Billy Preston vs. George Harrison | Head 2 Head

In the 8^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Billy Preston and George Harrison contend for the best rendition of “My Sweet Lord.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song, comparing their respective performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 8^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Billy Preston and George Harrison contend for the best rendition of “My Sweet Lord”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Billy Preston, “My Sweet Lord”

💿 Encouraging Words • 🏷 Apple Corps Ltd • 📅 1970 

“I really want to see You / I really want to be with You.” Aww, it’s giving a relationship, Billy Preston.  Of course, the relationship that the late, Grammy-winning musician is referencing seems to be with God.  Preston, notably, was a Christian, and faith played a role in his music.  The song at hand, “My Sweet Lord”, appears as the fourth track on his 1970 album, Encouraging Words. “I really want to see you Lord,” he continues singing in the chorus of this George Harrison-penned classic, adding, “But it takes so long, oh Lord.”

In the hands of Billy Preston, the original version of “My Sweet Lord” is heavy on gospel. Again, Preston was a man of faith, and his brand of soul was incredibly funky, with heavy influence from gospel music. The lyrics support a gospelized soul record, intact with “Hallelujahs” in the mix. Preston’s lead is commanding, deeply invested in faith.  He also gets a gargantuan lift from a supporting choir, which makes this grand record even more grandiose.  Running under three-and-a-half-minutes in duration, it’s a sufficient amount of time for Preston to serve up, well, those encouraging words.  “My Sweet Lord” peaked at no. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100.  That’s modest, but, it did chart.

2. George Harrison, “My Sweet Lord”

💿 All Things Must Pass • 🏷 G.H. Estate Limited / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC • 📅 1970

Faith was important to the late, great, George Harrison. Harrison professes his faith on his no. 1 hit, “My Sweet Lord”, which appears on his 1970 album, All Things Must Pass.  The excerpted lyrics are applicable to Christian religions – the idea of a relationship with God.  That said, ultimately, Harrison makes ample references to eastern religion, specifically, Hinduism. “My, my, my Lord (Hare Krishna)” clearly separates this from Christianity.  Still, Harrison serves up many hallelujahs, though eventually, its Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Gurur Brahma, etc. Considering Hinduism, the lengthiness to see The Lord (“I really want to see you Lord / But it takes so long, oh Lord”) doesn’t mirror what many Christian religions ascribe to – heaven versus reincarnation.

Regardless of the religious specifics, which are intriguing, what makes “My Sweet Lord” a musical lift is the embracement of faith and believing in something.  The lyrics are uncomplicated, which, interestingly, is similar to many Christian and gospel songs. Harrison sounds fantastic, while he and Phil Spector construct a marvelous, folk-gospel backdrop. “My Sweet Lord” contains ample faith, not to mention plenty of instrumentalists! Of course, we can’t mention “My Sweet Lord” without that lawsuit – we’ve all been highly inspired by others’ music, haven’t we?

Appears in 🔻:

• George Harrison, My Sweet Lord: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 6 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, which rendition of this song of praise, “My Sweet Lord” earns the highest marks? Is it the original, written by George Harrison but recorded by Billy Preston, or does Harrison cover of his own song take top honors? Either way, George Harrison can’t lose! That’s a sweet predicament, right? Preston’s exuberant, gospelized soul original is fabulous – it makes you want to shout! BUT the real magic arrives courtesy of the Harrison gospelized folk rock rendition, which topped the charts. Notably, Preston honored George, who died five years before him, on “My Sweet Lord (Live)” from the 2018 compilation, Concert for George (Live).

Billy Preston vs. George Harrison: Head 2 Head No. 8 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Apple Corps Ltd, G.H. Estate Limited / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]