‘What Is Life’ is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass. In many countries, it was issued as the second single from the album, in February 1971, becoming a top-ten hit in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, and topping singles charts in Australia and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, ‘What Is Life’ appeared as the B-side to ‘My Sweet Lord’, which was the best-selling single there of 1971. Harrison's backing musicians on the song include Eric Clapton and the entire Delaney & Bonnie and Friends band, with whom he had toured during the final months of the Beatles. Harrison co-produced the recording with Phil Spector, whose Wall of Sound production also employed a prominent string arrangement by John Barham and multiple acoustic rhythm guitars, played by Harrison's fellow Apple Records signings Badfinger.
An uptempo soul tune, ‘What Is Life’ is one of several Harrison love songs that appear to be directed at both a woman and a deity. Harrison wrote the song in 1969 and originally intended it as a track for his friend and Apple protégé Billy Preston to record. It was while driving up to a Preston session in London from his home in Esher, Surrey, that Harrison came up with the song ‘What Is Life’. In his autobiography, I, Me, Mine, Harrison describes it as having been written "very quickly" and recalls that he thought it would be a perfect, "catchy pop song" for Preston to record. He adds that he changed his mind once he arrived at Olympic Studios and found Preston working on more typical material – or "playing his funky stuff". Rather than attempt it with the Beatles during the band's concurrent Abbey Road sessions, Harrison stockpiled "What Is Life" with his many other unused songs from the period, including ‘All Things Must Pass’, ‘Let It Down’, ‘I'd Have You Anytime’ and ‘Run of the Mill’. He revisited it a year later, after completing work on Preston's second Apple album, Encouraging Words.
By May 1970, having recently collaborated with "genuine R&B heavy-weights" such as Doris Troy and Preston, as well as participating in the "blue-eyed soul" Delaney & Bonnie European tour, along with Eric Clapton, the previous December, Harrison was well placed to record ‘What Is Life’, Leng observes. With Phil Spector as co-producer and all the Friends team on hand, the song was among the first tracks taped for Harrison's debut post-Beatles solo album; recording took place at Abbey Road Studios in London, during late May or early June.
‘What Is Life’ was released in late November 1970 as the first track on side two of All Things Must Pass, in its original, triple LP format. Along with ‘My Sweet Lord’ and ‘Isn't It a Pity’, the song had already been identified as a potential hit single by Allan Steckler, manager of Apple's US operation. Backed by ‘Apple Scruffs’, ‘What Is Life’ was issued as a single in America on 15 February 1971, just as the ‘My Sweet Lord’ / ‘Isn't It a Pity’ double A-side was slipping out of the top ten. Billboard magazine's reviewer described ‘What Is Life’ and ‘Apple Scruffs’ as "intriguing rhythm follows-ups" to the first single, which were "sure to repeat that success" and "should prove big juke box items". Record World called it "perhaps the most commercial cut" from All Things Must Pass.
Label – Apple
Songwriter – George Harrison
Producers – George Harrison, Phil Spector
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you anytime of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
[Chorus]
Tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
[Verse 2]
What I know, I can do
If I give my love now to everyone like you
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
[Chorus]
Tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
Tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
[Verse 1]
What I feel, I can't say
But my love is there for you anytime of day
But if it's not love that you need
Then I'll try my best to make everything succeed
[Chorus]
Tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
Oh, tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
[Chorus]
What is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?
Oh, tell me, what is my life without your love?
And tell me, who am I without you by my side?