George Harrison And Friends
The Concert For Bangladesh was the event title for two benefit concerts org… Read Full Bio ↴The Concert For Bangladesh was the event title for two benefit concerts organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held on the afternoon and evening of August 1, 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was the first benefit concert of this magnitude in world history, featuring an all-star supergroup of performers that included Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and Leon Russell. An album was released later in 1971 and a concert film was released in 1972, with later releases for home video. In 2005, the film was re-issued on DVD accompanied by a new documentary. The concert raised US$243,418.50 for Bangladesh relief, which was administered by UNICEF. Sales of the album and DVD continue to benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.
BACKGROUND
As East Pakistan struggled to become the separate state of Bangladesh (see Bangladesh Liberation War), the tremendous political and military turmoil led to a massive refugee problem in India. This problem was compounded by the 1970 Bhola cyclone, bringing torrential rains causing devastating floods and threatening a humanitarian disaster.
Bengali musician Ravi Shankar consulted his friend George Harrison regarding a means of providing help to the situation. Harrison recorded the single "Bangla Desh" to raise awareness and pushed Apple Records to release Shankar's single "Joi Bangla" in a dual-pronged effort to raise funds.
Shankar also asked Harrison's advice regarding a small fund-raising concert in the United States. Harrison took the idea and started calling his friends, persuading them to join him in a large concert at Madison Square Garden. The event was organised within five weeks.
Harrison first asked his fellow Beatles to appear. John Lennon agreed to take part in the concert, however Harrison stipulated that Lennon's wife Yoko Ono not perform with him. Lennon agreed, but left New York two days before the event following an argument with Ono regarding his and Harrison's agreement that she not participate. Paul McCartney declined because of the bad feelings caused by The Beatles' legal problems on their break-up. Ringo Starr, however, readily agreed to appear.
CONCERT PROGRAM
Ravi Shankar and the sarodist Ali Akbar Khan opened the concert with recital of Indian music consisting of the rāga, "Bangla Dhun".
It was the first live appearance for George Harrison since the breakup of The Beatles. Eric Clapton made his first public appearance since the end of the five-month Derek and the Dominos tour the previous December. Clapton was still in the grip of a heroin addiction, and had been unable to attend any rehearsals until the final soundcheck. This was the first live performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and was the first time the public was made aware that it was Clapton who played the solo on The Beatles' recording.
Musical help was also on hand from Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Badfinger, a large horn section put together by Jim Horn and other musicians, including Carl Radle, Jesse Ed Davis, Don Preston and a host of backing singers organized by Don Nix.
Bob Dylan made his first stage appearance since the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1969. Apart from sitting in for a few numbers with The Band on New Year 1972 and an unannounced appearance backing John Prine on harmonica at a Greenwich Village club, he did not play live again until January 1974.
BACKGROUND
As East Pakistan struggled to become the separate state of Bangladesh (see Bangladesh Liberation War), the tremendous political and military turmoil led to a massive refugee problem in India. This problem was compounded by the 1970 Bhola cyclone, bringing torrential rains causing devastating floods and threatening a humanitarian disaster.
Bengali musician Ravi Shankar consulted his friend George Harrison regarding a means of providing help to the situation. Harrison recorded the single "Bangla Desh" to raise awareness and pushed Apple Records to release Shankar's single "Joi Bangla" in a dual-pronged effort to raise funds.
Shankar also asked Harrison's advice regarding a small fund-raising concert in the United States. Harrison took the idea and started calling his friends, persuading them to join him in a large concert at Madison Square Garden. The event was organised within five weeks.
Harrison first asked his fellow Beatles to appear. John Lennon agreed to take part in the concert, however Harrison stipulated that Lennon's wife Yoko Ono not perform with him. Lennon agreed, but left New York two days before the event following an argument with Ono regarding his and Harrison's agreement that she not participate. Paul McCartney declined because of the bad feelings caused by The Beatles' legal problems on their break-up. Ringo Starr, however, readily agreed to appear.
CONCERT PROGRAM
Ravi Shankar and the sarodist Ali Akbar Khan opened the concert with recital of Indian music consisting of the rāga, "Bangla Dhun".
It was the first live appearance for George Harrison since the breakup of The Beatles. Eric Clapton made his first public appearance since the end of the five-month Derek and the Dominos tour the previous December. Clapton was still in the grip of a heroin addiction, and had been unable to attend any rehearsals until the final soundcheck. This was the first live performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and was the first time the public was made aware that it was Clapton who played the solo on The Beatles' recording.
Musical help was also on hand from Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Badfinger, a large horn section put together by Jim Horn and other musicians, including Carl Radle, Jesse Ed Davis, Don Preston and a host of backing singers organized by Don Nix.
Bob Dylan made his first stage appearance since the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1969. Apart from sitting in for a few numbers with The Band on New Year 1972 and an unannounced appearance backing John Prine on harmonica at a Greenwich Village club, he did not play live again until January 1974.
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George Harrison And Friends Lyrics
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son? Oh, where have…
Awaiting On You All You don't need no love in You don't need no bed…
Bangla Desh My friend came to me With sadness in his eyes Told me…
Beware Of Darkness Watch out now, take care Beware of falling swingers Dropping…
Blowin' In The Wind How many roads must a man walk down Before you call…
Here Comes The Sun Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, And I say…
It Don't Come Easy One, two, One, two, three, four! It don't come easy, You kn…
It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry Well, I ride on a mail train, baby, can't buy…
Just Like A Woman Nobody feels any pain Tonight as I stand inside the rain Ev'…
Mr. Tambourine Man Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me I'm not…
My Sweet Lord My sweet Lord Mm, my Lord Mm, my Lord I really want to…
Something Something in the way she moves Attracts me like no other…
That's The Way God Planned It Why can't we be humble Like the good Lord said He promised…
Wah-Wah Wah-wah You've given me a wah-wah And I'm thinking of you An…
While My Guitar Gently Weeps I look at you all see the love there that's…