What Is Life
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| "What is Life" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by George Harrison | ||
| from the album 'All Things Must Pass' | ||
| Released | 1971 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 4:27 | |
| Label | Apple Records | |
| Producer(s) | Phil Spector and George Harrison | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| George Harrison singles chronology | ||
| "My Sweet Lord" (1971) |
"What is Life" (1971) |
"Bangla-Desh" (1971) |
"What is Life" is a single from the George Harrison solo album All Things Must Pass. The song included former members of The Beatles, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, and guitarist Eric Clapton.
The song is written about George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd, a model who he married during the shooting of The Beatles A Hard Day's Night. Eric Clapton, who was a good friend of Harrison's, had an affair with Boyd. Boyd divorced Harrison, and two years later married Clapton. Harrison remained friends with Clapton, and actually showed up to the wedding.
While Harrison and Boyd were still married, Eric Clapton recorded the song "Layla" with his band at the time, Derek and the Dominos, about the affair with Boyd, making "What Is Life" and "Layla" written about the same woman. Clapton also wrote the song "Wonderful Tonight" about Boyd while he was married to her.
Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John's cover of "What Is Life" reached the UK top 20 and the US Adult Contemporary singles chart in 1972.
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".
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.
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