"The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord)" | |
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Song by George Harrison | |
from the album Living in the Material World | |
Published | Material World Charitable Foundation (administered by Harrisongs) |
Released | 30 May 1973 |
Genre | Rock |
Length | 4:34 |
Label | Apple |
Songwriter(s) | George Harrison |
Producer(s) | George Harrison |
Living in the Material World track listing | |
11 tracks
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"The Lord Loves the One (That Loves the Lord)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. Like the album's title track, it was inspired by the teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), more commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement. The song is an uptempo rock track with elements of blues and gospel. Some commentators have described it as the musical highpoint of Living in the Material World, with Harrison's slide guitar playing singled out as being among the finest performances of his career.
The composition originated during a period marked by Harrison's devotion to a Hindu-aligned ascetic life and the height of his public association with the Hare Krishna movement, which included his donation of Bhaktivedanta Manor for use as an ISKCON temple. In his lyrics, Harrison sings of the falsehood of striving for wealth or power in the material world and advocates a direct relationship with one's deity as a genuine life goal. In doing so, he belittles the role of political leaders, as well as his own status as a celebrated rock musician. The song's Krishna Conscious message was also reflected in Harrison's choice of artwork for the Material World album, specifically the reproduction of a painting from a Prabhupada-published edition of the Bhagavad Gita.
Harrison recorded "The Lord Loves the One" between October 1972 and March 1973 with session musicians Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner and Jim Horn. While the music has invited critical praise, the devout assertions in Harrison's lyrics typified what some reviewers in 1973 viewed as an overly didactic message on much of the parent album. Among reviewers in the 21st century, the composition continues to divide opinion. Although some commentators consider it an obvious choice as a live track, Harrison performed "The Lord Loves the One" only once in concert – on the opening night of his 1974 North American tour with Ravi Shankar.