To help you ring out the old, ring in the new and keep things festive this New Year’s season, I have dusted off a demo version of this holiday classic by your friend and mine: George Harrison. Anticipating an end-of-year release for his Dark Horse album in 1974, George included his simplistic and newly-penned Ding Dong Ding Dong and also released it on a single 2 days before Christmas of that year. It actually sounds best after a few drinks when you are feeling chipper enough to sing along with a group of another 15 people or so. This demo version was actually recorded a couple months earlier in September or October and the Happy Christmas/New Year message heard at the intro is tagged on from a recorded message from 1987 (no that’s not cheating, just being creative!). Also there is a video around, that you may find on YouTube or circulating the web somewhere, that features George ringing out the old by appearing in a gray collarless suit and playing his 12-string Rickenbacker as he did in the Beatle-days.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone reading for being a part of my series this year and especially those mog-friends who saw fit to follow the BROW here from mog.com.

Happy New Year!

George Harrison, circa 1974

Want to make a suggestion for a future Beatles Rarity of the Week? Then let me hear from you. Read about more Beatles rarities and suggest one for me to post. You can begin by searching for different versions of specific tracks right here.

8 people think this is FAB!

Click here if you change your mind.

Related posts:

1. Beatles Rarity Of The Week – I Don’t Care Anymore (b-side) Welcome to this week’s Beatles Rarity Of The Week. A couple weeks ago I featured a b-side by Ringo Starr...
2. Ding Dong Ding Dong (George Harrison original promo video, 1974) Welcome to the last offering from The Beatles Rarity in 2011. Two years ago on Dec. 28, 2009, I featured...
3. Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney’s original 1979 promo video) For your holiday VOW this year, I’ve dug up Paul McCartney’s 1979 promo video for “Wonderful Christmastime.” Many of you...