Sue Me, Sue You Blues

About Sue Me, Sue You Blues

"Sue Me, Sue You Blues" is a song written by English musician George Harrison, released on his 1973 album Living in the Material World. Harrison initially let American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis record it for the latter's Ululu album (1972), in gratitude to Davis for his participation in the Concert for Bangladesh. When writing the song, Harrison drew inspiration from the legal issues surrounding the Beatles during the early months of 1971, particularly the lawsuit that Paul McCartney initiated in an effort to dissolve the band's business partnership, Apple Corps. The inclusion of "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" on Material World marked a rare example of a secular composition on Harrison's most spiritually oriented album. Recorded at the Beatles' Apple Studio in London, the track features his extensive use of the dobro-style resonator guitar, as well as musical contributions from Gary Wright, Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Voormann and Jim Keltner. The song's musical mood and lyric recall aspects of old English square dance, a quality that some writers identify as mirroring the changing of sides amid the lawsuits relating to the Beatles' break-up. Some critics have compared the track with John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?"; Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone magazine described it as a "clever Lennonist diatribe". Harrison performed "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" throughout his 1974 North American tour, utilising a funk-inspired arrangement that featured musicians Willie Weeks, Andy Newmark and Tom Scott. For these performances, Harrison modified the lyrics to reflect the former Beatles uniting against manager Allen Klein. The song's title was a phrase that Harrison and commentators adopted when referring to Beatles-related legal issues during the 1970s. A film clip containing Harrison's 1971 demo of "Sue Me, Sue You Blues" appeared on the DVD accompanying the 2006 remaster of Living in the Material World. more »