Sweet Memories

IN a raucous English bar in Geneva, the party suddenly mellowed.

A song had come on the jukebox, a song of such simple power and beauty that every reveller stopped to listen.

"We all thought it was marvellous," remembers York's Ella Hirst.

"It was such a great tune. Just thinking about it now brings back some happy memories."

The song was George Harrison's My Sweet Lord, a passionate ode to religion in all forms, be they Christian, Hindu or Hare Krishna.

It topped the charts in January of 1971, when Ella was living with her then husband in Geneva, Switzerland.

She was one of the regulars of The Pickwick, a pub frequented by British expats, and the experience of hearing the song in the bar for the first time was "really moving".

It was especially significant for Ella, who had fallen in love with George when, in 1963, aged 16, she met him at York's Rialto, where the Beatles were playing.

She had special access to the band, in the company of renowned local journalist John Pick.

"George was lovely, the best of the bunch and my favourite. He really put me at ease when I met them.

"When I had my photo taken with him, I put my arm around him, and he said: 'get off, you fast cat'! He couldn't do much wrong for me from then on."

My Sweet Lord is now being touted as the new Number One in Sunday's charts. The re-release follows Harrison's death from cancer last November.

Someone else with fond memories of the song is York audio historian Van Wilson.

She said: "For me, it just brings back thoughts of when the world was your oyster. It was all fresh and new, and young people could do whatever they wanted.

"I had just left school, so it was about liberation. It was about sitting up all night chatting with your mates and thinking about the world.

"I don't think young people get that these days, there are that many pressures on them, which is sad. Listening to the song again today brings it all back."

Van and Ella are hoping that the re-released My Sweet Lord will top the charts tomorrow, beating the current Number One, More Than A Woman, by the late R'n'B star, Aaliyah, who was killed in an air crash last year.

If it does, it will be the first time in chart history that one late artiste has replaced another at the top.

Ian Feasey, owner of Cassady's Second Hand Records, in Gillygate, who provided us with our Harrison memorabilia for this picture, said: "My Sweet Lord is a fantastic record, and it's wonderful that it is in the charts now.

"I was pleased it wasn't released as a Christmas single, which some people

thought would happen when he died, because it deserves better than that.

"I've got the original song on vinyl; it would only fetch about a tenner, but it is still definitely a song worth having."

- Do you have memories of good times when My Sweet Lord first topped the charts? If so, ring us on 01904 653051, or e-mail nick.hallissey@ycp.co.uk

Top Ten on January 30, 1971:

1. My Sweet Lord

(George Harrison)

2. Grandad (Clive Dunn)

3. Ride A White Swan

(T-Rex)

4. The Pushbike Song

(Mixtures)

5. Apeman (The Kinks)

6. I'll Be There

(The Jackson Five)

7. Amazing Grace

(Judy Collins)

8. When I'm Dead And Gone (McGuinness Flint)

9. I Hear You Knocking

(Dave Edmunds)

10. Black Skin, Blue Eyed

Boys (Equals)

News from January 1971:

- A group calling themselves The Angry Brigade bombed the home of Government minister Robert Carr, who escaped unharmed

- The men of Apollo 14 landed on the moon

- Charles Manson was convicted of the murders of Sharon Tate and four others

- General Idi Amin seized power in Uganda

- Legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel died in Paris, aged 87

Updated: 10:19 Saturday, January 19, 2002