Nature Will Take Everything

***Nature Will Take Everything*** is the debut triple album by Luke Melvin, released on 18 May 1970 under the Beatles' label Apple. A new member of the music business, Luke Melvin wrote all his own material. The album is the best-selling album of all time, being certified 20x platinum in 2018. It shot him straight into the music business, and is also the fastest-selling album of all time. It includes the hit singles: "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" and "I Appreciate the Lord", the latter of which is the best-selling single of all time. Two singles released from the album reached the top position of the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Chart. In a UK 1990 census, the album was voted the most loved album of all time. It was also voted the most loved album of all time in 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Luke Melvin oversaw a successful deluxe remastered version of *Nature Will Take Everything*, released on the thirtieth anniversary of the album. It included never heard before demos from his home in Liverpool, remixes of all the songs and a complete re-recording of "I Appreciate the Lord". The remastered album was a sextuple album, which was double that of the original triple album. "I Appreciate the Lord 2000" reached No. 1 in many charts around the world, and the 2000 remastered edition of the album was the best-selling album of the 2000s. It just beat the original version.

The songs were recorded in January 1970, with overdubbing and mixing carried out by Luke Melvin in February and March. The album featured an immense cast of backing musicians. Some include Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, John Lennon and George Harrison with several others. The backing musicians were not advertised so it mind blows critics how it managed the commercial success it did.

The album was barely promoted but managed to become the best-selling album of the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2010s. The 2000s best selling album was the remastered edition.

## Background

Luke Melvin met George Harrison in early 1968 and they became good friends. Harrison could see Melvin's songwriting and guitar talents, while Melvin could see that Harrison's talents were being held back by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Harrison invited Melvin to play guitar on his song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in August 1968 and he accepted but it was not advertised, making Melvin still a normal citizen, what he wanted. He and Harrison co-wrote the opening track to *Nature Will Take Everything*: "We Can Tell" in 1969. Melvin was present for most of the sessions for *Abbey Road*in mid-1969 and helped Ringo Starr write "Octopus's Garden". In late 1969, John Lennon convinced Melvin to become an artist and Lennon, Harrison and Starr agreed to be backing musicians. Meanwhile, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton and many, many others also agreed to help out.

## Songs

**Side One**

"We Can Tell" was a song that Melvin and Harrison co-wrote about them being able to tell how talented each other were, despite Harrison's efforts being held back by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It was written in early 1969. Melvin said: "Me and George were with each other in Liverpool and I was sitting with my acoustic guitar and he was sitting with his and I jammed out some chords and as I moved my hands up the neck, I thought 'this sounds like a tune here' and I started humming: 'Our efforts are being held back' but he replied 'but we can tell'. We finished the composition the next day and I recorded it for *Nature Will Take Everything*."

"I Appreciate the Lord" was the first single released from the album, which reached number one in hundreds of charts around the world. It was about Melvin's appreciation of the Lord Krishna. Melvin said: "I had the lyrics and the riff, which I put together, and worked out the chords and I thought: 'wow this sounds like an A-side here' so I decided to make it a single. It worked out, I suppose." It became the best-selling single of all time.

"George George (Let's Hope We Can Prove It)" was the B-side to "I Appreciate the Lord" and about when he showed a composition to John Lennon which Lennon mocked. Melvin said: "I thought, 'so this is how George feels every day' so I went and wrote lyrics that afternoon about it, jammed out some chords, and made a little riff and I had the song."

"Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" was the second single from the album. He wrote the song in 1962 at age 22. It was the first song he ever wrote. Luke Melvin said: "I revisited that song and I thought it was on a par with 'I Appreciate the Lord' so I made it an A-side."

"The Lord Might Control Us" was the B-side to "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" which he wrote because of his theory that the Lord Brahman controls absolutely everything, even the actions you are doing now. He wrote the lyrics, a riff came into his head and then he worked out the chords. He then had the song.

"Something" is a song written by George Harrison which Melvin covered on his 1970 album *Nature Will Take Everything*.

**Side two**

"We Can Make It" was the third and final single from the album which peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 on the US Billboard. It was about he and George Harrison who were being neglected by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and their compositions being taken down under by them both. Melvin said: "I wanted to convince John and McCartney that me and George *were* good. So I wrote the lyrics, then jammed out chords and made a riff. Then that was pretty much it."

"Let It Die" was a simple love song that Melvin wrote for the album. It was also the B-side to "We Can Make It". Melvin said: "I wanted to write a love song, like the early Beatles stuff, so I thought, 'why not make a story up?'. That's how that song came about, just a love song really."

"Two Faced" was a song that Luke Melvin wrote about Paul McCartney. Melvin said: "McCartney was pissing me off one day, shouting at George and Ringo, pointing his finger at John and spitting in my face that I stood up and called him a dickhead and left with George. I wrote 'Two Faced' that afternoon. It was about McCartney."

"The Lord Might Take It Away" was a song he wrote about how the Lord Shiva may take it all away one day, and how people need to live every second to the fullest. Melvin said: "The Lord Shiva, hail him, may take it all away one day and we need to make the most of every second. So that's what that song is about."

"Fans" was a song that Melvin wrote near to the end of production of *Nature Will Take Everything* in March 1970 which he recorded as the only composition on the album he is the only musician to feature on. He did it to quickly fill up the album as he needed one more song.

"Ballad of Mathew Street (Down to the Cavern Club)" was a song Melvin wrote in tribute of the early days of the Beatles in Mathew Street in the Cavern Club when he used to go and see them in the early sixties. Melvin said: "That one just came to me. The words were there ... all I needed to do was pick up the guitar, get a riff, work out the chords and I had the song."

**Side three**

"We Don't Need An Agenda" was a song that just came to him one day. Melvin said: "That song is a really odd one. I was just sitting at home watching tele one day when suddenly this tune came into my head: ding ding ding do do do, bang bang boo boo boo boo and then these words: 'We don't need a ding ding ding do do do, it doesn't really bang bang boo boo boo boo'. So all I needed to do was work out that riff on guitar, find out the chords, and I had a song for *Nature Will Take Everything*."

"Nature Will Take Everything" was a song that Melvin wrote in the Beatles' studio in 1969. He then presented the composition to George Harrison who liked it. Melvin said: "Well, that song was just a simple rock number that I thought would just be an album track but I liked the name and thought it was cool. So I made it the album title."

"I Want Somebody" was a love song Melvin wrote just for the album. He said: "I had these soppy lyrics and then I jammed on guitar and thought: 'good progression' so then I wrote the riff and then that was it. I had 'I Want Somebody'."

"Scared of Dying?" was a song Melvin wrote about people being scared of dying. Melvin said: "I didn't see the point. Why should you be scared of dying when we have the Lord Krishna to look forward to? Personally I can't wait."

"Oh What A Pity (Reprise)" was the reprise to the song "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)". It was a song he wanted to reprise, as he'd had the original around since 1962.

**Side four**

"Does The Lord See Me?" was a song written when Melvin was scared that the Lord Krishna did not know about him. Melvin said: "I was scared the Lord Krishna did not know about me. I just wrote down my feelings, then jammed on the guitar to take my mind off it then got a tune. I thought it would go well with my feelings so then I wrote the riff and I had the song."

"How Can It Be Possible?" was a song Melvin wrote on piano about when things go wrong in life. Melvin said: "I was sitting at the piano and I thought, 'wow what a dark progression'. I wrote a melody in my right hand, with chords in the left and then wrote lyrics while leaning against my grand piano. I wrote a guitar solo and then I pretty much had the whole song."

"New Flavour" was a song he wrote after watching a documentary about crisps on TV. Melvin said: "I got the lyrics while sitting watching a documentary. I thought: 'could go well with a song' and I was developing *Nature Will Take Everything* so I was taking inspiration left, right and centre and so I came up with a riff and a progression and I had the song 'New Flavour'."

"Why?" was a song that Melvin wrote about fish and chips tasting better by the sea. Melvin said: "Hear me about about 'Why?'. I bought fish and chips in Liverpool and ate them in Manchester and I thought: 'for fuck's sake, they taste fucking awful' so I wrote a song around that."

"The Sound Is Manipulated" was a song that Melvin just wrote for the sake of it. He said: "I heard 'The Sound is Manipulated' on the TV, but the lyrics are otherwise unrelated. The riff is OK, the chords are alright. Just a song really."

"Would You Be Surprised To Know ... ?" was a song Melvin wrote when quizzed on who wrote songs he knew well. Melvin said: "I kept hearing George [Harrison] say: 'Would you be surprised to know that this song is by John [Lennon]' and all this. Funny. I just got a song idea out of that."

**Side five**

"Up On The Spot" was a twenty minute ballad which Luke Melvin decided to do instead of writing tons of songs for side five. There's a piano section, a guitar section, an organ section and a synthesizer section.

"Little Blue Bag" was a song that Melvin wrote about Smith's Crisps. He said: "Just saw a crisp packet and thought, 'blue bag .... good song idea'. I was milking it at this point!"

**Side six**

"Pork Fat" was a thirty minute song about that one time when Melvin saw a poor old pig being killed in the field.

"Goodbye" was a song deliberately written to close off Luke Melvin's triple LP. Melvin said: "Just wrote it as a closer in a few minutes, y'know? Songwriting practise."

## Track listing

All songs written by Luke Melvin, except where noted.

**Side one**

1. "We Can Tell" (Melvin, George Harrison) - 2:18
2. "I Appreciate the Lord" - 3:09
3. "George George (Let's Hope We Can Prove It)" - 2:49
4. "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" - 2:29
5. "The Lord Might Control Us" - 2:54
6. "Something" (George Harrison) - 2:59

**Side two**

1. "We Can Make It" - 3:18
2. "Let It Die" - 3:33
3. "Two Faced" - 3:12
4. "The Lord Might Take It Away" - 4:01
5. "Fans" - 2:19
6. "Ballad of Mathew Street (Down to the Cavern Club)" - 2:49

**Side three**

1. "We Don't Need An Agenda" - 1:59
2. "Nature Will Take Everything" - 3:00
3. "I Want Somebody" - 3:20
4. "Scared of Dying?" - 5:09
5. "Oh What A Pity (Reprise)" - 7:19

**Side four**

1. "Does The Lord See Me?" - 2:59
2. "How Can It Be Possible?" - 3:39
3. "New Flavour" - 3:40
4. "Why?" - 3:55
5. "The Sound Is Manipulated" - 3:23
6. "Would You Be Surprised To Know ... ?" - 4:19

**Side five (*If You're Not Hardcore Don't Listen*****)**

1. "Up On The Spot" - 22:38
2. "Little Blue Bag" - 5:19

**Side six (*If You're Not Hardcore Don't Listen*)**

1. "Pork Fat" - 31:18
2. "Goodbye" - 2:12

### ***Nature Will Take Everything* 2000 Deluxe Edition**

All songs written by Luke Melvin, except where noted.

**Disc one (Remixes)**

1. "We Can Tell" (Melvin, George Harrison) - 2:18
2. "I Appreciate the Lord" - 3:09
3. "George George (Let's Hope We Can Prove It)" - 2:49
4. "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" - 2:29
5. "The Lord Might Control Us" - 2:54
6. "Something" (George Harrison) - 2:59
7. "We Can Make It" - 3:18
8. "Let It Die" - 3:33
9. "Two Faced" - 3:12
10. "The Lord Might Take It Away" - 4:01
11. "Fans" - 2:19
12. "Ballad of Mathew Street (Down to the Cavern Club)" - 2:49

**Disc two (Remixes)**

1. "We Don't Need An Agenda" - 1:59
2. "Nature Will Take Everything" - 3:00
3. "I Want Somebody" - 3:20
4. "Scared of Dying" - 5:09
5. "Oh What A Pity (Reprise)" - 7:19
6. "Does The Lord See Me?" - 2:59
7. "How Can It Be Possible?" - 3:39
8. "New Flavour" - 3:40
9. "Why?" - 3:55
10. "The Sound Is Manipulated" - 3:23
11. "Would You Be Surprised To Know ... ?" - 4:19

**Disc three (Remixes)**

1. "Up On The Spot" - 22:38
2. "Little Blue Bag" - 5:19
3. "Pork Fat" - 31:18
4. "Goodbye" - 2:12

**Disc four (Liverpool demos)**

1. "We Can Tell" (Melvin, George Harrison) - 2:18
2. "I Appreciate the Lord" - 3:09
3. "George George (Let's Hope We Can Prove It)" - 2:49
4. "Oh What A Pity (Not Really)" - 2:29
5. "The Lord Might Control Us" - 2:54
6. "Something" (George Harrison) - 2:59
7. "We Can Make It" - 3:18
8. "Let It Die" - 3:33
9. "Two Faced" - 3:12
10. "The Lord Might Take It Away" - 4:01
11. "Ballad of Mathew Street (Down to the Cavern Club)" - 2:49

**Disc five (Liverpool demos)**

1. "We Don't Need An Agenda" - 1:59
2. "Nature Will Take Everything" - 3:00
3. "I Want Somebody" - 3:20
4. "Scared of Dying" - 5:09
5. "Does The Lord See Me?" - 2:59
6. "How Can It Be Possible?" - 3:39
7. "New Flavour" - 3:40
8. "Why?" - 3:55
9. "The Sound Is Manipulated" - 3:23
10. "Would You Be Surprised To Know ... ?" - 4:19

**Disc six (Re-recordings)**

1. "I Appreciate the Lord 2000" - 3:09

## Personnel

* Luke Marvin - lead and backing vocals; lead, rhythm, acoustic, slide and bass guitars; harmonica; synthesizer, organ, piano (on "How Can It Be Possible?"); bell, triangle, bongos, bass drum, tambourine, drums (on "Fans")
* George Harrison - backing and harmony vocals; rhythm, acoustic and bass guitars
* Eric Clapton - backing vocals; lead and rhythm guitars
* John Barham - harmonium, vibraphone
* John Lennon - rhythm and acoustic guitars
* Jim Price - trumpet, trombone
* Billy Preston - piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer
* Tony Ashton - piano
* Gary Brooker - piano
* Alan White - vibraphone
* Bobby Keys - saxophones
* Bob Dylan - rhythm guitar
* Mal Evans - backing vocals; percussion
* Klaus Voormann - bass guitar; electric piano
* Peter Frampton - acoustic lead guitar
* Pete Ham - acoustic rhythm guitar
* Tom Evans - acoustic rhythm guitar
* Joey Molland - acoustic rhythm guitar
* Pattie Boyd - harmony vocals
* Ringo Starr - backing vocals, drums, percussion
* Ben Marvin - bass guitar, electric guitar; electric piano (2000 reissue only)