View source for All Those Years Ago

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = All Those Years Ago
| cover      = allthoseyearsago.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    = UK picture sleeve
| type       = single
| artist     = [[George Harrison]]
| album      = [[Somewhere in England]]
| B-side     = [[Writing's on the Wall (George Harrison song)|Writing's on the Wall]]
| released   = 11 May 1981<ref>{{cite book |last=Badman |first=Keith |title=The Beatles After the Breakup 1970-2000: A day-by-day diary |year=1999 |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=London |isbn=0-7119-7520-5}}</ref>
| recorded   = *19–25 November 1980
*6 February 1981<ref>{{cite web |title=George Harrison - All Those Years Ago |url=https://en.faceoffrockshow.com/post/george-harrison-all-those-years-ago-1 |website=FaceOff}}</ref>
| studio     = [[FPSHOT]], [[Henley-on-Thames]]
| genre      = *[[Pop rock]]
*[[soft rock]]
*[[blues rock]]
*[[pop soul]]
| length     = 3:42
| label      = [[Dark Horse Records|Dark Horse]]
| writer     = [[George Harrison]]
| producer   = George Harrison, [[Ray Cooper]]
| prev_title = [[Faster (George Harrison song)|Faster]]
| prev_year  = 1979
| next_title = [[Teardrops (George Harrison song)|Teardrops]]
| next_year  = 1981
| misc       = {{Extra track listing
 | album  = [[Somewhere in England]]
 | type   = studio
 | tracks = {{Somewhere in England tracks}}
}}}}
"'''All Those Years Ago'''" is a song by the English rock musician [[George Harrison]], released in May 1981 as a single from his ninth studio album ''[[Somewhere in England]]''. Having previously recorded the music for the song, Harrison tailored the lyrics to serve as a personal [[Tributes to the Beatles|tribute]] to his former [[The Beatles|Beatles]] bandmate [[John Lennon]], following [[Murder of John Lennon|the latter's murder]] in 1980. [[Ringo Starr]] played drums, and [[Paul McCartney]] (along with his [[Paul McCartney and Wings|Wings]] bandmates [[Linda McCartney]] and [[Denny Laine]]) overdubbed backing vocals onto the basic track. The single spent three weeks at number 2 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], behind "[[Bette Davis Eyes]]" by [[Kim Carnes]], and it peaked at number 13 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. It also topped Canada's ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' singles chart and spent one week at number 1 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|Adult Contemporary listings]].<ref>''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 6th Edition, 1996</ref>

"All Those Years Ago" was the first recording on which Harrison, McCartney and Starr all appeared since the Beatles' "[[I Me Mine]]" (1970), and their last recording together until "[[Free as a Bird]]" (1995). Other musicians performing on the track include [[Al Kooper]] and [[Ray Cooper]]. The song has appeared on the Harrison compilations ''[[Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989]]'' and ''[[Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison|Let It Roll]]'', and a live version recorded in 1991 with [[Eric Clapton]] was included on Harrison's ''[[Live in Japan (George Harrison album)|Live in Japan]]'' double album.

==Origins==
Prior to Lennon's death, Harrison originally wrote the song with different lyrics for [[Ringo Starr]] to record. Although he recorded it, Starr felt the vocal was too high for his range<ref>{{cite book|last=Rodriguez|first=Robert|title=Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980|publisher=Backbeat Books|location=Milwaukee, WI|year=2010|isbn=978-1-4165-9093-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/missodellmyhardd00odel/page/433 433]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/missodellmyhardd00odel/page/433}}</ref> and disliked the lyrics.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Madinger|first1=Chip|last2=Easter|first2=Mark|title=Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium|publisher=44.1 Productions|location=Chesterfield, MO|year=2000|isbn=0-615-11724-4|page=460}}</ref> Harrison took the track back and, after Lennon's death, the lyrics were changed to reflect a tribute to him. In the song, Harrison makes reference to the Lennon-penned Beatles song "[[All You Need Is Love]]" and the Lennon song "[[Imagine (John Lennon song)|Imagine]]" ("you were the one who ''Imagined'' it all").

==Band line-up==
The recording of the song featured all three remaining [[The Beatles|Beatles]] (Harrison, Starr and [[Paul McCartney]]), though this was expressly a Harrison single. It is one of only a few non-Beatles songs to feature three members of the band. Harrison and Starr recorded the song at Harrison's [[Friar Park]] studio between 19 November and 25 November 1980. The lineup was rounded out by [[Al Kooper]] on [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[Herbie Flowers]] on bass and percussionist [[Ray Cooper]]. Harrison co-produced the recording with Cooper.

After Lennon's death the following month, Harrison removed Starr's vocals (but kept Starr's drumming track) and recorded his own vocals with rewritten lyrics honouring Lennon. McCartney, his wife [[Linda McCartney|Linda]] and their [[Wings (band)|Wings]] bandmate [[Denny Laine]] visited Friar Park and recorded backing vocals as an overdub to the original track.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Badman | first=Keith | title=The Beatles After the Breakup 1970-2000: A day-by-day diary | year=1999 | publisher=Omnibus Press | location=London | isbn=0-7119-7520-5 }}</ref> The album's liner notes also thank the Beatles' former producer [[George Martin]] and engineer [[Geoff Emerick]], who were present at the session where the backing vocals were recorded.  Martin, Emerick and the members of Wings were working on McCartney's ''[[Tug of War (Paul McCartney album)|Tug of War]]'' album at the time, and had traveled to Harrison's studio to record a Harrison guitar overdub for that album.  The session instead turned into a vocal session for "All Those Years Ago", and Harrison's guitar piece for McCartney's album was never recorded.

==Critical reception==
''[[Record World]]'' described the song as a "buoyant reminiscence [that] features George's fluid guitar lines with help from Paul, Ringo and Linda."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=May 16, 1981|page=1|accessdate=2023-02-27|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-05-16.pdf}}</ref>

==Music video==
The [[music video]] features a [[slide show]]-type presentation of stills and short archival video clips. The emphasis is on Lennon and, to a lesser degree, Harrison. The post-Beatles stills of Lennon at older ages are countered with stills of Harrison from the same time frame.

==Personnel==
* [[George Harrison]] – lead vocals, electric guitars, [[synthesizer]], backing vocals
* [[Al Kooper]] – electric piano
* [[Herbie Flowers]] – bass
* [[Ringo Starr]] – drums
* [[Ray Cooper]] – tambourine
* [[Paul McCartney]] – backing vocals
* [[Linda McCartney]] – backing vocals
* [[Denny Laine]] – backing vocals

==Chart performance==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Chart (1981)
! Peak<br>position
|-
| Australian [[Kent Music Report]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=27135 |title=Top Singles of 1981 (Australia) |access-date=1 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209072035/http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=27135 |archive-date=9 December 2015 }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
|-
| Austrian Singles Chart<ref name="Norwegian"/>
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
|-
| Belgian [[Ultratop]] Singles Chart<ref name="Norwegian"/>
| style="text-align:center;"| 38
|-
| Canadian ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tsort.info/music/azncfw.htm |title=George Harrison |publisher=tsort.info |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
|-
| Dutch [[MegaCharts|MegaChart Singles]]<ref name="Norwegian"/>
| style="text-align:center;"| 43
|-
| [[Irish Singles Chart]]<ref name="Ireland">[http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement "''Search by Artist'' > George Harrison"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602061251/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |date=2 June 2009 }}, irishcharts.ie (retrieved 11 April 2014).</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 4
|-
| Italy ([[Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana|FIMI]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe1981.htm |title=I singoli più venduti del 1981 |trans-title=The best-selling singles of 1981 |work=Hit Parade Italia |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 20
|-
| New Zealand Singles Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Harrison&titel=All+Those+Years+Ago&cat=s |title=George Harrison – All Those Years Ago |publisher=charts.nz |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
|-
| Norwegian [[VG-lista|VG-lista Singles]]<ref name="Norwegian">{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Harrison&titel=All+Those+Years+Ago&cat=s |title=George Harrison – All Those Years Ago |publisher=Norwegiancharts.com |access-date=20 September 2011}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 2
|-
| Swiss Singles Chart<ref name="Norwegian"/>
| style="text-align:center;"| 8
|-
| Swedish [[Sverigetopplistan|Singles Chart]]<ref name="Norwegian"/>
| style="text-align:center;"| 11
|-
| [[UK Singles Chart]]<ref name="UKchart">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/george%20harrison/ |title=Artist: George Harrison |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
|-
| US [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary]]<ref name="USchart" />
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
|-
| US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="USchart">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-harrison-mn0000209142/awards |title=Awards: George Harrison |publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 2
|-
| US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cash Box Top 200 Singles|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]|date=27 June 1981|page=4}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 3
|-
| West German [[Media Control Charts|Media Control]] Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.de/song.asp?artist=George+Harrison&title=All+Those+Years+Ago&country=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718031641/http://www.officialcharts.de/song.asp?artist=George+Harrison&title=All+Those+Years+Ago&country=de |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 July 2014 |title=Single – George Harrison, All Those Years Ago |publisher=officialcharts.de |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 44
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! align="left"| Chart (1981)
! style="text-align:center;"| Rank
|-
| Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus81">{{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1981 |publisher= [[Kent Music Report]] |issue= 393 |page= 7 |via= [[Imgur]] |date= 4 January 1982 |access-date= 11 January 2022 |url= https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 73
|-
| Canadian ''RPM'' Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4689&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2016-10-17}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 30
|-
| Italy (FIMI)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe1981.htm |title=Top Annuali Single 1981|access-date=2022-01-30}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 67
|-
| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1981.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=2016-10-17}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 74
|-
| US ''Cash Box''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |title=Top 100 Year End Charts: 1981 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Magazine]] |access-date=2016-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918145923/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |archive-date=18 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |title=Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1981 |website=Tropicalglen.com |date=1981-12-26 |access-date=2016-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022115158/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |archive-date=22 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 38
|}
{{col-end}}

==See also==
* [[List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 1981|List of ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary number ones of 1981]]
* "[[Here Today (Paul McCartney song)|Here Today]]", Paul McCartney's 1982 tribute song to Lennon

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
<!-- THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE ORGANIZED TO BE PART OF THE ARTICLE: Dark Horse Records Vinyl 45 DRC49725 (YAA 1022S)/ Run time 3:42/ Copyright 1981, Ganga Distributors, B.V.  Produced by George Harrison and Ray Cooper; Engineered by Phil McDonald/ From the Dark Horse Album DHK 3492 "Somewhere In England"/ b/w "Writing's On The Wall". -->

==External links==
* {{discogs master|type=single|56115}}

{{George Harrison singles}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:All Those Years Ago}}
[[Category:George Harrison songs]]
[[Category:1981 songs]]
[[Category:1981 singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by George Harrison]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by George Harrison]]
[[Category:Music published by Oops Publishing and Ganga Publishing, B.V.]]
[[Category:Dark Horse Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs about John Lennon]]