seeing Billy Preston—who was there during the Get Back sessions—finally take the lead on this song felt like a full-circle moment. It proved the song’s longevity. It wasn't just a "Beatles breakup song." It was a standard.
The Technical Brilliance of the Composition
Musically, the song is fascinating because it doesn't do anything flashy. It stays on a few core chords, but the way George moves the melody over those chords creates a sense of constant yearning.
Most people think of George as "the quiet Beatle," but this song is loud. Not in volume, but in presence. It demands you pay attention. The way the strings swell during the transition into the chorus is a masterclass in tension and release. Spector’s influence here is undeniable—the "Wall of Sound" wasn't just about noise; it was about creating an atmosphere where the listener feels submerged.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers
If you really want to appreciate isn't it a pity george harrison, don't just stream it on your phone speakers while doing the dishes. It doesn't work that way.
- Listen to the 2021 Stereo Mix: Use high-quality headphones. The separation between the various acoustic guitars and the keyboard layers is much more apparent than on the original muddy vinyl pressings.
- Compare Version 1 and Version 2 back-to-back: Version 1 is the emotional peak, but Version 2 shows the song’s skeleton. It helps you understand George’s songwriting process.
- Watch the Concert for George performance: Seeing the community of musicians George built—Clapton, Ringo, McCartney, Preston—all performing this song together adds a layer of irony and beauty to the lyrics about people not "seeing each other."
- Read the lyrics like a poem: Forget the music for a second. Read the words. It’s a biting critique of human nature that manages to stay kind. That’s a hard line to walk.
George Harrison spent years in the shadows of two of the most famous songwriters in history. "Isn't It a Pity" was his proof that he wasn't just a supporting player. He was a visionary who saw the world’s flaws and decided to turn them into something gorgeous.
The song isn't just a pity; it's a triumph. It’s the sound of a man finding his freedom and inviting us all to be a little more human to one another. Next time you're feeling a bit disconnected from the world, put this on. Let the slide guitar do the talking. It usually says exactly what we're all thinking anyway.