George Harrison’s Concert For Bangladesh finally comes to streaming

George Harrison and Ravi Shankar’s legendary Concert For Bangladesh is now streaming for the first time ever. Described as “the first major music benefit of its kind,” Harrison and Shankar put on two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in August 1971 to help raise awareness around the Bangladesh Liberation War and raise funds with UNICEF for refugees of the conflict. They were joined on stage by a group of heavy-hitter freinds and artists, including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, and Billy Preston. 

According to a press release, the triple album box set and concert film have generated “millions of dollars” for UNICEF over the years, but on Friday the album became available to stream for the first time ever (on Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, and elsewhere). The streaming version of the album also features an additional bonus track, the original studio version of Harrison’s benefit track “Bangla Desh,” released as a single in July 1971. All net proceeds from streaming the album continue to be donated to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF, which supports UNICEF programs in Bangladesh as well as “anywhere children are in need.” 

Concert For Bangladesh is still seen not only as a seminal moment in music but as the blueprint for the other great altruistic and collaborative events that came afterward, such as Live Aid.  “The musicians were great,” Harrison later said of the experience. “I mean they completely put down their own egos to play together and to do something because the whole vibe of that concert was that it was something bigger than the lot of us.” You can check out the full tracklist for the album below.

1. Introduction by George Harrison & Ravi—George Harrison & Ravi Shankar
2. Bangla Dhun—Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan & Ali Rakha & Kamala Chakravarti
3. Wah-Wah—George Harrison
4. My Sweet Lord—George Harrison
5. Awaiting On You All—George Harrison
6. That’s The Way God Planned It—Billy Preston
7. It Don’t Come Easy—Ringo Starr
8. Beware Of Darkness—George Harrison & Leaon Russell
9. Band Introduction—George Harrison
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps—George Harrison
11. Jumpin’ Jack Flash / Young Blood—Leon Russell
12. Here Comes The Sun—George Harrison
13. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall—Bob Dylan
14. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry—Bob Dylan
15. Blowin’ In The Wind—Bob Dylan
16. Mr. Tambourine Man—Bob Dylan
17. Just Like A Woman—Bob Dylan
18. Something—George Harrison
19. Bangla Desh—George Harrison
20. Love Minus Zero / No Limit—Bob Dylan
21. Bangla Desh (Studio Version)—George Harrison