Remember When: George Harrison Was Found Guilty of "Subconsciously Plagiarizing" His
Shortly after the Beatles parted ways in 1970, George Harrison was already well into his third album, a nostalgic retreat into past influences and a new beginning as a solo artist. Harrison’s triple album All Things Must Pass was his first album since the Beatles’ split and became the most successful solo release by a member of the band at the time, going to No. 1 worldwide, including in the UK and on the Billboard 200.
The first single from All Things Must Pass, “My Sweet Lord,” released with the B-Side, and another hit for Harrison, “What Is Life,” met a similar fate, topping the charts and giving Harrison his first No. 1 single as a solo artist. Despite the success of the track, it wouldn’t be long before Harrison found himself in a legal battle over the song and was accused of plagiarizing a 1960s hit.
Months after the release of “My Sweet Lord,” Bright Tunes Music sued Harrison in 1971, claiming that the song infringed the copyright of the Ronnie Mack-penned “He’s So Fine,” which became a hit for the girl group the Chiffons in 1963.
The lawsuit claimed that “My Sweet Lord” sounded too similar to the Chiffons’ hit and that he “subconsciously plagiarized” the song for his own. Harrison’s former Beatles bandmate John Lennon even concurred that “My Sweet Lord” was lifted from “He’s So Fine.”
In All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Lennon said “Well, he [Harrison] walked right into it. He knew what he was doing.” He must have known, you know, he’s smarter than that.”
Source: Tina Benitez-Eves/americansongwriter.com
