A previously unheard demo from George Harrison titled “Cosmic Empire” has been released. The song was unearthed ahead of the 50th anniversary reissue of his classic solo album All Things Must Pass.
“Cosmic Empire” is a sweet-sounding two-minute tune featuring only Harrison’s voice accompanied by his acoustic guitar. On the song, his voice and his guitar work together to create earworm melodies that hook the listener to the vibrant soundscape Harrison manages to create. This all works in-turn to draw the listener into his lyrics, which celebrate a cosmic world where “souls are filled with joy,” and to which he would “like a front row seat.”
The song, recorded on only the second day of work on the album, is one of many that did not make the final cut when it was originally released back in November of 1970. Other unheard songs like “Going Down To Golders Green,” “Dehra Dun,” “Sour Milk Sea,” “Om Hare Om,” Window Window,” “Beautiful Girl,” “Mother Divine” and “Nowhere To Go” are all slated to be released on August 6 in the upcoming All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary Edition reissue of the classic album.
More of Harrison’s recordings were released in February on Bob Dylan’s 50th anniversary box set for previously unreleased recordings from 1970. Harrison’s work can be heard on nine songs from the first disc of the set, including “One Too Many Mornings,” “Gates of Eden,” “Mama You’ve Been On My Mind,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Matchbox” and more.
Last year, some of Harrison’s songs were given notable covers. His song “Beware of Darkness” was given a lo-fi twist in Angel Olsen’s cover of the song. Jim James also covered the Harrison-written Beatles B-side “The Inner Light.”
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