George Harrison's classic 1970 album All Things Must Pass got a super deluxe edition box set this year, and to further the celebration they've just released an official music video for his single "My Sweet Lord." The video was written and directed by Lance Bangs and stars Fred Armisen and Vanessa Bayer as two X-Files type agents who've been tasked with investigating a strange occurrence by their boss, played by Mark Hamill.
Fred, Vanessa and Mark are far from the only notable people in this video though. You don't turn down a Beatle, and also on hand are Ringo Starr, George's wife, Olivia Harrison, their son, Dhani Harrison, plus Jeff Lynne, Weird Al Yankovic, Taika Waititi, Tim & Eric, Jon Hamm, Rosanna Arquette, Joe Walsh, Patton Oswalt, Reggie Watts, Shepard Fairey, Tom Scharpling, Natasha Leggero, Garfunkel and Oates (Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome), and tons of other musicians, comedians, and notable folks, and not in a Zoom call / green screen sort of way.
"Making this was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” says Bangs. “The approach was to represent the song visually while these agents and inspectors kept missing the metaphysical wonder around them. Images are choreographed to the sounds of vocal melodies, guitar strums, drum patterns, chord changes. George threaded a sense of humor through all of his videos, so we kept that spirit and filled the cast with friends and admirers of his music, many coming from the current comedy landscape. I tracked down vintage prime lenses from some of the films George's HandMade Films had produced, and I hope that viewers can feel a sense of wonder and searching while they watch it, and that the song continues to add to all of our lives.”
Watch the video, and check out the full list of people who are in it, below below.
Read our feature Beatles vs Beach Boys: a brief history of the greatest rivalry in pop innovation.
"My Sweet Lord" video cast:
Mark Hamill
Fred Armisen
Vanessa Bayer
Moshe Kasher
Natasha Leggero
Jeff Lynne
Reggie Watts
Darren Criss
Patton Oswalt
Al Yankovic
David Gborie
Sam Richardson
Atsuko Okatsuka
Rosanna Arquette
Brandon Wardell
Ringo Starr
Joe Walsh
Jon Hamm
Brett Metter
Anders Holm
Dhani Harrison
Rupert Friend
Angus Sampson
Taika Waititi
Eric Wareheim
Tim Heidecker
Kate Micucci
Riki Lindhome
Alyssa Stonoha
Mitra Jouhari
Sandy Honig
Olivia Harrison
Aimee Mullins
Courtney Pauroso
Natalie Palamides
Shepard Fairey
Claudia O'Doherty
Tom Scharpling
Paul Scheer
Sarah Baker