Blow Away

For the song by A Fine Frenzy, see Bomb in a Birdcage.
"Blow Away"

US picture sleeve
Single by George Harrison
from the album George Harrison
B-side "Soft-Hearted Hana" (US)
"Soft Touch" (UK)
Released 14 February 1979
Format 7-inch vinyl record
Genre Rock
Length 3:59
Label Dark Horse
Writer(s) George Harrison
Producer(s) George Harrison, Russ Titelman
George Harrison singles chronology
"It's What You Value"
(1977)		 "Blow Away"
(1979)		 "Love Comes to Everyone"
(1979)
George Harrison track listing

"Blow Away" is a 1979 single by George Harrison, taken from his eponymous album.

Writing and recording

The song is one of Harrison's most popular and beloved post-Apple singles, and also one of the simplest. Its uptempo pop sound fell far outside the dominant genres of the era: disco and punk. The end of "Blow Away", written on a rainy day (that's why first verses are about clouds), was included in Nuns on the Run – a comedy with Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane.

In his autobiography, I, Me, Mine, Harrison says that the song arose from feelings of frustration and inadequacy resulting from a leaking roof at his Friar Park home. While viewing the downpour from an outbuilding on the property, he realised that, in surrendering to the problem, he was merely exacerbating it. With this realisation, the episode served as a reminder that he, in fact, "loved everybody" and should seek to be more optimistic. Additionally, he notes that, while he initially felt self-conscious about the song, thinking it "so obvious", the track grew on him when he recorded it.[1]

Music video

The video for "Blow Away" includes shots of Harrison miming to the song superimposed over footage of moving clouds and land, and in some instances, accompanied by large toys (a wind-up duck; sitting in a toy swan and on a dog). There are also instances of Harrison acting silly – breaking into a quick smirk as the camera closes in on the lyric "be happy", and doing a playful dance step.

Reception

"Blow Away" reached number 51 on the UK Singles Chart, his first chart appearance on that chart since "You" in 1975. The single peaked at number 16 and number 7, respectively, in the United States and Canada. On the US Easy Listening chart, it reached number 2.

"Blow Away" became one of Harrison's more popular songs among his fans. In 2010, AOL radio listeners chose the track as one of the "10 Best George Harrison Songs", appearing at number 2 on the list, behind "My Sweet Lord".[2] "Blow Away" appears on the Harrison compilations Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989 (1989) and Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison (2009).

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Canadian RPM 100[3] 7
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary[4] 5
New Zealand Singles Chart[5] 30
UK Singles Chart[6] 51
US Billboard Easy Listening[7] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 16
US Cash Box Top 100[8] 12

Year-end charts

Chart (1979) Rank
Canadian RPM Top Singles[9] 75
US Cash Box Singles[10] 99

References

  1. ↑ Harrison, George (2002) [1980]. I, Me, Mine. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. p. 378. ISBN 978-0-8118-5900-4.
  2. ↑ Dickinson, Boonsri. "10 Best George Harrison Songs". AOL.
  3. ↑ "RPM 100 Singles, 26 May 1979", Library and Archives Canada (retrieved 4 June 2015).
  4. ↑ "RPM Adult Contemporary, 2 June 1979", Library and Archives Canada (retrieved 13 October 2016).
  5. ↑ "George Harrison – Blow Away" Archived 27 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine., charts.org.nz (retrieved 4 June 2015).
  6. ↑ "Artist: George Harrison", Official Charts Company (retrieved 4 June 2015).
  7. 1 2 "George Harrison > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles", AllMusic (retrieved 4 June 2015).
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-14.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-12.

External links

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