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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This was written by a songwriter named Ronald Mack, who died of cancer shortly after it was released.

George Harrison lost a lawsuit in 1976 when a judge said he "subconsciously plagiarized" this on "My Sweet Lord," his first single as a solo artist. He was ordered to pay Bright Tunes Music, who owned the copyright, $587,000.

Carole King played piano on this.

This was produced by The Tokens, who didn't get a recording contract after they hit #1 with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," but did get a production contract. This was the first record under their contract.

This was rejected by twelve record companies, including all the majors, before the bosses at Laurie Records said "yes." (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for above 2)

Comments:

I regret to say, George Harrison made a subconscious plariarism to a simple - weak - stupid - tacky... song, as many, too many US songs in those times were. Anyway I almost can´t accept that that song could be a hit; in fact George helped it become a bit known worldwide after his "My Sweet Lord", as I, for example, heard it ("He´s So Fine") just today, Sept.23,2009, FOR THE FIRST TIME, just for some old curiosity, while I knew "MY SWEET LORD" since 1971!!! What a difference in the arrangements and in the singing way!!! The Chiffons sounded so weird, silly, weak, bad!!! Pity, that his (George´s) memory really caused him such a harm, due to having heard so many silly songs in the 50´s and early 60´s, as melodies as harmonies of both are really similar. Now, saying that "IT WON´T BE LONG" (The Beatles) was AT LEAST based on "One Fine Day", now it´s an absurd by who can´t hear/grasp music indeed; these both have NOTHING to do with each other!!! It´s really ironic and funny (the fact) that George finally bought legally the copyrights of "He´s So Fine", after having been judged and accused and so on, so that both "identical" songs, with SO DIFFERENT LYRICS, belong to him (to his estate since 2001, his death year)!!! I had NEVER heard anything about Mr. Ronald Mack instead, except now when I first heard "his" "ex"-song!!! By the way, I´d like to clarify one thing: a song is NOT music and melody; this could be called a PIECE OF MUSIC; a real SONG needs some LYRICS indeed!!!
- an, garanhuns, Brazil

I once read that this recording was getting nowhere until someone suggested boosting the background vocals. It was a novel idea, and became the 'hook' of the song, and the song became a hit.
- Alan, Greene, RI

so empty at the beginning, this song..just the vocal sound, drums and standup bass.... it then expands...lovely record...
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

I heard of a guy who loved this song and named his dog "Doo Lang."
- MrCleaveland, Cleveland,

"The whole thing was absurd! The only similarities is the key it's in and note patterns. "My Sweet Lord" was much slower in tempo, beats were in different places, and the lyrics weren't at all related to The Chiffon's "He's So Fine." It was just a way for Ronald Mack to gain publicity by suing a Beatle, nothing less, nothing more." To the person that posted the above remark, you are incorrect. Ronald Mack died in mid-1963, shortly after HE'S SO FINE hit #1. There is no way Mack could have filed the lawsuit against George Harrison. MY SWEET LORD was released in 1971.
- Patience, Jamaica , NY

Ronald Mack died in 1963, shortly after HE'S SO FINE hit #1. How can he gain publicity by suing George Harrison if he died almost a decade before Harrison had his hit?
- Patience, Jamaica , NY

In the final settlement of the famous lawsuit, George bought the publishing rights to He's So Fine, to stop anyone else making royalty claims in the future.
- Ken, Louisville, KY

Get over it. They are both great songs. Who cares who got the most money out of it? We wound up with TWO great songs. -Texas Toby
- John, San Antonio, TX

John Lennon had some scathing remarks about the court case surrounding this song. He said George had gone into the whole thing with his eyes wide open, if he had changed just one or two notes no one could have touched him.
- Liquid Len, Ottawa, Canada

there are definete similarities, yet i couldn't possibly believe that a person like our lovely George would copy purposely, so I believe that the song tune was simply stuck in his mind so years later he unconsciously copied it. I don't blame him whatsoever, and think George was not liable to have a fee, but just to apologise and explain himself. I feel bad that he went through all that.
- mad, newcastle, England

plus i think Ronald Mack and George Harrison are rather similar. They both had something to do with the similar songs, and also both died [sadly] of cancer. gosh i miss my george <<3
- mad, newcastle, England

Ah, the "He's So Fine" / "My Sweet Lord" controversy. I think there's very little to it. It's clear that George was a victim of his excellent tune memory, in the same way that Helen Keller wrote what she thought was an original story when she was twelve, only to be accused of plagiarism when it turned out to be an (improved!!) version of a children's story someone had read to her four years earlier. This incident led Mark Twain to write his famous statement on plagiarism (saying that we all, himself included, do it without thinking). I believe it was in the early 80s, Neil Young unconsciously reproduced an early Carly Simon number in the same way. I can't remember details, except that Miss Simon said she didn't mind.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

George Harrison wrote "This song" released on His 1976 album: "33 1/3". Inspired by the trouble this song gave Him.
- Asef, Silkeborg, Denmark

I just want to point out that He didn´t write this song but a song called "This song"
- Asef, Silkeborg, Denmark

The melodies sound similar, but they aren't identical. They are very similar though. That was what George probably failed to notice.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

Carol King not only played piano on One Fine Day, but she wrote it too. as well as CHAINS which the beatles covered. As a musician, i come up with catchy melodies all the time in which i cant for the life of me figure out if its original or im hearing something subconciously...i HIGHLY DOUBT that George was intentionally stealing someones pop song for his religous tribute to his krishna beliefs.
- gonzo, billsville, NJ

Harrison probably heard the tune in the mid sixties, forgot it, and unknowingly had the melody stuck in his head. Like many musicians, he probably improvised this song with the old tune still in his mind. Its easy to see how this could happen, a similiar thing happened to Led Zeppelin a few years later concerning a song improvised on the spur of the moment. Pretty stupid case if you ask me, Harrison's version is better anyway.
- Nathan, Defiance, OH

Jim is correct and Erik is badly mistaken. If only the melodic passages "My sweet Lord"/"He's so fine" were identical in chord pattern and melody, it conceivably could have been forgiven. But in fact, "I really want to see you" and "I don't know how I'm gonna do it" are ALSO identical in melody. That's just too much to overlook. Only George Harrison knew whether his plagiarism was "subconscious" or not. But it was plagiarism nonetheless. By the way, Erik, you're mistaken about something else, too. As Ronnie Mack had been dead for at least a decade when the lawsuit was filed, you can't accuse *him* of wanting to gain publicity by suing a Beatle. The suit was filed on behalf of his estate.
- Mike, Youngstown, OH

Carole King played piano on The Chiffons' "One Fine Day," NOT on this song. "One Fine Day" originally had a vocal by Carole's babysitter Little Eva. That vocal was wiped off the instrumental track and replaced with The Chiffons.
- Mike, Youngstown, OH

You could sing My Sweet Lord when listening to He's So Fine exactly! There is WAY more than just a similarity here. Listen up Erik: 1)Similarity of a song has nothing to do with the temple. Whether one song is fast and the other slow, if the chord progression and melody is the same, it's still the same song. 2)Next the beat doesn't apply either. A song can be reduced to one accoustic guitar and a singer. Drums and beats come later, whatever style you choose, the song remains the same. 3)And last, we're talking about the SONG - which is the melody and chords. Lyrics have absolutely ZERO percent anything to do with it. Lyrics are just a poem. A song is the music and melody you hear. Guns'n Roses' "Don't Cry" has two versions - identical music with alternative lyrics. But they're the same song nonetheless. I believe Harrison didn't do this on purpose, but he failed to recognize the similarities and discard the song as a result.
- Jim, Edmonton, Canada

I guess if you consider paying the copywriter $587,000, your right Ton O.
- Carroll, Toms River, NJ

The Chiffons actually covered a version of "My Sweet Lord" after they heard Harrison's version. And, surprisingly, "My Sweet Lord" was not only the Beatles or Beatles solo song to be inspired by the Chiffons. Lennon and McCartney were also inspired by the Chiffons' "One Fine Day" with "It Won't Be Long". But, I mean, what would be next Starr being inspired by the Chiffons' "Sweet Talking Guy" with "You're Sixteen You're Beautiful You're Mine"? But, seriously, none of the Beatles meant to copy the Chiffons not as much be inspired by them. And, seriously, I feel sorry for Harrison, because how was he supposed to know that there is a song out there that sounds like one of his songs even by big or by small?
- Brandon, Seattle, WA

The whole thing was absurd! The only similarities is the key it's in and note patterns. "My Sweet Lord" was much slower in tempo, beats were in different places, and the lyrics weren't at all related to The Chiffon's "He's So Fine." It was just a way for Ronald Mack to gain publicity by suing a Beatle, nothing less, nothing more.
- Erik, Davis, CA

The judge acknowledged it was 'subconscious plagarism' on Harrison's part, but it was plagarism nonetheless. Experts on both sides agreed the melody in "He's So Fine" was unique, and since Harrison had heard the song before, it was grounds for plagarism. The case was intensely complicated, and it dragged on for over twenty years.
- Zulu, Allentown, PA

I beleive George won that lawsuit. As I recall, the judge admitted the similarities, but ruled that George hadn't intentionally copied the song.
- Tom, Ojai,, CA