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"Got My Mind Set on You"
#1 weeks: 1
weeks: 1988-01-16
genre: pop rock, rock
artist: George Harrison
album: Cloud Nine
producers: Jeff Lynne, George Harrison
label:
formats: Vinyl
lengths: 3:51 (album version), 5:17 (extended version)

"Got My Mind Set on You" is a song written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962.

It is best known for the cover version released by George Harrison.

A cover version by former Beatle George Harrison from his album Cloud Ninereached number one on the Hot 100 in January 1988. Produced by Harrison and former ELO member Jeff Lynne, the song was his third and last solo US number one, after "My Sweet Lord" in 1970 and "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" in 1973. It was also the last number one single, to date, by any of the solo Beatles in the United States. As Harrison's third post-Beatles #1 hit in the U.S., he broke a three-way tie among himself, John Lennon and Ringo Starr as ex-Beatles with two #1 solo singles, and moved Harrison into second place behind Paul McCartney's nine #1 songs. Of Harrison's three number one singles in the U.S., it was the only song not written by Harrison and the only one without religious overtones. The single's B-side is "Lay His Head", written by Harrison. The 12" version of the single also adds an extended version of "Got My Mind Set On You".

Two music videos were released for the cover version. The first (directed by Gary Weis) starred a young Alexis Denisof vying for the heart of a girl in an arcade. The second (also directed by Weis), is Harrison sitting and playing in a study. As the song progresses, furniture and knick-knacks (like a stuffed squirrel and mounted warthog) begin to dance along with the song. In the middle of the video, Harrison's stunt double performs a stunning backflip from his chair and follows with a dance routine before jumping back to his seat. The second received significant airplay, and was nominated for three MTV VMAs.

In the UK the single spent four weeks at number two.

Harrison's version of the song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic on his 1988 album Even Worse, as "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long". Shakin' Stevens recorded the song for his 2006 album Now Listen.

1970: "My Sweet Lord" · "Isn't It a Pity" · 1971: "What Is Life" · "Bangla Desh" · 1973: "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" · 1974: "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" · 1975: "Dark Horse" · "You" · "This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying)" · 1976: "This Song" · 1977: "Crackerbox Palace" · "True Love" · "It's What You Value" · 1979: "Blow Away" · "Love Comes to Everyone" · "Faster" 1981: "All Those Years Ago" · "Teardrops" · 1982: "Wake Up My Love" · "I Really Love You" · 1985: "I Don't Want To Do It" · 1987: " Got My Mind Set on You " · 1988: "When We Was Fab" · "This Is Love" · 1989: "Cheer Down" 2002: "My Sweet Lord" · "Stuck Inside a Cloud" · 2003: "Any Road"