What Is Life?

"What Is Life" is a riff-driven song by George Harrison and is the first track on side two of his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. It was released as the second single from that album in the United States on February 15, 1971 with another album track "Apple Scruffs" as the B-side. On March 27, "What Is Life" peaked at #10 in the Billboard Hot 100.¹

The song was written for Billy Preston in 1969, but Harrison decided not to ask Preston to record the song during his "funky" phase, seeing the song as too much of a "catchy pop tune".²

An instrumental outtake version of the song appears on the 2001 re-release of All Things Must Pass. Featuring a piccolo trumpet and oboe, it was discarded because Harrison "didn't like the feel".

1 Cover versions
2 Credits
3 Charts
- 3.1 George Harrison version
- 3.2 Olivia Newton-John version
4 References
5 External links

Cover versions

German studio trio The Discoteques made a cover of the song, making the Swedish charts in the winter of 1972. Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John recorded a cover of "What Is Life" and reached the UK top 20 and the US Adult Contemporary singles chart in 1972. Les Fradkin has a cover version included on his 2005 tribute CD "Something for George".

Harrison's original version is featured in the movie Goodfellas, during the "May 11th, 1980" sequence. It is also featured in the movies Patch Adams and Big Daddy, the latter being a cover by Shawn Mullins during the end credits.

Credits

George Harrison - guitar and vocals
Eric Clapton - guitar
Bobby Whitlock - piano
Pete Ham - acoustic guitar
Tom Evans - acoustic guitar
Joey Molland - acoustic guitar
Peter Frampton - acoustic guitar (possibly²)
Carl Radle - bass guitar
Bobby Keys - saxophone
Jim Price - trumpet
Jim Gordon - drums
Mike Gibbins - tambourine
Strings arranged by John Barham²

Charts

George Harrison version

Chart (1971)	Peak position
German Singles Chart	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	10

Olivia Newton-John version

Chart (1972)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	34
UK Singles Chart	16

References

^ Spizer, Bruce (March 2005). 'The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'. 498 Productions, L.L.C.. p. 231. ISBN 0-9662649-5-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c Spizer, Bruce (March 2005). 'The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'. 498 Productions, L.L.C.. p. 222. ISBN 0-9662649-5-9.

External links

George Harrison - What Is Life at Graham Calkin's Beatles Pages

v • d • e Olivia Newton-John Singles (1971-1990)

If Not for You	If Not for You (1971) • Banks of the Ohio (1971)

Olivia	What Is Life (1972) • "My Old Man's Got A Gun" (1972)

Let Me Be There	Take Me Home, Country Roads (1973) • Let Me Be There (1973)

Long Live Love	"Long Love Live" (1974) • I Honestly Love You (1974)

If You Love Me, Let Me Know	"If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" (1974) • I Honestly Love You (1974)

Have You Never Been Mellow	Have You Never Been Mellow (1975) • Please Mr. Please (1975)

Clearly Love	"Something Better to Do" (1975) • "Let It Shine" (1975) • "He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother" (1975)

Come on Over	"Come On Over" (1976) • Jolene (1978)

Don't Stop Believin'	"Don't Stop Believin'" (1976) • "Every Face Tells a Story" (1976) • "Compassionate Man" (1977) • Sam (1977)

Making a Good Thing Better	"Making a Good Thing Better" (1977) • "Sad Songs" (1977) • Don't Cry for Me Argentina (1980)

Grease OST	You're The One That I Want (w/ John Travolta) (1978) • Hopelessly Devoted To You (1978) • Summer Nights (w/ John Travolta and Cast) (1978)

Totally Hot	"A Little More Love" (1978) • "Deeper Than the Night" (1979) • "Totally Hot" (1979) • "Dancin' 'Round and 'Round" (1979)

Xanadu OST	Magic (1980) • Xanadu (w/ Electric Light Orchestra) (1980) • "Suddenly" (w/ Cliff Richard) (1980)

Physical	Physical (1981) • Make a Move on Me (1982) • "Landslide" (1982)

Greatest Hits 2	"Heart Attack" (1982) • "Tied Up" (1983)

Two of a Kind OST	Twist Of Fate (1983) • "Take a Chance" (w/ John Travolta) (1983) • "Livin' In Desperate Times" (1984)

Soul Kiss	"Soul Kiss" (1985) • "Toughen Up" (1986)

The Rumour	"The Rumour" (1988) • "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" (1988)

Warm and Tender	"Reach Out for Me" (1990)

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