George Harrison would have turned 78 on 25th of February this year. To mark the occasion, I decided to review this forgotten LP which is interestingly titled, ‘Thirty Three & ⅓’. It indicates his age at the time of recording the album and also the speed at which the vinyl would play on a turntable. This was George’s seventh solo album and the first one on his own label Dark Horse.

Recorded at his home, Friar Park, England, between May and September 1976, the album has an all American ensemble of musicians including old collaborators like Billy Preston the keyboard and Tom Scott on the horns section. Scott is also credited as the co-producer, with George being the main producer.

Musically, it’s an upbeat, gentle and lighthearted collection of love songs, songs of self-reflection and songs with a sprinkle of a few jokes. Some of the standout tracks are the magnificently delicate Dear One, the gentle take on Cole Porter’s True Love and the upbeat Crackerbox Palace. But what really takes the cake (and the icing for me) is his tribute to Smokey Robinson in the track Pure Smokey. It’s got soul and the man’s slide guitar in there is just haunting. One cannot not do an encore listening to this one.

Amongst the four Beatles, George was the quietest member, but his music, lyrics and composition always spoke a lot and spoke beautifully. Some of the most iconic tracks from the band were made by him. I wish he had lived a little longer...we could’ve got many more beautiful compositions. 

On another note, my 6 year old son is convinced that George Harrison was the best composer amongst The Beatles. His favorite tracks are While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Here Comes the Sun.

Rating: 4/5

Year: 1976 Label: Dark Horse

Length: 39:15

Producer: George Harrison & Tom Scott

By Meraj Hasan

Meraj Hasan is a Mumbai based communication professional (and an amateur poet/musician) with a passion for listening to music the vinyl way. His 32-year-old Technics turntable along with a humble collection of LPs across genres like Classic rock, Classical, Blues and Jazz (amongst others) are his prized possessions. He's also the author of the book 'Khyaalon ki Tapri', a collection of poems. This bestseller book is available on Amazon.  

He can be reached at +91 9833410791 or email: meraj.hasan@gmail.com