Do You Remember When George Harrison Made A New Year’s Song?
Most iconic rock artists have specialized in Christmas songs for holiday music, but George Harrison chose to defy convention. Harrison gave us a rare New Year’s anthem with his song “Ding Dong, Ding Dong,” instead of jingling bells and Yuletide cheer. Despite the song’s artistic value and positive message, it is still underappreciated for one clear reason: New Year’s doesn’t have the same cultural significance as Christmas.
Why ‘Ding Dong, Ding Dong’ Stands Out
Each member of the Beatles experimented with holiday music after their split, and the band themselves embraced the festive spirit with “Christmas Time (Is Here Again).” Paul McCartney gave us “Wonderful Christmastime,” John Lennon released the classic “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” and Ringo Starr created the joyous album I Wanna Be Santa Claus. But instead of focusing on Christmas, George Harrison gave something new: a song to ring in the New Year.
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” captures the spirit of the New Year, which is a season of introspection, rebirth, and breaking old routines. The song is inspirational and uplifting, with lyrics that promote self-improvement. Its musical elements include merry bells and a nod to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, a classic of Christmas music. The end product is a festive anthem that is just as happy as a Christmas song, but it hasn’t gained the same level of cultural recognition since New Year’s music doesn’t have the same nostalgic appeal.
The Album Behind the Song
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” appeared on Harrison’s 1974 album Dark Horse, which Harrison described as a snapshot of his life at the time. In a 1974 interview featured in George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters, he reflected on his busy schedule:
“I’ve been busy working,” Harrison said.
“I was busy being deposed. I’ve been doing some tracks of my own, did the Splinter album, finished up Ravi [Shankar]’s album, been to India for two months, organized the music festival from India; I’ve done a million things.”
When asked why he didn’t do personal interviews, Harrison replied:
“There’s nothing to say, really. I’m a musician, not a talker. If you get my album, it’s like [soap opera] Peyton Place, I mean it’ll tell you exactly what I’ve been doing.”
A Modest Success with a Big Message
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” achieved moderate success, reaching No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and spending six weeks on the chart. It performed similarly in the U.K., peaking at No. 38 and staying on the chart for five weeks. The album Dark Horse fared better, climbing to No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and charting for 17 weeks.
“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” is nevertheless a lively and upbeat tune in spite of its lackluster chart performance. Its message of self-improvement and rebirth makes it the ideal New Year’s song, and it might have been a much greater hit in a society where New Year’s music was more widely recognized.
